Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 123 23-24 May 2023
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KINGS of PERSIS. Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) I. 3rd century BC. AR Tetradrachm (26mm, 17.02 g, 5h). Istakhr (Persepolis) mint. Head right, with mustache and earring, wearing kyrbasia / Fire temple of Ahura-Mazda; to left, Ardaxšir standing right; standard to right; 'rthštry in Aramaic down left, prtrk' zy 'lhy' in Aramaic in exergue; prs in Aramaic to inner right. van't Haaff, Persis, Type 520.1; K&M –, but cf. 2/11 (Vahbarz; same obv. die, but later die state); Alram 520.1; Sunrise –. Bright surfaces, traces of deposits, slight die breaks. Near EF. Extremely rare with the inclusion of prs in Aramaic on the reverse.
What is known of the fratarakas of Persis, apart from the single late reference in Polyaenus (Strategmata 7.40) derives from their coinage. While the chronology of frataraka succession is still disputed somewhat, recent scholarship has placed Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) I before Vahbarz (Oborzos) in the sequence (see most recently, PA. van't Haaff 2020). The obverse die of this tetradrachm, clearly struck under Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) I with his name on the reverse, continued to be used to strike tetrdachms of Vahbarz (Oborzos), where the die break before the bashlyk becomes significantly greater (see K&M 2/11). This suggests that Vahbarz (Oborzos) continued to use his predecessor's obverse die for some as yet unknown reason to strike his own tetradrachms for a time into his own reign.
On the reverse of this tetradrachm, the legend includes for the first time the word sRP (prs in Aramaic). While common on the issues of Vahbarz (Oborzos), where it is preceded by the word RP (br = "son" in Aramaic) suggesting that he is a locally-born ruler, prs appears prior to this tetradrachm only on a drachm of Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) I (see see K&M 2/7). The use of this phrase may reflect an attempt at independence against Seleukid authority beginning with Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) and continuing especially under Vahbarz (Oborzos), whose actions recorded by Polyaenus now appear in a new light, supported by his special issue of drachms (K&M 2/16).
What is known of the fratarakas of Persis, apart from the single late reference in Polyaenus (Strategmata 7.40) derives from their coinage. While the chronology of frataraka succession is still disputed somewhat, recent scholarship has placed Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) I before Vahbarz (Oborzos) in the sequence (see most recently, PA. van't Haaff 2020). The obverse die of this tetradrachm, clearly struck under Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) I with his name on the reverse, continued to be used to strike tetrdachms of Vahbarz (Oborzos), where the die break before the bashlyk becomes significantly greater (see K&M 2/11). This suggests that Vahbarz (Oborzos) continued to use his predecessor's obverse die for some as yet unknown reason to strike his own tetradrachms for a time into his own reign.
On the reverse of this tetradrachm, the legend includes for the first time the word sRP (prs in Aramaic). While common on the issues of Vahbarz (Oborzos), where it is preceded by the word RP (br = "son" in Aramaic) suggesting that he is a locally-born ruler, prs appears prior to this tetradrachm only on a drachm of Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) I (see see K&M 2/7). The use of this phrase may reflect an attempt at independence against Seleukid authority beginning with Ardaxšir (Artaxerxes) and continuing especially under Vahbarz (Oborzos), whose actions recorded by Polyaenus now appear in a new light, supported by his special issue of drachms (K&M 2/16).