Drachm - Artavasdes II

Artavasdes II inherited the Armenian throne in 55 BC after his father Tigranes the Great's long reign reshaped the Near East, but his own rule was defined by the impossible task of navigating between Rome and Parthia. When Crassus marched east and met destruction at Carrhae in 53 BC, Artavasdes — who had pledged support but ultimately withdrew — found himself diplomatically exposed. These bronzes, struck in the immediate aftermath of that political fallout, coincide with his pivot toward the Parthian court, cemented by a royal marriage alliance.