Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 625. Estimate $200.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $400. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of PARTHIA. Mithradates IV. Circa 58-53 BC. AR Drachm (4.10 g, 12h). Ekbatana mint. Diademed and draped bust left, wearing segmented necklet with medallion; all within pelleted border / BΛ(three-bar Σ)IΛ(three-bar Σ)Ω(three-bar Σ)/Π(three-bar Σ)ΓΛΛOV AP (three-bar Σ)ΛKO[Y] ΔIKΛIOV/EΠIIΛNOV(three-bar Σ) ΘEOVEΠΛTOIO(three-bar Σ)/ΦIΛEΛΛHNO(three-bar Σ), archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow; monogram below bow. Sellwood 40.1; Shore -; PDC 767 (same dies). EF.

From the Todd A. Ballen Collection. Ex Kirk Davis FPL 52 (Fall 2007), no. 64.

Of the two sons of Phraates, the first to mount the Parthian throne was Mithradates IV. However, his authority was soon disputed by Orodes II, whose illustrious general, Surena, eventually defeated and captured Mithradates. We are told by Justin (42.4.4) that charged with conspiracy against Parthia for seeking Roman assistance, Mithradates was at once executed on the order of Orodes.

The S44 tetradrachm type with the epithet ΚΤΙΣΤΗΣ “the Founder” may be the initial coinage of Mithradates, marking the beginning of his rule in Babylonia. This was followed by S40 and S41 drachms in Parthia and ended with the S41.1 tetradrachms and S41.17 drachms with his personal name on the former and the unusual epithet “also called (or nicknamed) son of Phraates” on the latter. It is possible that of the two brothers, Mithradates was an adopted son while Orodes was the natural son of Phraates III.