Vologases III, 105-147 AD, Drachm

Vologases III, drachm, AR, reign 105–147 AD, Ecbatana mint, 3.61 g, 18 mm. Obverse with diademed and draped bust left, wearing long beard and earring. Reverse with the archer Arsakes I seated right on a throne, holding bow; monogram below the bow. Struck from centered dies with clear principal devices; light wear consistent with circulation. Reference: Sellwood 78.4.

This drachm is part of the Parthian royal coinage that maintained the Arsacid dynastic iconography over several centuries, pairing the reigning king’s portrait with the seated archer type invoking Arsakes I, the dynasty’s founder. Minted at Ecbatana, an important administrative and regional center in Media, the issue reflects continued Arsacid control and the use of silver currency to support state finance and long-distance exchange during a period of sustained contact and conflict with Rome along the western frontiers.