Extremely Rare Orodes III Tetradrachm

Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 706. Estimate $1000.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $2600. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of PARTHIA. Orodes III. Circa AD 6. AR Tetradrachm (13.45 g, 12h). Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Dated Embolimos SE 317 (Intercalary month AD 6). Diademed bust left, wearing long beard and spiral torque; [all within pelleted border] / [BA(three-bar Σ)IΛE[Ω(three-bar Σ)]/BA(three-bar Σ)IΛEΩN AP(three-bar Σ)AK[(quadrate O)V]/EYEPΓET[(quadrate O)V] [ΔIKΛI(quadrate O)V] [E]ΠIΦAN(quadrate O)[V(three-bar Σ)]/[ΦI]ΛEΛΛH[N(quadrate O)[(three-bar Σ)], Orodes seated left, holding bow and scepter; EM (month) to left, ZIT (year) to right. Sellwood 59.2; Shore 327. Near VF, toned, light graffiti on obverse. Extremely rare.

From the Todd A. Ballen Collection.

Orodes III ascended the throne with the assistance of the Parthian nobility following the death of Phraatakes. His reign was brief and, according to Josephus (Ant. Jud. 18), extremely cruel. He was succeeded by his brother, Vonones I.