ELÂZIĞ MÜZESİ PARTH SİKKELERİ
PARTH COINS IN ELAZIG MUSEUM

Summary/Abstract: A total of 30 Parthian coins, 27 silver and 3 bronze, housed in the Elazığ Archaeological Museum were examined. The earliest coin dates to the reign of Mithradates II (121-91 BC), while the latest to Vologases IV (147-191 AD). These coins, belonging to 14 different Parthian kings over a period of approximately 310 years, allow us to observe the general characteristics of Parthian coins and the changes and developments they experienced in early and late periods. The portraits on the obverses of the coins are important documents reflecting both the personal identities and ideological messages of the Parthian rulers. The portraits demonstrate a blending of Greek and Persian traditions. While the diadem stands out as a symbol of Greek sovereignty, the tiara, particularly with its rayed star or stag motif, highlights Persian and local elements. In royal portraits, long beards, frowning eyebrows, large eyes, an arched nose, and a strong jaw are typological features that recur across nearly all rulers, highlighting their Eastern character. The gradual stylization of these portraits over time demonstrates that the early realist approach gave way to an idealized style. The figure on the reverse, seated on a throne and holding a bow, is an iconographic element symbolizing the continuity of the Parthian dynasty, seen in almost all periods. The kyrbasia at the head of this figure, a reference to the Parthians' origins and reflecting Scythian tradition, confirms the information provided by ancient writers Strabo and Arrianus regarding the Scythian origins of the Parthians. The dates of the kings on the coins, classified according to Sellwood's typology, the most comprehensive typological study of Parthian coins, have been updated according to recent chronological studies. The Parthian coins in the Elazığ Archaeological Museum collection are of great importance not only for their economic and commercial functions but also for revealing the political, religious, and cultural identities of the Parthian kings. Although not typologically diverse, these coins, which are historical documents reflecting the unique character of the Parthian Kingdom by synthesizing the Greek and Iranian cultural heritage with their iconographic continuity and use of titles in legends, are intended to show how the Parthians constructed their own unique identity by using Greek and Iranian traditions together.

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