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Drachm - Mithridates II
| Issuer | Parthian Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 121 BC - 91 BC |
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| Currency | Drachm (247 BC-224 AD) |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of Mithridates II facing left, wearing a royal diadem (taenia) with beaded upper edge, the flowing hair rendered in wavy striations beneath the headband. A short, finely detailed curled beard frames the king's face, executed in the Hellenistic portrait tradition. The bust is shown in high relief against a plain field, enclosed by a beaded border along the coin's edge. The portrait conveys a dignified, authoritative effigy characteristic of the mature Arsacid royal coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | BAΣIΛEΩΣ MEΓAΛoY APΣAKoY EΠIΦANoYΣ |
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| Additional information |
Mithridates II earned his epithet "the Great" through a series of military campaigns that expanded Parthian territory from Mesopotamia to Bactria, and it was during his reign that Parthia first made formal diplomatic contact with Rome — exchanging embassies on the Euphrates around 96 BC. The proliferation of die varieties within Sellwood 24 reflects the sheer volume of silver moving through the empire at its administrative peak.
His later issues show a progressive stylistic shift in the royal portrait, possibly reflecting court influence from the Hellenistic west. The series spans three decades of active production across multiple mints.