VARDANES I 43AD PARTHIA Billon Tetradrachm Authentic Ancient Greek Coin i60296

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VARDANES I 43AD PARTHIA Billon Tetradrachm Authentic Ancient Greek Coin i60296:
$520.00

Item: i60296

Authentic Ancient Coin of:

Kingdom of Parthia
Vardanes I - King circa 38-46 A.D.
Billon Silver Tetradrachm 24mm (13.91 grams)
Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Struck circa 43/44 A.D. Dated SE 355.
Reference: Sear GIC 5787; Sellwood 64/22; B.M.C. 23.155,19 | Pedigree: Ex Christopher \"Kit\" Reed Collection
His diademed and cuirassed bust left, with short beard; wart on forehead.
King enthroned right, receiving palm-branch from Tyche standing left, holding cornucopia; above, BACIΛEWC / BACIΛEWN; on right APCAKOY / EVEPΓETOY; beneath, ΔΙΚΑΙΟY; on left, ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟYC / ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟC; in field above, ENT (= year 355 = A.D. 43/4); in exergue, APTEMEICIOY (= Artemisios = April).

Son of Artabanos II, his succession seems to have been contested by his brother Gotarzes. The fortunes of the rival kings fluctuated for about half a decade, during this period Vardanes succeeded in reducing the city of Seleucia, in the seventh year of its revolt. He was eventually murdered whilst hunting, circa A.D. 45, leaving Gotarzes in undisputed possession of the throne.

The mighty Arsacid realm, with its roots in the old Seleucid Empire, frequently vied with Rome for political and military superiority in the sensitive border area of the Near East. Early in the Roman Imperial period, circa A.D. 10, there was an Iranian reaction agianst the Philhellenism of the Arsacid rulers which brought Artabanos II to power. The old Persian religion was revived with great fervor and twoards the close of Artabanos\' reign the Greek city of Seleucia revolted. Conflicts with Imperial Rome occured at regular intervals, notably in the reigns of Nero, Trajan, Marcus Aurelius and Septimius Severus. After almost five centuries of Arsacid rule the Persians found a national leader in the person of Ardashir (Artaxerxes) the Sassanid. He defeated Artabanos IV in A.D. 224 thus ending the line of Parthian monarchs and establishing in their place the new Sassanian dynasty.

You are offerding on the exact item pictured, provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity.

Billon is an alloy of a precious metal (most commonly silver ) with a majority base metal content (such as copper ). It is used chiefly for making coins , medals , and token coins . The word comes from the French bille. The use of billon coins dates from ancient Greece through the Middle Ages . During the 6th and 5th centuries BC, some cities on Lesbos Island used coins made of 60% copper and 40% silver. Billon coins are perhaps best known from the Roman Empire , where progressive debasements of the Roman denarius and the Roman provincial tetradrachm .

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