MITHRADATES II, KINGS OF PARTHIA, Sellwood 27.1, Date c. 121-91 BC, Silver Drachm Rhagai, Archer

★ Extremely fine, near extremely fine condition - wonderful Mithridates II portrait style - fantastic fine details at reverse presentation - well centered - full undestroyed legend at the reverse ★
ORIENTAL GREEK - KINGS OF PARTHIA
Mithridates II Euergetes the Great
Reign: Mithridates II
Mint: Rhagai (Rhagae)
Date: c. 121/91 BC
Nominal: Drachm
Material: Silver
Diameter: 19mm
Weight: 4.14g
Reference: Shore 85
Reference: Sunrise 293
Reference: Sellwood 27.1
Obverse: Diademed and draped bust of Mithradates II to left
Inscription: -
Translation: -
Reverse: Archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow
Inscription: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩN ΜΕΓΑΛΟY ΑΡΣΑΚΟY ΕΠIΦΑNOYΣ
Translation: Basileos Basileon Megalou Arsakou Epihanous
Translation: Of Great Arsaces, King of Kings, God Manifest
Comment: Mithridates II (given by Mithras) was a Parthian king who ruled from around 123 to 88 BC. He was already called the Great in antiquity. He was the first Parthian ruler to call himself King of Kings on his coins, probably following in the footsteps of the Achaemenids. He is also referred to as Euergetes on his coins. Mithridates II is regarded as the most important Parthian ruler, under whom the empire regained its position of great power after losing territory and reached its greatest extent. Mithridates II was the son of his predecessor Artabanus I, who had died in battle against eastern enemies. At around the same time, large parts of the empire had been lost in the west, so that it appeared that the Parthian Empire was on the verge of collapse. However, Mithridates II proved to be a capable king and was initially able to reincorporate Babylonia into the empire. This area had broken away from the empire shortly before with the Characene. As a sign of victory, he had coins of Hyspaosines, who had already died in 124 BC, overstamped. The whole of Mesopotamia was conquered by storm and the ruler reached Dura Europos in 113 BC. Mithridates II then attacked Armenia, which was ruled by King Artavasdes, and was able to capture Tigranes, the son of the Armenian king. This was the first time that the Parthians actively intervened in Armenian politics. From 90 BC, Mithridates II had to contend with domestic enemies. In the years 93 and 92/1 BC, he is still recognised as ruler in documents in Babylonia. Shortly afterwards, a certain Gotarzes I emerged as an opposing king, who appears as ruler in Mesopotamia in the documents of the years 91/0 to 81/0 BC. Normally, Parthian rulers are not referred to by name in documents, but only as Arsaces. The fact that Gotarzes appears explicitly with his proper name points to internal political problems and also seems to prove that he was not the only ruler with a claim to the throne. However, the details of the events remain unclear. There are clear signs that the Parthian Empire was reorganised under Mithridates II. The last administrative texts in cuneiform script were written during his reign. Temples in the Babylonian style were replaced by those in a more Hellenistic-Parthian style. Both may indicate that the oriental temple administration was not continued. The oldest dated documents from Nisa to date belong to his reign. The image of the ruler is known almost exclusively from his coins. There are basically several different types. He can appear with a short beard and a diadem. There are images that show him with a medium-length beard or with a long beard, whereby the ruler always wears a diadem. A completely different type of picture shows him with a tiara on his head. Like his successors, Mithradates also wears a Parthian short cloak. In Behistun, in what is now western Iran, there is a rock relief showing the ruler and four vassals or officials paying their respects to him. The inscriptions are in Greek.