Khosrow II, 591-628, Drachm

Khosrow II, drachm, AR, reign 591–628, uncertain mint, struck circa 591–628, 4.08 g, 32 mm. Obverse with draped and cuirassed bust right, wearing mural crown surmounted by frontal crescent, with paired wings and star-in-crescent ornament; long ribbons behind; crescent devices on the shoulders; stars flanking the crown; within double border, with four star-in-crescent symbols distributed in the outer margin. Reverse with Zoroastrian fire altar with ribboned shafts and prominent flames, flanked by two standing attendants facing inward; star and crescent symbols set around the flames; within triple border, with star-in-crescent symbols repeated in the outer margin. Well-centered example with full major devices visible; minor peripheral weakness typical of the issue. Göbl 212.

Khosrow II’s drachms represent the principal silver currency of the late Sasanian state and circulated widely across Iran and neighboring regions during a period marked by prolonged war with the Byzantine Empire, internal political upheaval, and extensive fiscal demands. The persistent depiction of the fire altar and attendants reflects state support of Zoroastrian religious symbolism within official monetary production, while the large, thin fabric and standardized iconography aided recognition and acceptance across the empire’s mints and frontier markets.