AE drachm of Kamnaskires-Orodes (c.80/100 AD), dashes rev., Susa, Elymais Kingdom

Bust three-quarters facing left, with long beard and puffy hair on the sides, wearing diademed and crested tiara, crescent with a star inside and anchor with a single crossbar to the right / Field filled with dashes. 14mm, 2.91 grams. Susa mint (?). Van't Haaf #12.3; cf. Zeno 299571.

The partially accepted theory, proposed by J.Hansman in 1990, is that one crossbar on the anchor was the mintmark of the mint of Susa and two crossbars was the mintmark of Seleucia on the Hedyphon.

Elymais or Elamais (Graecized form of the more ancient name, Elam) were a people who were subject to Arsacid control from 247 BC to 221 AD, and was the name of the region they inhabited (roughly corresponding to the region named Susiana). It was reportedly these people were great archers and natives of Susa, which lies to the east of Elymais territory. Most of the Elymais were probably descendants of the ancient Elamites. Very little is known about their history, and nothing at all is known of their language, even though "Elamite" was still used by the Achaemenid Empire 250 years before the Elymais came into existence. The kingdom of Elymais survived until its extinction by Sassanid invasion in the third century AD.

SKU X11947-50406