Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 709. Estimate $200.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $300. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of PARTHIA. Artabanos III. Circa AD 10-38. AR Tetradrachm (13.89 g, 12h). Seleukeia on the Tigris mint. Dated Holöos [SE 323 (?)] (July AD 12). Diademed bust left, wearing slight beard, earring, and spiral torque; all within pelleted border / BΛ(three-bar Σ)IΛ(three-bar Σ)[Ω(three-bar Σ)]/BΛ(three-bar Σ)IΛ(three-bar Σ)Ω[N] ΛP(three-bar Σ)Λ[K(quadrate O)V]/(three-bar Σ)V(three-bar Σ)IΓ(three-bar Σ)T(quadrate O)[V] [Δ]IKΛIKOV [(three-bar Σ)]ΠIΦAИ(quadrate O)V(three-bar Σ)/[Φ]IΛ(three-bar Σ)ΛΛHИ(quadrate O)(three-bar Σ)] (sic), Artabanos seated right, Tyche standing left before him, presenting palm frond and holding cornucopia; monogram between, (quadrate O)Λ(VΩ ligate) down center field, [year in exergue]. Sellwood 61.5 (Artabanos II); Shore -; PDC 39722 and 15151 (this coin). VF, toned.

From the Todd A. Ballen Collection. Ex Dr. Robert Gonnella Collection (Peus 388, 1 November 2006), lot 552; Peus 372 (30 October 2002), lot 665.

In response to the recent unconventional regimes of Phraatakes and Vonones, Artabanos was an ardent traditionalist. His coinage retruned to the customary styles, except that his legends omitted the title "Philhellene" -- although a time-honored title in Parthia, it was now viewed as a tie to the west that Artabanos no longer desired. Although a powerful king who increased the central authority of his kingdom, his reign was rife with internal civil wars. Forced to flee twice, he nevertheless was always able to regain his throne. The circumstances of his death in 38 AD are unknown. Artabanos had made threats against Rome, even suggesting he aimed to reconquer the territory of the Achaemenids, but his anti-western views never translated to military action due to his constant attention to internal struggles.