KINGS OF ARMENIA. Erato, sole reign, circa 13-15. Tetrachalkon (Bronze, 20 mm, 4.47 g, 8 h), Artaxata, RY 3. [BA - EP] Diademed and draped bust of Erato to right. Rev. [E - Γ] Armenian tiara with bow and arrow behind. Kovacs 188. Of the highest rarity and of great importance. Struck on an irregular flan, otherwise, nearly fine.


This highly interesting issue was struck during the short sole reign of Queen Erato, the last of the Orontid line to rule Armenia. As it is unclear whether or not the 3rd regnal year on the reverse takes into account her earlier joint reign with her half-brother and husband Tigranes IV in 2 BC-1 AD, we do not know if Erato's sole reign lasted at least three years or less than one. In any case, the sole rule of a queen was a novum in Armenian history, and Erato's martial coin types indicate that as a woman, she felt especially pressured to boast military strength in her royal self-representation, probably not least due to increasing Parthian pressure on the Armenian borders.