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Drachm - Artabanus I
| Issuer | Parthian Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 126 BC - 122 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 4.06 g |
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| Obverse description | Diademed bust of Artabanus I facing left, rendered in fine Hellenistic style. The king wears a torque of beaded ornaments at the neck and a diadem securing his hair. The facial features are sharply detailed, with a pronounced beard and strong brow. A dotted border encircles the flan along the rim. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Artabanus I seized the Parthian throne following the death of his brother Mithridates I, inheriting an empire that stretched from the Euphrates to eastern Iran but was already under pressure from Scythian incursions along its northeastern frontier. He spent most of his short reign fighting those nomadic groups rather than consolidating administrative control, and was killed in battle against them — likely the Tochari — around 122 BC. The brevity and turbulence of his rule kept mint output low, which Sellwood's die study reflects.