- Stock: Sold
- Model: Phraates IV tetradrachm Parthians
Phraates IV BI Tetradrachm
Kings of Parthia. Phraates IV (38/7-2 BC). BI Tetradrachm (27 mm, 13,06 g), Seleukeia on the Tigris, Apellaios 287 SE = November, 26 BC.
Obv. Diademed bust of Phraates IV left, wart on forehead.
Rev. BAΣIΛEΩC BAΣIΛEΩN ΛPΣAKOY EYEPΓETOY ΔIKAIOY EΠIΦΛNOYΣ ΦIΛEΛΛHNOΣ ZΠΣ AΠEΛ, King seated right, receiving wreath from Tyche standing left, holding cornucopia.
Sellwood 50.8. Shore -. Sunrise 390
Lightly toned. In good condition for this usually worn issue. Good very fine.
Phraates IV was the second heir to Orodes II, named to succeed his father in the wake of his brother Pakoros’ death. After murdering his father, Phraates purged his brothers and their families. A Parthian noble also under threat from Phraates fled to the west, and in 36 BC successfully appealed to Mark Antony to back him as a rival claimant. Antony led a force of 100,000 men into Parthia, but his overconfident leadership resulted in defeat and the loss of 35,000 men. A few years later, Phraates was embroiled in a civil war with a usurper named Tiridates. Initially forced to flee Parthia, Phraates regrouped his forces and re-invaded. Tiridates was forced to seek safety among the Romans, but managed to take with him a favorite son of Phraates. The Romans refused to return this son unless the standards captured from Crassus’ debacle at Carrhae were exchanged for him. Initially rebuked, the Romans, now under Augustus, began preparations (or the appearance of such) for a massive Parthian campaign. Finally, in 20 BC, Phraates agreed, and the exchange was made (an event prominently featured in the coinage of Augustus). Also included in the exchange was the presentation to Phraates of a slave girl named Musa, who was accompanied by her own son, Phraatakes. In time this concubine became Phraates’ queen. In 10 BC, she persuaded the king to send his own sons to Rome for their “safety”. Cleared of any rivals to her son, she poisoned Phraates in 2 BC, and promoted Phraatakes as his successor.
