KINGS OF PERSIS. Artaxerxes (Ardaxshir) I, early 3rd or early 2nd century BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 26 mm, 17.29 g, 1 h), Istakhr (Persepolis). Head of Artaxerxes I to right, wearing kyrbasia, diadem and earring. Rev. Fire-temple of Ahura-Mazda; to left, Artaxerxes standing right, his hands raised in adoration; to right, standard. Alram 520. Sunrise 562. Van’t Haaff 520c. Bright and attractive, with a fine portrait and a lovely, sharply struck reverse. Minor scratch on the obverse, otherwise, extremely fine.


The dating of the earliest coinage of the Kings of Persis is one of the most controversial issues in Seleukid-Iranian history. Based on the overstrikes of Persian coins on emissions of Alexander III and Seleukos I, some authors postulate a two-part Persian coinage, with the early part falling into the early 3rd century and a later part falling into the 2nd century. Another school of thought, based on archaeological, historiographical, and iconographic evidence, posits an uninterrupted coinage, beginning with the weakening of Seleukid power after the death of Antiochos III (222-187 BC) in the early 2nd century.