Roma Numismatics Ltd
E-Sale 83 6 May 2021
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Kings of Sophene (Western Armenia), Mithradates I(?) Æ 17mm. Circa 150-120 BC(?). Head to left, wearing bashlyk tied with diadem / Dolphin swimming to left; [BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ] above, [M]IΘ[PAΔAT] below. Unpublished but cf. Kovacs 24-30; Roma e81, 307; Leu 7, 1343 (attributed to Kings of Armenia Minor, Mithradates; hammered: 1,600 CHF). 4.55g, 17mm, 9h.
Very Fine. Extremely Rare; the third known example.
From the inventory of a German dealer.
Another example of this extremely rare type seems to confirm that the ruler's name was Mithradates. Whilst there are various kings and satraps with the name Mithradates associated with the Kingdoms of Sophene and Armenia, this portrait is strikingly similar to those we find on the coinage attributed to the Sophene king Mithradates I. The features of the left-facing portrait and the plain, partly upright bashlyk with lappets which fall over the king's shoulders are entirely consistent with the rest of Mithradates I's coinage. The only comparable portraits are that of Mithradates II (Sophene), Mithradates II (Armenia Major) and Mithradates (Satrap of Armenia Minor). Mithradates II (Sophene, Kovacs 35-6) and Mithradates (Armenia Minor, Kovacs 295-6) can be discounted due to major stylistic differences, plus the inscriptions found on the latter's coinage are in Aramaic. The coinage of Mithradates II (Armenia Major, Kovacs 230-5) provides a closer comparison however the king is always depicted facing to right and the facial features of the portrait appear to represent someone entirely different.
Very Fine. Extremely Rare; the third known example.
From the inventory of a German dealer.
Another example of this extremely rare type seems to confirm that the ruler's name was Mithradates. Whilst there are various kings and satraps with the name Mithradates associated with the Kingdoms of Sophene and Armenia, this portrait is strikingly similar to those we find on the coinage attributed to the Sophene king Mithradates I. The features of the left-facing portrait and the plain, partly upright bashlyk with lappets which fall over the king's shoulders are entirely consistent with the rest of Mithradates I's coinage. The only comparable portraits are that of Mithradates II (Sophene), Mithradates II (Armenia Major) and Mithradates (Satrap of Armenia Minor). Mithradates II (Sophene, Kovacs 35-6) and Mithradates (Armenia Minor, Kovacs 295-6) can be discounted due to major stylistic differences, plus the inscriptions found on the latter's coinage are in Aramaic. The coinage of Mithradates II (Armenia Major, Kovacs 230-5) provides a closer comparison however the king is always depicted facing to right and the facial features of the portrait appear to represent someone entirely different.