Vologases III, 105-147 AD, Drachm

Vologases III, drachm, AR, reign 105–147 AD, Ecbatana mint, 105–147 AD, 3.81 g, 18 mm. Obverse with diademed and draped bust left, wearing long beard and earring. Reverse depicting the dynastic archer (Arsakes I) seated right on a throne, holding bow; monogram below the bow. Struck from engraved dies in typical Parthian style, with minor die-axis variability expected for the series; surfaces show standard circulation production for the type with legible principal devices. Reference: Sellwood 78.4.

As a silver drachm of Vologases III from Ecbatana, this coin represents Parthian royal monetary output during a period of continued Arsacid rule in Iran and Mesopotamia under sustained Roman pressure and internal dynastic competition. The seated archer reverse, a long-standing Arsacid emblem, underscores continuity of Parthian kingship and legitimacy, while the mint attribution to Ecbatana reflects the importance of Media as a regional administrative and economic center within the Parthian realm.