Tetradrachm - Phraates II

Phraates II inherited the Parthian throne from his father Mithridates I around 138 BC and spent much of his reign managing the catastrophic consequences of Seleucid aggression from the west and nomadic Saka pressure from the east. The "BA" exergue inscription on this piece marks it as a known variant within Sellwood's classification, distinguishing it from the more common exergue renderings of the type — a small but catalogued detail that reflects the loose supervisory control across Parthian minting operations.

Phraates II was killed fighting the Saka around 127 BC, having made the fatal error of deploying captured Seleucid troops against them.