Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 545. Estimate $150.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $150. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of PARTHIA. Artabanos I. 126-122 BC. AR Drachm (3.29 g, 12h). Ekbatana mint. Diademed and draped bust left, wearing long beard, earring, and torque; all within pelleted border / BAΣI ΛEΩΣ/MEΓ AΛO(inverted A) down right field, APΣAKOY/OEOΠATOPΣ (sic) down left, archer (Arsakes I) seated right on omphalos, holding bow. Sellwood 19.2 var. (rev. legend); Shore 58; PDC 5889 (this coin). VF, darkly toned, obverse slightly double struck.

From the Todd A. Ballen Collection. Ex Gorny & Mosch 6 (6 March 2007), lot 1547.

During his short four year reign, Artabanos remained chiefly preoccupied with repeated unrest in the southern provinces of Mesene and Elam, and the nomad attacks in north-east Parthia. Although largely successful in extending Arsakid jurisdiction over the southern regions of the empire (confirmed by his S18.2 tetradrachm from Susa and S21 series from Seleucia), and in pushing the northern invaders as far as Margiane (attested by his S20.5-6, S22.4, and Shore 64 drachms), he seems to have ultimately succumbed to a poisoned arrow he received in his arm while fighting the “Tochari” in eastern Parthia about April or May 122 BC.