Nomos 38

KINGS OF ARMENIA MINOR. Mithradates, Satrap, 180s-170s BC. Circular, uniface bracteate-like roundel (Gold, 12 mm, 0.62 g, 12 h). 𐡌𐡕𐡃𐡕 ('mrdt' in Aramaic) Draped and bearded bust of Mithradates to right, wearing an upright bashlyk tied with a diadem and with long ear flaps. Rev. Incuse of the obverse design. Unpublished, but cf. Leu (W) 4, 2019, 358 (CHF 26000), for a much larger roundel (3o mm in diameter), with a vaguely similar bust of a bashlyk-wearing bearded man, but of a rather refined Greek style, and with attachment loops on the reverse. Apparently unique and with an impressive portrait of local style. Some hairline scratches and minor marks, otherwise, about extremely fine.

This 'Mithradates' has been tentatively, (very tentatively), identified as being the satrap of Armenia Minor who supposedly appears on the gold "Honorary Medal" that first turned up in Leu (W) 4 in 2019. The Leu identification was based on Kovacs's publication of a bronze piece of 4 chalkoi (K 295), which has a very similar inscription, but a male bust of different style wearing a very dissimilar bashlyk. Nevertheless, this identification seems reasonable enough for the time being; unless, of course, this roundel (and the other as well) might actually be Parthian, and refer to Mithradates I (165-132 BC). Why this shouldn't be the case - the Parthian king was definitely more important, was bearded and did issue some coins with a bashlyk-wearing portrait (albeit beardless - and his bearded portraits were of Hellenic style) - is unclear since the Parthian ruler was a much more important figure. However, a relatively minor figure such as a satrap might have wanted to elaborately advertise himself in just this manner.