Drachm - Ariarathes VIII Epiphanes

Ariarathes VIII ruled Cappadocia for no more than five years under Mithridates VI of Pontus, who had installed him as a client king following the removal of Ariarathes VII — likely murdered by Mithridates himself. The dynasty was effectively a Pontic puppet by this point, and the coinage reflects a kingdom in name only. Simonetta 1a is the foundational reference for this reign, but the type is genuinely scarce; the short and politically turbulent tenure left little opportunity for sustained mint output.