PARTHIAN KINGDOM Mithradates II "the Great" (c. 123–88 BC) Silver Drachm – Minted at Rhagae Weight: 4.08 grams Diameter: 21 mm References: Sunrise 293; Sellwood 27.1; Shore 85 Obverse: Diademed and draped bust of Mithradates II facing left, adorned with a long, pointed beard—an emblem of nobility and wisdom in Parthian iconography. He wears a loop earring and a torque (neck ring), whose terminals are crafted in the form of winged hippocamps—mythical sea-horses that evoke divine power and royal mystique, perhaps hinting at the king’s cosmopolitan symbolism drawn from Hellenistic and Iranian traditions. Reverse: Greek Legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΡΣΑΚΟΥ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ("Of the King of Kings, Great Arsaces, God Manifest") Depicting the enthroned archer, a stylized representation of Arsaces I, the dynasty’s founder. Seated right in traditional Parthian attire, he holds a bow in his extended right hand—symbolizing both martial readiness and dynastic continuity. Historical Background: Mithradates II, surnamed “the Great”, was a transformative figure in Parthian history. His reign marked the apex of early Parthian power, both militarily and diplomatically. He decisively expanded the empire’s borders eastward and westward, establishing control over key Silk Road trade routes and reasserting dominance over former Seleucid territories. Notably, Mithradates II was the first Parthian monarch to formally adopt the title “King of Kings”, a title laden with Achaemenid legacy and imperial gravitas. This shift in titulature signaled not only expanding political ambition but also the elevation of the monarchy's divine stature—reflected in the epithet Epiphanes (“God Manifest”). The coin’s minting city, Rhagae (modern-day Rey, near Tehran), was a culturally rich and strategically vital metropolis in antiquity. Once a major Median center, it flourished under Parthian rule and served as a hub of administration, commerce, and military activity.