Vologases III, 105-147 AD, Drachm

Vologases III, drachm, AR, 105–147 AD, Ecbatana mint, 3.67 g, 18 mm. Obverse with diademed and draped bust left, wearing long beard and earring. Reverse with Arsakes I as archer seated right on a throne, holding bow; monogram below the bow. Well-centered strike on a compact flan with clear rendering of the royal portrait and principal reverse devices; minor softness typical of the issue. Reference: Sellwood 78.4.

Issued under Vologases III of the Arsacid dynasty, this silver drachm reflects the continuation of Parthian royal iconography that linked each reigning king to the dynasty’s founder through the seated archer type. The Ecbatana mint served as a major regional production center in Media, and drachms of this period document Parthian monetary circulation and political authority in the Iranian plateau during the second century AD, a time of sustained interaction and conflict with Rome and neighboring client kingdoms.