GREEK · LN-592236467304

Unknown King I Drachm

Available

Dynasty

Kingdom of Persis

Ruler

Unknown King I

Era

Circa 2nd century BC

Denomination

Drachm

Mint

Istakhr

Metal

silver

Diameter

15 mm

Catalog references

Van't Haaff 551.1

Head right with short beard, wearing diadem and kyrbasia surmounted by an eagle. Zoroastrian fire temple, Ahura Mazda hovering above; to left, king standing right with raised hands; to right, standard surmounted by an eagle.

The Kingdom of Persis was a semi-independent vassal state situated in southwestern Iran, ruling under the suzerainty of the Seleucid and later Parthian empires. Its rulers maintained indigenous Zoroastrian traditions, prominently displayed on their coinage which regularly featured fire temples and the deity Ahura Mazda. The ruler known as Unknown King I issued coins that introduced new iconographic elements, such as the eagle-crested headdress, marking a transition in local Persis coinage during the 2nd century BC.

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