Elymais

e l y m a i s

Not much is known of the history of the Elymaid rulers. It seems they were quasi-independent but subject to the Parthian kings. Their kingdom was located south of Susa and northwest of Persis, at the head of the Persian Gulf in what would be modern southwestern Iran. Their coinage commences about 150 BC and lasts until about 225 AD, when the Parthians are overthrown by the Sasanians. Elamais is the 'Graecized' form of the more ancient name, Elam.

Note: May, 2002 - I'm using part of Benjamin Bell's chronology (sort of), widening the dating for the small bronze.

r e f e r e n c e s

Kamnaskirid Dynasty

Kamnaskires I, Soter (circa 147 BC)

Kamnaskires II, Nicephorus (circa 145 - 139 BC)

Okkonapses Soter (usurper from Characene (?)) (circa 139 BC)

Tigraios (usurper from Characene (?)) (circa 138/7 - 133/2 BC)

Dareios Soter (local usurper in Susa?) (circa 129 BC)

(Resumed rule by a previous usurper?) (circa 129 - 120 BC)

Kamnaskires "III" (dated drachms, circa 105 BC)

Kamnaskires "IV" and Anzaze (circa 80 BC)

Kamnaskires III with Queen Anzaze
AR Obol
Alram IP 457; SGIC 6174 (Kamnaskires II); Mitchiner ACW -
9 mm.
0.61 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Conjoined busts of king and queen, left; anchor with one bar in right field.
Reverse: Zeus enthroned left, holding Nike. Partial blundered Greek legend; unreadable Seleucid date in exergue.

Kamnaskires "V" (circa 60 - 45 BC)

Arsacid Dynasty

Orodes I [Orodes II of Parthia? and later] (circa 45 BC - 100 AD?)

Orodes
AE Tetradrachm
SGIC 5888, Mitchiner ACW 705, de Morgan 'C' type
29 x 26 mm.
15.11 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing earring, torque (?) and diademed tiara. Star within crescent above anchor with two bars, to right.
Reverse: Traces of smaller bust and legend. Partial blundered Greek legend.

Orodes
AE Tetradrachm
SGIC 5889, Mitchiner ACW 706, de Morgan 'D' type
28 mm.
14.67 gm.
Die position=n/a
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing earring, torque (?) and diademed tiara. Star within crescent above anchor with two bars, to right.
Reverse: Traces of striking. Partial blundered Greek legend.

Orodes
AE Tetradrachm
SGIC 5889, Mitchiner ACW 706, de Morgan 'D' type
31 x 26 mm.
15.38 gm.
Die position=12h (?)
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing earring, torque (?) and diademed tiara. Star within crescent above anchor with two bars, to right.
Reverse: Traces of striking. Partial blundered Greek legend.

Orodes
AE Drachm
SGIC 5890, Mitchiner ACW 707, de Morgan 'D' type
18 x 15 mm.
3.67 gm.
Die position=n/a
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing torque (?) and diadem. Star within crescent above anchor with one (?) bar, to right. Pellet in left field.
Reverse: Field filled with dashes.
Note: Courtesy Jamison T. Graff collection.

Orodes
AE Drachm
SGIC 5890, Mitchiner ACW 707, de Morgan 'D' type
16 x 15 mm.
3.36 gm.
Die position=n/a [11h (?)]
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing torque (?) and diadem. Star within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Field filled with dashes arranged in floral pattern.
Note: Courtesy Jamison T. Graff collection.

Orodes
AE Drachm
Mitchiner ACW 707 type; no example in van't Haaff's "Catalogue of Elymaean Coinage"
16 mm.
3.07 gm.
Die position=12h(?)
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing torque (?) and diadem. Star within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Flower (?); partial blundered legend.

Orodes
AE Drachm
Mitchiner ACW 707 type; no example in van't Haaff's "Catalogue of Elymaean Coinage"
16 mm.
3.28 gm.
Die position=9h
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing torque (?) and diadem. Star within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Human form seated; partial blundered legend.

Orodes
AE Drachm
Alram 469; SGIC 5892; Dobbins Orodes I A/1
13 x 14 mm.
3.43 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing diademed tiara ornamented with anchor. Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Bust of Artemis, right. Partial Greek (?) legend.

Orodes
AE Drachm
Alram 469; SGIC 5892; Dobbins Orodes I A/1
13 mm.
3.52 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing diademed tiara ornamented with anchor. Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Bust of Artemis, right. Partial Greek (?) legend.

Orodes
AE Drachm
Alram 469; SGIC 5892; Dobbins Orodes I A/1
14 mm.
3.62 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing diademed tiara ornamented with anchor. Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Bust of Artemis, right. Partial Greek (?) legend.

Orodes
AE Drachm
SGIC 5895v., Dobbins Orodes I A/4v.
15 x 13 mm.
3.85 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard (anchor hidden in beard (!)) and wearing diademed tiara ornamented with anchor. Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Field filled with dashes; anchor.

Orodes
AE Drachm
SGIC 5895v., Dobbins Orodes I A/4v.
15 x 13 mm.
2.40 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing diademed tiara ornamented with crescent and star (?). Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Field filled with dashes; anchor.

Orodes
AE Drachm
SGIC 5895v., Dobbins Orodes I A/4v.
15 mm.
3.43 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing diademed tiara ornamented with anchor. Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right, all within solid border.
Reverse: Field filled with dashes; large anchor.

Orodes
AE Drachm
VH 16.2 type
13 x 14 mm.
3.45 gm.
Die position=6h
Obverse:
Reverse:

Kamnaskires-Orodes? (circa 35 BC - 100 AD?)

Kamnaskires-Orodes
AE Tetradrachm
SGIC 5906, Mitchiner ACW 714; Alram 480
28 x 26 mm.
14.40 gm.
Die position=11h (axis of dashes)
Obverse: Diademed and cuirassed bust turned slightly to left with long beard and large bunches of hair at sides; star within crescent above anchor with two bars.
Reverse: Field filled with dashes.

Kamnaskires-Orodes
AE Drachm
SGIC 5910, Mitchiner ACW 719v., Dobbins Kamnaskires Orodes III A/2
15 mm.
3.79 gm.
Die position=12h (axis of dashes)
Obverse: Diademed and cuirassed bust turned slightly to left with long beard and large bunches of hair at sides; pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar.
Reverse: Field filled with dashes.

Kamnaskires-Orodes
AE Drachm
SGIC 5910, Mitchiner ACW 719v., Dobbins Kamnaskires Orodes III A/2
15 x 14 mm.
3.78 gm.
Die position=12h (axis of dashes)
Obverse: Diademed and cuirassed bust facing with long beard and large bunches of hair at sides; pellet within crescent above anchor with two bars. Rosette pattern within right tuft of hair (!)
Reverse: Field filled with ordered dashes.

Phraates [Phraates IV of Parthia? and later] (circa 40 BC - 100 AD?)

Phraates
AE Drachm
SGIC 5902, Dobbins Phraates A/3
15 mm.
3.62 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust left, with long beard and wearing diademed tiara ornamented with dotted crescent. Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Dashes arranged like palms.

Phraates
AE Drachm
Alram 474 (?); SGIC 5898; Dobbins Phraates B/1
15 x 13 mm.
2.76 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: Bust facing with long beard wearing diademed tiara with two dotted crescents. Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right. Greek legend, left.
Reverse: Artemis standing right; Greek legend.

Phraates
AE Drachm
SGIC 5901, Dobbins Phraates B/2
13 x 14 mm.
2.60 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: Bust facing with long beard wearing diademed tiara with two dotted crescents (?). Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Diadem; pellet within crescent to each side.

Phraates
AE Drachm
SGIC 5900v., Dobbins Phraates B/4
15 mm.
3.57 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: Bust facing with long, straight beard wearing diademed tiara with two dotted crescents (?). Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Eagle facing; four crescents.

Phraates
AE Drachm
SGIC 5900v., Dobbins Phraates B/5v.
13 x14 mm.
2.87 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: Bust facing with long, straight beard wearing diademed tiara with two dotted crescents (?). Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Eagle facing; no crescents.

Phraates
AE Drachm
Mitchiner ACW 709, Dobbins Phraates B/5v.
15 x 14 mm.
2.62 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust facing with long, straight beard wearing diademed tiara with two dotted crescents (?). Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Eagle facing; no crescents.

Phraates
AE Drachm
SGIC 5900v., Dobbins Phraates B/5v.
15 x 13 mm.
2.87 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust facing with long, straight beard wearing diademed tiara with two dotted crescents (?). Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Eagle facing; no crescents.

Kamnaskires-Orodes II? (circa 2 BC - 125 AD?)

Kamnaskires-Orodes II (?)
AE Tetradrachm
Alram 477; SGIC 5903; Mitchiner ACW 711
25 mm.
14.05 gm.
Die position=n/a
Obverse: Bust facing with long beard wearing diademed tiara. Pellet within crescent above anchor with two bars, to right.
Reverse: Field filled with dashes.

Kamnaskires-Orodes II (?)
AE Drachm
Alram 478; SGIC 5904; Dobbins Orodes II A/1
15 mm.
3.08 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: Bust facing with long beard wearing diademed tiara. Pellet within crescent above anchor with one bar, to right.
Reverse: Radiate bust of Artemis right. Chaldeo-Pahlavi legend around.

Period of direct Parthian administration (circa 25 - 80 AD or after 129 AD)

Orodes III? (circa 85 AD or after 129 AD?)

Orodes III
AE Drachm
Alram -; SGIC 5915
14 x 13 mm.
3.04 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse:
Reverse: Anchor flanked by two crescents.

Orodes III
AE Drachm
Alram 490v. (?); SGIC 5917v.
13 mm.
2.79 gm.
Die position=2h
Obverse: Diademed and cuirassed bust with forked beard; crescent to right.
Reverse: Bust of Queen Ulfan or Artemis-Tyche (?), left.

Orodes IV and Ulfan? (circa 150 AD?)

Orodes IV and Ulfan
AE Drachm
Alram 488; SGIC 5916v.
14 mm.
3.44 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Diademed and cuirassed bust with forked beard and large bunch of hair on top; Chaldeo-Pahlavi legend to left.
Reverse: Bust of Queen Ulfan or Artemis-Tyche (?), left; diadem (?) behind. Partial Chaldeo-Pahlavi legend to left.

Unknown Kings

Prince 'A' (circa 200 AD?)
AE Drachm
SGIC 5919, Mitchiner ACW 721
13 mm.
2.23 gm.
Die position=2h
Obverse: Diademed and cuirassed bust with forked beard left.
Reverse: Artemis standing right with bow and arrow.

Prince 'A' (circa 200 AD?)
AE Drachm
SGIC 5919, Mitchiner ACW 721
12 mm.
1.52 gm.
Obverse: Diademed, bearded bust left.
Reverse: Artemis standing right with bow and arrow; more stylized type.

Prince 'A' (circa 200 AD?)
AE Drachm
SGIC 5919, Mitchiner ACW 721
13 x 12 mm.
1.72 gm.
Obverse: Diademed, bearded bust left.
Reverse: Artemis standing left (?) with bow and arrow.

Prince 'C' (circa 200 AD?)
AE Drachm
Mitchiner ACW 724
15 x 14 mm.
2.82 gm.
Die position=3h
Obverse: Facing bearded bust.
Reverse: Bust of Artemis-Tyche (?) left.

b a c k  t o  a n c i e n t  c o i n s