Parthian Empire, Silver Drachm, Orodes I – 90 to 80 BCE – Ancient Persia Free Shipping Good Selling

Includes glass top display box.

• Denomination: Drachm
• Authority: King Orodes I
• Type Number: Sellwood 31 (referring to the 2nd edition of David Sellwood’s The Coinage of Parthia, which is the standard reference book for Parthian coins)

The Parthian Empire covered most of the Middle East at it’s greatest extent, nearly stretching from the Mediterranean to the Indian subcontinent. These silver drachms feature various Parthian kings on the obverse, and typically show an archer surrounded by Greek lettering on the reverse.

Parthia was a major political power for nearly 500 years, acting as a center of trade and commerce along the Silk Road. The influence of Greek culture still existed in the region long after Alexander the Great’s Middle Eastern campaign, but Islam still wouldn’t arrive in the region for a few more centuries. The Parthians were frequently at war with their western neighbors, such as the Seleucids, the Scythians, and eventually the late Roman Empire. However, much of the empire’s history is only known through external sources as few Parthian writings survive—making the study of coins like these all the more useful to understanding the period.

All purchases include a Certificate of Authenticity. You will receive the exact item in this photo, along with a glass top leatherette display box.