Drachm - Autophradates, Satrap of Sparda

Autophradates served as satrap of Sparda (Sardis) under both Artaxerxes II and Artaxerxes III, and was among the few satraps to survive the Satraps' Revolt of the 360s BC — largely by suppressing it on the king's behalf rather than joining it. These fractional silver issues were struck under his personal authority, a privilege the Achaemenid crown permitted selectively to loyal western satraps who needed local coinage to pay troops and administrators without drawing on royal mints.

The type is scarce in any condition. Autophradates held his post for an unusually long tenure, yet output from his mint remains thin relative to contemporary Anatolian satrapal issues.