S 1368 - Ecbatana (Orodes II), bronze (57-38 BCE)

57 BCE - 38 BCE Bronze

Description

Bust of the king left, wearing diadem (crowned by Nike/an eagle). (In the field, star(s) and/or crescent.) (Border of dots.)

Reverse:

Several legends: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ (series I) ; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ (series III-XI, XIII-XVIII, XX, XXII-XXIV) ; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΘΕΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ (series XII) ; ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΦΙΛΕΛΛΗΝΟΣ (series XXI) (Greek).Several types: 1) Eagle right, wings open or closed. (In the field, A) (series I, XIV-XV, XVII), 2) Head of bull facing. Between horns, star. In the field, crescent with star and A (series II), 3) Pegasus right. Under him, A (series III), 4) Horse protome right. In the field, A (series IV), 5) Quiver. In the field, A (series V, XVI), 6) deer right. In the field, monogram and A (series VI), 7) deer protomea right. In the field, monogram and A (series VII), 8) Horse right (nexte to a palm tree). In the field, A (series VIII-IX), 9) Ear of cereal. In the field, Ψ above A (series X), 10) Crescent with star. In the field, A (series XI), 11) Tyche right, holding crown (series XII), 12) Bust of Tyche right. In the right field, A (series XIII), 13) Nike right, holding crown. In the field, A (series XVIII), 14) Monogram. In the field, A (issue XIX), 15) Head of Tyche right. In the field, A (series XX), 16) Ancor. In the field, crescents and A (series XXI), 17) Star. In the field, A (series XXII), 18) deer right, grazing. Above, eagle. In the field, A (series XXIII), 19) Eagle standing on amphora between bunches of grapes. In the field, A (series XXIV).

Mint and issuing power

Mint:

Ecbatana

Ancient region:

Media

Modern country: Iran

Authority:

Orodes II (king of Parthia, 57-37 BCE), Parthian Empire

Chronology

From

57 BCE

to

38 BCE

Period: Hellenistic ^{323-30 BC}

Physical description

Metal:

Bronze

Denomination:

Standard:

References

Die study reference:	"[[Die study reference" contains a listed "[" character as part of the property label and has therefore been classified as invalid.]]1Boillet 2009, p. 357-412, no. 1891-2454.
Coin series reference:

Obverse dies distribution

Frequency ^ᵖ	Number of obverses ^ᵖ (o)	% (o)	Number of coins (n)	% (n)	Die name
1	12	63.16	12	33.33	1.1, 1.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.4, 6.6, 6.8, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.6, 13.1
2	3	15.79	6	16.67	6.2, 12.5, 13.2
3	2	10.53	6	16.67	6.5, 6.7
5	1	5.26	5	13.89	6.1
7	1	5.26	7	19.44	6.3
Total	19 of 19	100	36 of 36	100

Reverse dies distribution

no distribution is available

Quantification

Number of obverses ^ᵖ (o)	19	Number of singletons (o1) ^ᵖ	12
Number of reverse dies (r)		Number of coins (n)	36
Coins per obverse die (n/o)	1.89	Coins per reverse die (n/r)
Reverse per obverse ratio (r/o)		Percentage of singletons (o1) ^ᵖ	63.16 %
Original number of dies (O) (Carter 1983 formula) ^ᵖ	32.63	Coins struck if 20,000 as average productivity per die ^ᵖ	652,600
Original number of dies (O) (Esty 2011 formula) ^ᵖ (O)	40.24	Survival rate if 20,000 as average productivity per die ^ᵖ	0.00006
Coverage (o = % of O) (Esty 1984 formula) ^ᵖ (o = % of O)	66.67%	Die productivity if survival rate 1/2,000 ^ᵖ	2,206.56
Weight of silver (in kg) if 20,000 coins per die (O = Carter formula) ^ᵖ	n.a.	Die productivity if survival rate 1/5,000 ^ᵖ	5,516.4

Remarks

References

^ Boillet, Pierre-Yves (2009), Ecbatane et la Médie d’Alexandre aux Arsacides (c. 331 a.C. - c. 224 p.C.). Histoire monétaire et économique, unpublished doctoral dissertation, Bordeaux University.