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Obol - Arsaces I
| Issuer | Parthian Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 238 BC - 211 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Obol (⅙) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Bare head of Arsaces I in right profile, rendered in the Hellenistic tradition, wearing a soft leather cap (bashlyk or karbasos) that covers the crown and nape of the neck. The facial features are boldly struck with a prominent nose and strong jaw, reflecting the vigorous engraving style characteristic of early Parthian coinage. The field is plain, with no surrounding legend. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Arsaces I founded the Parthian dynasty after leading the Parni tribe in a revolt against the Seleucid satrap Andragoras around 247 BC, though coinage in his name was likely struck only toward the latter part of his reign, possibly as late as the 220s BC. The attribution of this type remains actively debated — Sellwood's classification has been revised multiple times, and the "cf." qualifier against 1.1 signals that this specific piece does not conform exactly to the type standard. These early Parthian obols are among the thinnest and most fragile of any Iranian silver issue, and surface preservation is almost always compromised by ancient cleaning or mineral encrustation from burial.