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Tetradrachm - Abinergaios II
| Issuer | Kingdom of Characene (Mesopotamia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 165-180 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 16.84 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Aramaic |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Aramaic/Greek |
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| Additional information |
Characene was a semi-independent client kingdom wedged between the Parthian Empire and the Persian Gulf, controlling the mouth of the Tigris and profiting heavily from Indian Ocean trade. Abinergaios II ruled during a period of significant Parthian pressure, and his coinage reflects a kingdom working to project royal legitimacy on limited resources. The bronze tetradrachm denomination — unusual given that tetradrachms were conventionally struck in silver across the Hellenistic world — speaks to the economic realities of a vassal state unable or unwilling to commit silver to its civic coinage.