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Drachm - Phraates III
| Issuer | Parthian Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 62 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
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| Currency | Drachm (247 BC-224 AD) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | The archer-king Arsaces I depicted seated right upon an omphalos throne, holding a strung bow in his extended right hand, a standard Arsacid dynastic reverse type. A Greek inscription surrounds the figure in the field to left and right and along the upper and lower margins. A monogram, unrecorded in Sellwood's typology, appears below the bow in the lower field. The style is characteristic of the Ecbatana or Rhagae mint output of the period. |
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| Additional information |
Phraates III reclaimed the Parthian throne in 70 BC with direct Tigranes of Armenia backing, immediately facing pressure from both Rome and Pontus as Lucullus pushed east. His reign is defined by the diplomatic tightrope he walked — simultaneously negotiating with Pompey and with Mithridates VI, ultimately recognizing Rome's Euphrates boundary in exchange for acknowledgment of his royal title. The 62 BC date places this coin squarely in the aftermath of Pompey's eastern settlement.
The unrecorded monogram on a Sellwood 35 is a genuine cataloging gap — Sellwood's type series for Phraates III is well-documented, but workshop control marks remain incompletely mapped.