Speaker
Description
This paper will discuss a set of numismatic evidence belonging to the brief Parthian occupation of Syria (51 BC and 41-40 BC). Previous studies have not sufficiently considered the attribution of the tetradrachm (S.44.1) with regard to its own historical context, seeking to determine whether this coin type belongs to either Orodes II (Gardner 1877, Wroth 1903, Sellwood 1980) or prince Pacorus (Simonetta 1978). This paper will suggest these tetradrachms were issued neither in 51 BC nor in 40 BC, and not in Antioch but in Seleucia by Orodes II. I will next show that the temporary Parthian occupation in Antioch could be documented by a series of rare “city issues” unearthed during the Antioch excavations bearing the Seleucid dating of BOΣ-- similar to the one on Apamea’s bronze issues – and a Parthian terracotta figure found in the same context as these Parthian bronze coins.
