Obverse © Geison Pulga (CC BY-NC-SA)
Obverse © Geison Pulga (CC BY-NC-SA)
Drachm - Orodes III - Kingdom of Elymais Arsacid Dynasty
| Billon | 3.22 g | 15 mm |
| Issuer | Elymais (Parthian Empire (247 BC - 224 AD)) |
|---|---|
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 100-200 |
| Value | Drachm (1) |
| Currency | Drachm (247 BC-224 AD) |
| Composition | Billon |
| Weight | 3.22 g |
| Diameter | 15 mm |
| Thickness | 2.8 mm |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Orientation | Variable alignment ↺ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-10 |
| Numista | N#358268 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 97% |
Reverse
Bust of Belos (Marduk)
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about this coin is that it features an image of Orodes III, who was a king of the Parthian Empire, on one side, and an image of a goddess, possibly Artemis, on the other side. This coin was minted during a time when the Parthian Empire was in decline, and the Kingdom of Elymais was a vassal state of the empire. Despite this, the coin still bears the weight and quality of a standard circulation coin, indicating that the kingdom was still capable of producing currency of high quality. Additionally, the use of Billon, a mixture of silver and copper, was a common practice in ancient coinage, as it allowed for the creation of coins that were both durable and had a lower cost of production compared to pure silver or gold coins.
