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Æ19 - Gordian III ΑΒΓΑΡΟϹ ΒΑϹΙΛΕΥϹ
| Issuer | Kingdom of Osroene, Edessa (Mesopotamia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 239-242 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | Draped bust of Abgar X Phraates, King of Osroene, facing right, wearing a tall tiara adorned with foliate or floral ornamental decoration characteristic of Parthian-influenced royal regalia. The king is depicted with a beard and dressed in eastern court costume, the drapery rendered in folds across the chest. The Greek legend ΑΒΓΑΡΟϹ ΒΑϹΙΛΕΥϹ, meaning 'Abgar the King', encircles the bust, affirming the royal status of the Osroenian ruler as client king under Roman suzerainty. |
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Abgar X Phraates ruled Osroene as the last king of his dynasty, issuing coins jointly with the Roman emperor in a display of vassal loyalty that did little to save his kingdom. Gordian III's eastern campaigns prompted Rome to tighten control over the buffer states of upper Mesopotamia, and Osroene was absorbed outright — likely before Gordian's own death on campaign in 244. This coin may belong to the final months of autonomous coinage from Edessa before the kingdom ceased to exist as a political entity entirely.