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Drachm - Balash
| Issuer | Sasanian Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 485-488 |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of Balash (Vālaxš) facing right, wearing a distinctive mural crown surmounted by a korymbos set upon a crescent. A ribbon is depicted on the left shoulder, with stylized flames rising on the right. The portrait is rendered in the characteristic Sasanian hammered style, with fine linear detailing defining the royal regalia and facial features. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Pahlavi |
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| Additional information |
Balash ruled for fewer than four years before being deposed and blinded by the Sasanian nobility — a fate that reflected the dynasty's chronic struggle between royal authority and an increasingly powerful aristocratic faction. His reign coincided with the aftermath of the catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Herat in 484, where his predecessor Peroz I was killed fighting the Hephthalites, leaving the treasury depleted and the eastern frontier effectively ceded. Coinage from this reign is correspondingly scarce.