Series I Volume XXIX, No. 4 December 2003 18 ARMENIAN 8811 NUMISMATIC JOURNAL TABLE OF CONTENTS Vol. XXIX (2003) No. 4 Announcements 87 Letters 87 Latest 87 Obituary 88 Donations 88 Donations {Selected Numismatic Studies II Fund) 88 NERCESSIAN, Y. T. Silver Coins of Artaxias II, Tigrtanes III, Artavasdes IV of Armenia 89 .., . { II) (A Critical book review'of A. ^ MOUSHEGHIAN and G. DEPEYROT, Hellenistic and Roman Armenian Coinage (1st c. BC - 1st c. AD), by Ruben VARDANYAN, ’ under the title of “The Bust of Laurit [laureate])” (Part II) 99 Armenian Numismatic Literature 12 .4., , (SAHAKYAN, Bagrat. A Counterfeit Armenian Paper Money) 13 ARMENIAN NUMISMATIC JOURNAL Series I Vol. XXIX. No. 4 December 2003 ANNOUNCEMENTS A few years ago we announced the "half price" sale of our numismatic books. Unfortunately, the discounted book sale has not been a great success. Therefore, it is discontinued as of August 31, 2003. For our new prices see the attached publication list. Effective September 1, 2003. All Armenian Numismatic Society members receive a 20% discount on all available publications: Armenian Numismatic Journal issues. Special Publications, Bedoukian publications, and also our silver medal(s). See the attached publication list. MTTIgM TO Tm roiTdDE Nice articles on counterfeit coins. I have a special interest in counterfeits from Soviet sources as you may guess. Pierre V. Haig, M.D. :, , ILAWST (dHI€)AIEID))) According to unverified sources (third or fourth party), a recently discovered large hoard of Cilician Armenian silver coins was sold in London at £16 per coin. The hoard was nearly 3200 pieces. Most of them belonged to King Levon I with 80 pieces to other kings. Classification: Levon I (1198-1219), around 3100 pieces, mostly trams, also included 3 half trams and a few half double trams; Hetoum-Zabel (1226-1270), trams; Smpad (1296-1298), 30 different coronation trams. About 40% EF to VF grades, about 50% VF to F grades, and the rest 10% F to lower grades. According to the same source, no junk in the lot. Telephone calls to the editor: Some members expressed their feelings about the early deliveries of Armenian Numismatic Journal, issues number 2 and 3. We deliberately planned to mail those issues as early as possible so that we could devote most of our time to the publishing of Selected Numismatic Studies II of Paul Z. Bedoukian. ARMENIAN NUMISMATIC JOURNAL is the quarterly publication of Armenian Numismatic Soci- ety, an educational, non-profit organization. Editor, Y. T. Nercessian, 8511 Beverly Park Place, Pico Rivera, CA 90660-1920, USA (e-maih-ArmNumSoc@aoLcom). Associate Editors, W. Ge- wenian and T. Nercessian, Corresponding Editors, L. A. Saryan. Non-member subscriptions US $50.00 per year. XSSN 0884-0180—LCCN 85-649443 Armenian Numismatic Journal, Vol. XXIX (2003) 87 (Q)]BIITIIJAE¥ James Mark Keshishian Was born in Belgium and raised in Washington D.C. Passed away in McLean, 78. He had cancer, t May 15, 2003 A NOTE TO COLLECTORS OF ARTAXATA CIVIC COINS Mr. M. Amandry, of Bibliotheque National de France, expressed his desire of receiving photographs of Artaxata civic coin that our membership may have in their collections. He is doing research in this area. DONATIONS (general) (Period ending 30 September 2002) Eskijian, L $25 Setian, Ch $15 Schott, D. F $15 ArmNumSoc e-mail ADDRESS DISCONNECTED Last year we had an electronic transmission from a museum in Europe. We received a virus and our e-mail would stay on only for a few minutes. This year again we received a virus from another overseas museum. First, our AOL barely remained on one minute, then it would not open, and we would not be able to install new AOL software. THE ARMENIAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY is! extremely grateful to all tljosie luljo contributeh monep to tlje SELECTED NUISMATIC STUDIES II FUND DDNHTIDNS {Selected Numismatk: Studies II Fund) Abril Bookstore $025 Kagan, Jonathan H $100 Ardzrouni, Ara $200 Kashian, Stephen M $100 Aris, Hrayr $200 Kern Co., Jonathan K $100 Aroyan, Armen $120 Lazarian, Steve $100 Baghdassarian, Garbis 0 $100 Mkrtchian, Hacob $050 Bedoukian, Robert H $500 Nercessian, Y. T $500 Bedrosian, JD, A. P $100 Palian, Leon P $100 Cafesjian, Gerald L $100 Pegasi Numismatics $025 Classical Numismatic Group, Inc $200 Ronus, Robert E. G $200 Christianian, Jirair $100 Rynearson, Dr. Paul $025 Didizian, Hagop H $500 Sarkissian, Simon $025 Dulgarian, Stephen T $100 Saryan, Levon A $100 Eskijian, Luther $150 Sayles, Wayne G $100 Freeman & Sear $100 Setian, Charles $1 00 Garabedian, Margo Lena $1 00 Stein, Mr. & Mrs. Joseph H $100 Gewenian, Wartan $100 Thomassian, Levon $100 Haig, Pierre V $100 Warden Numismatics, LLC $025 88 Armenian Numismatic Journal, Vol. XXIX (2003) SILVER COINS OF ARTAXIAS II, TIGRANES III, ARTAVASDES IV OF ARMENIA Plate 6 Y. T. NERCESSIAN Historical Background In 34 B.C., Artavasdes II (56-34 B.C.) was betrayed by Mark Antony. Artavasdes, his queen, and two sons were taken to Egypt as prisoners. ^ His eldest son, Artaxias, who was left behind in Armenia, was crowned king by the Armenian nobles. However, he could not not put up an organized resistance against Rome, and escaped to Parthia for refuge. In 30 B.C., Artaxias II returned to Armenia with the assistance of the Parthians. He re- gained the Artaxiad throne and avenged the death of his father, Artavasdes II, by putting all Romans to the sword. Artaxias ruled ten years without interference from Rome. In 20 B.C., upon Rome’s interference, the pro-Roman party assassinated Arteixias. Western scholars and some Armenian historians consider the regnal period of Artaxias II to be 30-20 B.C., when he returned Armenia from his Parthian refuge. A few other Armenian historians consider his regnal period to be 34-20 B.C., when he was crowned as king of Armenia.^ Apparently, Artaxias II did the same since on his newly discovered drachms there is the inscription of lA (14), if we accept these letters as his regnal year when the coin was struck. In 20 B.C., Tigranes HI, one of the brothers of Artaxias II who was taken prisoner to Rome, was crowned king of Armenia. Armenia was now completely under the Roman sphere of influence. In 8 B.C., Tigranes IV was placed on the Artaxiad throne without the consent of Rome. In B.C. 5 he was dethroned. In 5 B.C., Artavasdes HI, the third son of Artavasdes II, ascended the throne of Armenia with the support of the Roman army. The Armenians resented Roman interference and with the assistance of Parthia expelled Artavasdes and the Roman army from Armenia. In 2 B.C., Tigranes IV returned from Parthia and with the assistance of the Parthians re- captured his throne. He ruled Armenia with his half sister and queen Erato. Apparently ar- rangements were for made Tigranes to receive his crown from Augustus. However, in A.D. 1 he was killed in a war against the barbarians from the north. Erato ruled the country for a few years. In A.D. 2, Gains Caesar offered the throne of Armenia to Ariobarzanes of Atropatene. This was not acceptable to the Armenians. Gains Caesar crushed the rebellion, but he was wounded and two years later Ariobarzanes died ac- ^ H. Manandian.A Critical Survey of the History the of Armenian People (Erevan, 1944), Vol. I, pp. 245-283 (in genian); History of the Armenian People, Vol. I (Erevan, 1971), pp. 603-626 (in Armenian); Soviet Armenian Encyclopedia (Erevan, 1976), Vol. II, p. 144 (in Armenian). 2 Hrant K. Armen, The Fall the of Artaxiad Dynasty (Beirut, 1982), p. 121 (in Armenian); Fr. Vahan Hovhan- nessian. History of the Armenians (Venice, 1974), Vol. 4 pp. 155-156 (in Armenian); Simon Simonian, History of the Armenians (Beirut, 1961), Vol. IV, p. 101 (in Armenian). Armenian Numismatic Journal, Vol. XXIX (2003) 89 , Y. T. Nercessian cidentally. In A.D. 4, the throne was offered to Artavasdes IV, the son of Ariobarzanes. Artavasdes IV also was not acceptable to the Armenians. The Armenian nobility rebelled and assassinated this foreign king. Tigranes IV, Artavasdes III, Tigranes IV and Erato, issued only copper coins. Apparently the country was in poor economic condition and tetradrachms or drachms were not issued. Artavasdes IV issued silver coins. During A.D. 6-34, Tigranes V (A.D. 6), Vonones (A.D. 8-16), and Artaxias III (A.D. 18-34) occupied the throne of Armenia. We have only copper coins from Tigranes V and Erato. In A.D. 8, Vonones was king of Parthia; the Pathians expelled him. Vonones took refuge in Armenia. Tetradrachms and drachms inscribed with his name were struck in Parthia while he was king there and according to the Parthian tradition. He was not acceptable to the Armenians and he was forced to flee from Armenia. Germanicus crowned Zeno as king of the Armenians. He was given the name Artaxias III (A.D. 18-34). He did not strike Armenian coins inscribed with his name. However, there are Roman silver coins commemorating the coronation of Artaxias by Germanicus. Following the reign of Artaxias III, Armenia had three more foreign rulers on the throne of the Artaxiads. They did not issue coin. The Artaxiad dynasty of Armenia lasted 250 years. It is beyond the scope of this paper to make a die study on Roman coins. Roman silver coins of Germanicus/ Germanicus-Artaxias is presented for a closure. A Survey of Studies on Silver Coins Artaxias II. The known silver drachms of Artaxias II consist of four pieces. All of them were discovered recently in a Parthian coin hoard. The provenance and the date of discovery remain unknown.