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Obol - Hormazd I type I/1
| Issuer | Sasanian Empire |
|---|---|
| Year | 271-273 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Bust of King Hormazd I facing right, rendered in the Sasanian artistic tradition with finely detailed regalia. The king is adorned with prominent earrings and wears an elaborate crown surmounted by a globe or korymbos, the characteristic hair-bundle emblem of early Sasanian royalty. The portrait is executed in low relief typical of hammered silver fractional coinage of the period, with decorative elements framing the royal effigy within the irregular flan. |
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| Reverse description | A fire altar, the central sacred symbol of Zoroastrianism, depicted in profile and adorned with pendant ribbons or streamers issuing from its base and shaft. Two attendants stand flanking the altar, each facing inward in a posture of ritual reverence; the attendant to the right holds a wreath, a gesture associated with royal legitimacy and divine investiture in Sasanian iconography. The composition is characteristic of early Sasanian silver coinage and closely follows the canonical reverse type established under Ardashir I and continued through the reigns of his successors. |
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| Additional information |
Hormizd I ruled for less than two years following the death of Shapur I, and the brevity of his reign is reflected directly in the scarcity of his coinage. This obol type — the smallest denomination in the Sasanian silver hierarchy — was struck in tiny quantities before his death in 273.