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The Politics of Parthian Coinage in Media

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The Politics of Parthian Coinage in Media The Politics of Parthian Coinage in Media Author(s): Farhang Khademi Nadooshan, Seyed Sadrudin Moosavi, Frouzandeh Jafarzadeh Pour Reviewed work(s): Source: Near Eastern Archaeology, Vol. 68, No. 3, Archaeology in Iran (Sep., 2005), pp. 123-127 Published by: The American Schools of Oriental Research Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25067611 . Accessed: 06/11/2011 07:31 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The American Schools of Oriental Research is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Near Eastern Archaeology. http://www.jstor.org The Parthians (174 BCE-224CE) suc- , The coins discussed here are primarily from ceeded in the the Lorestan Museum, which houses the establishing longest jyj^' in the ancient coins of southern Media.1 However, lasting empire J0^%^ 1 Near East.At its Parthian JF the coins of northern Media are also height, ^S^ considered thanks to the collection ruleextended Anatolia to M from ^^^/;. housed in the Azerbaijan Museum theIndus and the Valley from Ef-'?S&f?'''' in the city of Tabriz. Most of the Sea to the Persian m Caspian ^^^/// coins of the Azerbaijan Museum Farhang Khademi Gulf Consummate horsemen el /?/ have been donated by local ^^ i Nadooshan, Seyed indigenoustoCentral Asia, the ? people and have been reported ?| ?????J SadrudinMoosavi, Parthians achieved fame for Is u1 and documented in their names. andFrouzflndeh having routed the remnants of It Even though many of these coins W^^\\\ JafarzadehPour are it seems Alexander s Empire from Per- wl unprovenanced, ^5v\\ clear that were collected in sia.After defeating the Seleucid Vfc they ^^#v<\ and no coins emperoron the IranianPlateau, yk Azerbaijan province ^for1 in the museum collection came thefirst Parthian ruler, Arsaces, \jL ^jfl from other provinces. establishedthe Arsacid \ dynastyof ^^ Comparing the type, date, and Parthia. The in the satrapy ofMedia, ^^S^ weight of the coins from these museums cen Iranian heartland, had been themain has led to some interesting conclusions. For ter it of resistance against example, appears that theSeleucids, according only drachmas with were to historical documents, standard weights andwould not succumb in circulation in the Persian while fully to Parthian domi territory, tetradrachms were the nation until over one standard currency of the hundred years later. It . Parthia Seleucids. According was Arsaces illustrious ?Europui^S?^r Ecbatanac t, #/?ha^ex HariracL^/^ A" \?\ Tigris (Arsaaa) ^j^?sa-*' / \ to Sellwood, during descendant, Mithra the of the Se1e"^&fe?ia ?usa Tabae (Esfahan) #Farah/ , ?' t long reign dates who Jerusalem Neh# -; I, conquered m?ET\> Suslana Dran8iZ?!L/ f\ Parthians (about five ^jL. (Cr^aCenfcKA Eiymais jS?DaiWhefc^e \ Media and its important centuries), the weight of and legendary capital drachma coins remained ' constant Ecbatana. In antici ' ? (1980: 8). But of HA? ?HMMBHtek.. (Kerman) in and pation of the eventual Mesopotamia the of unification of Media Syria, weight with Mithra Parthian tetradrachms Parthia, was Map of the Parthian Empire. Media is in the northwest. reduced. Since dates immediately the composition of the coins in --awliffigma" began issuing coins is not known to us the region?even before due to the fact that most his conquest ofEcbatana. k i chemical analyses require For I destructive methods years, specimens of j 1955: it theseParthian coins from I' I (Caley 1-104), sat * Media have relatively These coins of Mithradates I unnoticed inmuseums in were at probably minted Tabriz and Lorestan.With Hekatompylos in eastern insufficient archaeologi Parthia and represent the cal this L first economic intervention informationfrom I of the Parthians in these coins region, may i I northern Media affairs be our best hope for I f in the second ' beginning understanding the nature century bce. All illustrations of theParthian presence courtesy of authors unless inMedia. otherwise noted. NEAR EASTERNARCHAEOLOGY 68:3 (2005) 123 JET '??????bi?^^.^^k Drachms of Artabanus This coin of Orodes The coins from the long reign of Mithridates II Mithradatkart in II, like this one, are not I (90-80 bce)who (124-88 bce) are known in both northern and Turkmenistan was one of found in the Lorestan followed Gotarzes I (95 southern Media although these coins from the the Parthian mints during on were III Museum and may not 90 bce) the Parthian north probably minted in Parthia. the reign of Phraates was have circulated in southern throne is the only coin in (70-57 bce) and likely Media. Artabanus' reign the Parthian collection to have been the origin was was relatively short (128 at the Tabriz Museum of this coin. Phraates 124 bce) and the presence to have been minted in killed by his son M ith ridates of his coins minted in Susa in the south. IIIwhose reign lasted only the Median heartland a very short time until he, of Ectabana shows the in turn, was killed by his The sons of Phraates IV, ] degree of control over brother, Phraates other son, Vonones Iand Orodes III, the northern of the Orodes II. part returned to Parthia and territory. ruled for a short period. This coin of Vonones' short four year reign was minted in Ecbatana. Artabanus IIand his successors extended Until the twenty-year reign Parthian noblemen, Parthian rule over most in even of Orodes II(57-38 bce), restoring Parthian power of present-day Iran was the city of Hekatompylos Media and Mesopotamia, though he followed a was an important economic brought Artabanus II, by another Parthian were son a center and mint but Many of the coins of Phraates IV (38-2 bce) of local Median king, monarchic struggle diminished in importance minted in the Median heartland city of Ecbatana. to power. Artabanus's between Gotarzes II (40 thereafter. Orodes IIgave After the death of Phraates IV, Parthia was ruled reign lasted twenty-eight 51 ce), whose coin this a son up his throne at the end of for short time by his Phraataces (Phraates V) years. His coins, minted is, in the main part of the to one Musa. V the coin in were his reign of his sons, and his mother Phraates issued Ecbatana, widely empire and Vardanes I Phraates IV. on the right during his brief two year reign. circulated inMedia. (40-47 ce) inMedia. 124 NEAR EASTERNARCHAEOLOGY 68:3 (2005) Pacorus IIof Parthia ruled the Parthian Artabanus III (80-90 ce) contended for the Empire from about 78-105 CE. He was throne of Pacorus II.On some coins he k given the kingdom of Media by his calls himself Arsaces Artabanus. Pacorus L brother Vologases Iafter his succession I eventually subdued him, however, I to the throne. After Vologases' death, m Pacorus revolted against his brother's pushed the Scythians westward, son and II 78 f successor, Vologases (ca. captured Armenia, and finally 80 ce), and him. On defeating deposing succeeded in occupying both Media his numerous coins he always calls himself and Mesopotamia. During the last years "Arsaces Pacorus." This mention of his of his life, he was forced to deal with a proper name together with the royal S i' ^ I divided as several Parthian name rule, kings % Arsaces, shows that his kingship ruled in I was disputed by rivals. Mesopotamia simultaneously. The historical documents on these * is not clear whether or not this was a kings are limited to numismatic and which indicate measure on the part of the Parthians to epigraphic evidence, that the Parthian minor control inflation in the Persian territory. kings enjoyed the of the local of As a bridge between the Iranian Plateau support population was a After the of Mithradates II and the and Mesopotamia, Media crossroads of cultures, and its Mesopotamia. disappearance was a nexus decline of several minor Parthian the Parthian came capital Ecbatana not only commercial but also a kings, Empire under the control of aMedian who was an Arsacid meeting place for the peoples visiting from Seleucis and Bactria. king, Darius, his mother's The Seleucid emperor Antiochus IV installed his minister only by lineage. Mithradates a Parthian of killed his father Timarachus as governor of Media for the purpose of reinforcing III, king Media, Phraates III and was in turn killed his brother Orodes II.Until political relations with these regions. by the time of the of was an Phriapatius, the thirdKing of Parthia, had two sons, Phraates and Orodes, city Heactompylos important center of the Parthian Orodes after a Mithridates. Phraates I succeeded his father and may have been the kingdom. II, long reign, gave his throne to one of his sons, Phraates IV.Our information first to capture the strategic Caspian gateway and prepare the ground up about Media this of Parthian rule is based for his brother Mithradates I to penetrateMedia, which was then still during phase upon evidence to the of Phraates IV in wars controlled by the Seleucids. Possibly due to his personal participation relating engagement him the Roman Proconsul Mark in in battles on the northwestern frontier against the Sakas and the waged against by Anthony was (Bivar 1993: 59). Phraates IV concluded a peace treaty Bactrians, he unable to take part personally in the war against Azerbaijan with Mark the Roman after which the latter the Seleucids. His commander may have led a division to occupy Anthony, Proconsul, Media (Assar 2004: 69-93) and establish Parthian power there.
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