About the Author and the Meaning of Drachmas with the Legend “Of the King Artaxias the Divine”
About the Author and the Meaning of Drachmas with the Legend “Of the King Artaxias the Divine”
Melikyan Artur,
Chatinyan Ira
Summary
Key words: obverse, reverse, Octavian Augustus, Rome, Great Armenia, Phraates IV, Atropatene
Drachmas with the legend “Of the King Artashes the Divine” are among the most original and mysterious issues of the late Artashes coinage. Judging by the image of the king’s portrait and royal insignia on the obverse, these drachmas were clearly influenced by the tetradrachms of Artavazd II. An innovation is the image of a laurel wreath on the king’s portrait, which is an overt iconographic declaration against the Roman great power. The image is complemented by the epithet “divine” attached to the king’s title and the iconography on the reverse of the drachmas, which briefly convey the idea of readiness for war with Rome. A study of the iconographic realities of the coins confirms that they were made by Artashes II. The coins are dated to the 14th year of the king’s reign, i.e. 20 BC, which corresponds to the period of maximum tension in Armenian-Roman relations. Their issue was due not to the positive dynamics of Armenia’s economic development, but to the conclusion of a special peace in 20 BC between Rome and Phraates IV Arshaked, an ally of Artashes II. A comprehensive analysis of the above realities and written data on the violation of the internal political unity of Great Armenia allows us to make an unambiguous conclusion: Artashes II issued the said drachmas to recruit mercenary troops for the upcoming war with Rome.