Drachm - Orodes I 90 BC - 80 BC

Reverse

Beardless archer wearing bashlyk and cloak seated right on throne, holding bow in right hand; no border; seven-line Greek inscription.

Script: Greek

Lettering: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΟΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ

Translation: Of the Great King Arsakes, Ruling by his own authority, Loving his father, Illustrious, Loving the Greeks.

Edge

Plain

Comment

This coin was struck during the Parthian "Dark Age" and authors do not agree on the exact dates and rulers depicted on the coins of this period. For Type 31, several theories exist:
Orodes I (Sellwood 1971); Sinatruces (A. Simonetta 1966; A. Simonetta/Sellwood 1978; Waggoner 1974); Gotarzes I (B. Simonetta 1974, 1975; Dobbins,
1975); Arsaces IX (Mørkholm 1980); Unknown king 87–82 BC (Dilmaghani 1986); Mithradates III (Assar 2006b).

The coin was originally attributed to Orodes I by Sellwood in 1966. In a later article with Simonetta, Sellwood attributed it to Sinatruces. The most recent publications suggest either Sinatruces (Alberto M. Simonetta - "The Coinage of the So-called Parthian Dark Age Revisited", Krakow, 2009) or Mithridates III (Gholamreza F. Assar - "A Revised Parthian Chronology of the Period 91-55 BC", Rome, 2006)

Interesting fact