KINGS of ELYMAIS. Kamnaskires III, with Anzaze. Circa 82/1-73/2 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 16.02 g, 12h). Seleukeia on the Hedyphon mint. Dated SE 231 or 234 (82/1 BC or 78/7 BC). EF.

Keystone 17 – The W. Toliver Besson Collection
Lot: 54. Estimated: $ 300

Oriental Greek, Silver

Sold For $ 1 400. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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KINGS of ELYMAIS. Kamnaskires III, with Anzaze. Circa 82/1-73/2 BC. AR Tetradrachm (28mm, 16.02 g, 12h). Seleukeia on the Hedyphon mint. Dated SE 231 or 234 (82/1 BC or 78/7 BC). Conjoined busts of Kamnaskires III, diademed and draped bust and wearing long beard and torque, and Anzaze, draped and wearing stephane and necklace, left; anchor symbol to right / Zeus-Belos enthroned left, holding in outstretched right hand Nike, standing right and holding wreath, and scepter in left; ΠAKEΛΩN (sic) to inner left; traces of date in exergue. van't Haaff Type 7.1.1-1a-1-2a; cf. Alram 454; cf. DCA2 462. Some iridescence, tooling. EF.

From the W. Toliver Besson Collection. Ex Goldberg 85 (2 June 2015), lot 3060.

On the historical record, the Kingdom of Elymais remains rather mysterious, having left behind little in the way of written records aside from a few Aramaic inscriptions and its extensive coinage. Located at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, its people likely descended from the Elamites, who built a flourishing Bronze Age civilization that was eventually absorbed into the Achaemenid Persian Empire. Under the Seleukids, the region gradually reasserted its autonomy, which prompted Antiochos III the Great to mount an expedition into Elymais, where he was killed by an archer in 187 BC. Virtually nothing is known of the next 40 years, but circa 147 BC a ruling dynasty, the Kamnaskirids, arose and began to strike coins in Elymais. The new monarchy at first supported the Seleukids but, after about 140 BC, became a Parthian vassal state. Its coinage reflects this shift, starting off as Hellenistic in character and soon becoming more Parthian in appearance.

Closing Date and Time: 22 July 2026 at 10:17:40 ET.



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