Kingdom of Elymais ORODES I 2nd Century AD Ancient Greek Type Coin Anchor i41568

Greek Coin


Kingdom of Elymais



Orodes I
– King: First Half of 2nd Century A.D.
Bronze Drachm 15mm (3.55 grams) First Half of 2nd Century A.D.
Reference: Sear GIC 5896; B.M.C. 28.259,68; De Morgan 28
His bust left, with long beard, wearing diademed tiara ornamented with anchor;
behind, pellet within crescent above anchor.
Field with dashes.

You are bidding on the exact item pictured,
provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of
Authenticity.

Elymais or Elamais (Ἐλυμαΐς,
Graecized
form of the more ancient name,
Elam) was a semi-independent state of the 2nd century BC to the early 3rd
century AD, frequently a vassalary under
Parthian
control, and located  in the present-day region of
Khuzestan, 
Susiana.
It was reportedly these people were great archers and natives of

Susa, which lies to the east of Elymais territory. Most of the
Elymais were probably descendants of the ancient Elamites, who once had control
of that area in the past. The provinces of Elymais were Massabatice (later
Masabadhan), Corbiane and Gabiane.

Nothing is known of their language, even though “Elamite”
was still used by the
Achaemenid Empire
250 years before the Elymais
came into existence. A number of
Aramaic
inscriptions are found in Elymais. The
kingdom of Elymais survived until its extinction by Sassanid invasion in early
3rd century AD.

It is also reported in
2 Maccabees
that the priests of the temple of
Nanea, which is located in

Susa, tricked
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
and murdered him by
throwing rocks on him and dismembering him (2Macc 1:10–17).

Coinage

The
coins
depicted a king; it isn’t known whether
this was a Parthian
king or a local ruler as such
information hasn’t come to light through any means. But these coins were based
on Greek
standards, of debased
Drachms
and
Tetradrachms
. The royal picture is generally
based on “Parthian” coinage, usually with an anchor with star in crescent
figure, but the reverse has only horizontal lines (this has led
numismatists
to believe that the
engravers
didn’t know Greek or copied from
coins whose writing was already unintelligible).

Kings of Elymais

List of rulers

1. Kamnaskires I Megas Soter (c. 147- c.145 BC)
2. Kamnaskires II Nikephoros (c 145- C. 139 BC)
3. Okkonapses (c. 139/8 BC)
4. Tigraios (c. 138/7- c. 133/2 bc)
5. Darius (before c. 129 BC)
6. Kamnaskires III Megas Nikephorus (c. 85 BC)
7. Kamnaskires IV
   (c. 82/1- c. 76/5 BC) with
   Anzaze (his Queen)
8. Kamnaskires V (c. 73/2- c. 46 BC)
9. Kamnaskires VI (c. 46- c. 28 BC)
10. Kamnaskires VII (c. 28 BC- c. 1 AD)
11. Kamnaskires VIII (c. 1- c. 15 AD)
12. Kamnaskires IX (c. 15- c. 25 AD)
13. Orodes I (c. 25- c. 50 AD)
14. Orodes II (c. 50- c. 70 AD) son of Orodes I
15. Phraates (c. 70- c. 90 AD) son of Orodes (I or II)
16. Orodes III (c. 90- c. 100 AD) son of Orodes II
17. Kamnaskires-Orodes (c. 100- c. 120 AD) son of Orodes II
18. Ariobarzanes (c. 125 AD)
19. Osroes
    (c. 125-c. 130 AD)
20. Unknown King I (c. 130- c. 140 AD)
21. Orodes IV & Ulpan (c. 140- c. 160 AD)
22. Abarbasi (c. 160- c. 170 AD)
23. Orodes V (c. 170- c. 180 AD) son of Beldusa
24. Vologases
    (c. 180- c. 190 AD)
25. Unknown King II (c. 190- c. 210 AD)
26. Unknown King III (c. 210- c. 220 AD)
27. Orodes VI (c. 220- 224 AD)

See also

• Parthia
• Elam