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Hemidrachm - Ardashir I
| Issuer | Sasanian Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 233-239 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | 𐭬𐭦𐭣𐭮𐭭 𐭠𐭥𐭣𐭱𐭩𐭥 𐭬𐭫𐭪𐭠𐭭 |
| Reverse description | A stepped fire altar depicted frontally at centre, with two distinct flames rising from the altar bowl. Two royal diadems of type G hang from the sides of the altar shaft, their ribbons flowing outward. Attendant figures flank the altar on either side. A Pahlavi legend encircles the design within a beaded border, identifying the king. |
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| Additional information |
Ardashir I founded the Sasanian Empire after defeating and killing Artabanus IV of Parthia at the Battle of Hormozdgan in 224 AD, ending nearly five centuries of Arsacid rule. The hemidrachm denomination was inherited directly from late Parthian practice — Ardashir retained it early in his reign before his administration progressively standardized toward the drachm as the dominant silver unit.
The Göbl IV/2 classification places this among the later emissions of Ardashir's coinage sequence, post-consolidation of his western territories following campaigns against Rome under Alexander Severus in the early 230s.