weight 15,10gr. ; silver Ø 27mm.

obv. Draped and diademed bust of king Kamnaskires left, bearded,
star right above, anchor behind
rev. Diademed bust (of Parthian king ?) left, legend around
on four sides in corrupt Greek, derived from;
BACIΛEΩC KAMNACKIPHC TOY EΓ

Elymais, the Hellenic form of the more ancient name, Elam, was an autonomous state of the 2nd century BC to the early 3rd century AD, frequently a vassal under Parthian control. It was located between the east bank of the Tigris and the Zagros Mountains at the head of the Persian Gulf in Susiana (the present-day region of Khuzestan, Iran). Most of the population probably descended from the ancient Elamites, who once had control of that area. Very little is known of the history of Elymais, with many of the later kings known only from their coins. Many of the kings bear Parthian names (Orodes and Phraates), but they are apparently not the same monarchs as the Parthian kings of the same name, although the later Elymaean kings do seem to have been an offshoot of the Parthian Arsakid royal family.

The Elymaeans were reputed to be skilled archers. In 187 BC, they killed Antiochus III the Great after he had pillaged their temple of Bel. Nothing is known of their language, even though Elamite was still used by the Achaemenid Empire 250 years before the kingdom of Elymais came into existence. A number of Aramaic inscriptions are found in Elymais. The kingdom of Elymais survived until its extinction by a Sasanian invasion in the early 3rd century AD.

The coins of Elymais were based on Greek standards of debased Drachms and Tetradrachms. The royal picture is generally based on Parthian coinage, usually with an anchor with a star in crescent figure. The reverse has usually a male diademed portrait, a figure or bust of Artemis with text around it, an eagle, or often only elongated dots (this has led numismatists to believe that the engravers didn′t know Greek or copied from coins whose writing was already unintelligible)

Usually these tetradrachms are made of debased silver or silverplated copper.
This tetradrachme however, is made of rather good silver.

cf. Van′t Haaff 9.1.1-7 ; Mitchiner ACW - (cf. 703-706) ; cf. Alram 464 ;
cf. Sunrise 483 ; cf. De Morgan p. 31, no. 14 (Pl. I, fig.12)
vf-

weight 3,84gr. ; copper Ø 14mm.
anepigraphic type

obv. Diademed and draped bust facing slightly left; to right,
star-in-crescent above inverted anchor with one crossbar at bottom
rev. Elongated pellets in semi-regular pattern

Elymais, the Hellenic form of the more ancient name, Elam, was an autonomous state of the 2nd century BC to the early 3rd century AD, frequently a vassal under Parthian control. It was located between the east bank of the Tigris and the Zagros Mountains at the head of the Persian Gulf in Susiana (the present-day region of Khuzestan, Iran). Most of the population probably descended from the ancient Elamites, who once had control of that area. Very little is known of the history of Elymais, with many of the later kings known only from their coins. Many of the kings bear Parthian names (Orodes and Phraates), but they are apparently not the same monarchs as the Parthian kings of the same name, although the later Elymaean kings do seem to have been an offshoot of the Parthian Arsakid royal family.

The Elymaeans were reputed to be skilled archers. In 187 BC, they killed Antiochus III the Great after he had pillaged their temple of Bel. Nothing is known of their language, even though Elamite was still used by the Achaemenid Empire 250 years before the kingdom of Elymais came into existence. A number of Aramaic inscriptions are found in Elymais. The kingdom of Elymais survived until its extinction by a Sasanian invasion in the early 3rd century AD.

The coins of Elymais were based on Greek standards of debased Drachms and Tetradrachms. The royal picture is generally based on Parthian coinage, usually with an anchor with a star in crescent figure. The reverse has usually a male diademed portrait, a figure or bust of Artemis with text around it, an eagle, or often only elongated dots (this has led numismatists to believe that the engravers didn′t know Greek or copied from coins whose writing was already unintelligible)

Van′t Haaff Type 13.3.1-3A; Alram 477 ; Mitchiner ACW.718-719 ;
De Morgan p. 42, no. 50 (Pl. V, fig.6-9) ; cf. Sunrise 487 ; cf. Sear GIC.5905
very attractive for the type
vf/xf

weight 3,33gr. ; copper Ø 14mm.

obv. Diademed and draped bust facing slightly left; to right,
dot-in-crescent above inverted anchor with one crossbar at bottom
rev. Bust of Aretemis facing, surrounded by Arameaic legend
″URUD MALKA BARI URUD MALKA″,
translation ″king Orodes, son of king Orodes″

Elymais, the Hellenic form of the more ancient name, Elam, was an autonomous state of the 2nd century BC to the early 3rd century AD, frequently a vassal under Parthian control. It was located between the east bank of the Tigris and the Zagros Mountains at the head of the Persian Gulf in Susiana (the present-day region of Khuzestan, Iran). Most of the population probably descended from the ancient Elamites, who once had control of that area. Very little is known of the history of Elymais, with many of the later kings known only from their coins. Many of the kings bear Parthian names (Orodes and Phraates), but they are apparently not the same monarchs as the Parthian kings of the same name, although the later Elymaean kings do seem to have been an offshoot of the Parthian Arsakid royal family.

The Elymaeans were reputed to be skilled archers. In 187 BC, they killed Antiochus III the Great after he had pillaged their temple of Bel. Nothing is known of their language, even though Elamite was still used by the Achaemenid Empire 250 years before the kingdom of Elymais came into existence. A number of Aramaic inscriptions are found in Elymais. The kingdom of Elymais survived until its extinction by a Sasanian invasion in the early 3rd century AD.

The coins of Elymais were based on Greek standards of debased Drachms and Tetradrachms. The royal picture is generally based on Parthian coinage, usually with an anchor with a star in crescent figure. The reverse has usually a male diademed portrait, a figure or bust of Artemis with text around it, an eagle, or often only elongated dots (this has led numismatists to believe that the engravers didn′t know Greek or copied from coins whose writing was already unintelligible)

Van′t Haaff Type Type 13.2 ; Mitchiner ACW.716-717 ;
BMC 28, p. 261, no. 6; De Morgan 49 ; ZENO 317174 ;
SNG.Copenhagen- ; cf. Sear GIC.5904 R
vf-/vf

weight 2,21gr. ; copper Ø 13mm.
anepigraphic type

obv. Diademed and draped bust facing slightly left; to right,
star-in-crescent above inverted anchor with one crossbar at bottom
rev. Diadem; on either side, pellet-in-crescent

Elymais, the Hellenic form of the more ancient name, Elam, was an autonomous state of the 2nd century BC to the early 3rd century AD, frequently a vassal under Parthian control. It was located between the east bank of the Tigris and the Zagros Mountains at the head of the Persian Gulf in Susiana (the present-day region of Khuzestan, Iran). Most of the population probably descended from the ancient Elamites, who once had control of that area. Very little is known of the history of Elymais, with many of the later kings known only from their coins. Many of the kings bear Parthian names (Orodes and Phraates), but they are apparently not the same monarchs as the Parthian kings of the same name, although the later Elymaean kings do seem to have been an offshoot of the Parthian Arsakid royal family.

The Elymaeans were reputed to be skilled archers. In 187 BC, they killed Antiochus III the Great after he had pillaged their temple of Bel. Nothing is known of their language, even though Elamite was still used by the Achaemenid Empire 250 years before the kingdom of Elymais came into existence. A number of Aramaic inscriptions are found in Elymais. The kingdom of Elymais survived until its extinction by a Sasanian invasion in the early 3rd century AD.

The coins of Elymais were based on Greek standards of debased Drachms and Tetradrachms. The royal picture is generally based on Parthian coinage, usually with an anchor with a star in crescent figure. The reverse has usually a male diademed portrait, a figure or bust of Artemis with text around it, an eagle, or often only elongated dots (this has led numismatists to believe that the engravers didn′t know Greek or copied from coins whose writing was already unintelligible)

Van′t Haaff Type Type 14.4, 1-1A (Phraates) ; Mitchiner ACW.- ;
De Morgan 40 ; ZENO 232898 ; SNG.Copenhagen- ; Sear GIC.5901 ;
Numista 154011 ; Dobbins Phraates B/2 R
a rare type
vf/vf+

weight 2,86gr. ; copper Ø 13mm.
anepigraphic type

obv. Diademed and draped bust facing left, wearing a
long beard divided in two points, inverted anchor behind
rev. Artemis stranding facing, holding bow in het left hand and
plucking an arrow from quiver at her shoulder with her right hand

Elymais, the Hellenic form of the more ancient name, Elam, was an autonomous state of the 2nd century BC to the early 3rd century AD, frequently a vassal under Parthian control. It was located between the east bank of the Tigris and the Zagros Mountains at the head of the Persian Gulf in Susiana (the present-day region of Khuzestan, Iran). Most of the population probably descended from the ancient Elamites, who once had control of that area. Very little is known of the history of Elymais, with many of the later kings known only from their coins. Many of the kings bear Parthian names (Orodes and Phraates), but they are apparently not the same monarchs as the Parthian kings of the same name, although the later Elymaean kings do seem to have been an offshoot of the Parthian Arsakid royal family.

The Elymaeans were reputed to be skilled archers. In 187 BC, they killed Antiochus III the Great after he had pillaged their temple of Bel. Nothing is known of their language, even though Elamite was still used by the Achaemenid Empire 250 years before the kingdom of Elymais came into existence. A number of Aramaic inscriptions are found in Elymais. The kingdom of Elymais survived until its extinction by a Sasanian invasion in the early 3rd century AD.

The coins of Elymais were based on Greek standards of debased Drachms and Tetradrachms. The royal picture is generally based on Parthian coinage, usually with an anchor with a star in crescent figure. The reverse has usually a male diademed portrait, a figure or bust of Artemis with text around it, an eagle, or often only elongated dots (this has led numismatists to believe that the engravers didn′t know Greek or copied from coins whose writing was already unintelligible)

Van′t Haaff Type 19.1 ; Mitchiner ACW.721 ; cf. Numista 243848 ;
BMC 28, p. 285, no. 1-17 (Pl. XLII, 15) ; De Morgan 58-59 ;
SNG.Copenhagen- ; Numista 154012 ; cf. Sear GIC.5919
f /vf  à vf