Owner Comments:
Parthian Kingdom Vologases VI
Time Period: cAD 207-222
Composition: Silver
Mint: Mint of Ecbatana
Grade: MS, Strike 4/5, Surface 4/5
Census - NGC does not provide census info on ancient coins
Obv: Bust left with long, pointed beard extending beyond beaded border; wearing tiara with ear flaps, pellets on stalks round crest and a line of pellets on stalks on side; lines coming out of crest and diadem with loop at the top and two ends. Monogram behind head (abbreviated king's name in Aramaic)
Rev: Archer seated right on throne holding bow, below bow monogram 26. Blundered Greek legend with top line in Aramaic
Vologases VI succeeded his father Vologases V as king in cAD. 208. His rule was unquestioned for a few years, till his brother Artabanus IV rebelled. The dynastic struggle between the two brothers most likely started in cAD 213. Artabanus successfully conquered much of the empire, including Media and Susa. Vologases VI seems to have only managed to keep Seleucia, where he minted coins. The Roman emperor Caracalla sought to take advantage of the conflict between the two brothers. He tried to find a pretext to invade the Parthian Empire by requesting Vologases to send two refugees—a philosopher named Antiochus and a certain Tiridates, who was possibly either an Armenian prince or an uncle of Vologases. To the surprise of the Romans, Vologases had the two men sent to Caracalla in cAD 215, thus denying him his pretext. Caracalla's choice of contacting Vologases instead of Artabanus shows that the Romans still saw him as the dominant king.
Caracalla thus chose to preoccupy himself with an invasion of Armenia. He appointed a freedman named Theocritus as the leader of the invasion, which eventually ended in a disaster. Caracalla then once again sought to start a war with the Parthians. In another attempt to gain a pretext, he requested Artabanus to marry his daughter, which he declined. It is disputed whether Caracalla's proposal was sincere or not. Caracalla's choice to contact Artabanus shows that the latter was now considered the dominant king over Vologases, who would rule a small principality centered around Seleucia until 221/2. A few years later (224), Ardashir I (r. 224–242), the founder of the Sasanian dynasty, defeated and killed Artabanus, thus putting an end to the Parthian Empire. Over the next few years, Ardashir I further expanded his new empire, and must have driven out or defeated Vologases in Mesopotamia soon after 228. Vologases had a son named Vachagan I, who founded the Arsacid dynasty of Caucasian Albania.
Vologases is the Greek and Latin form of the Parthian Walagash. The name is also attested in New Persian as Balāsh and Middle Persian Wardākhsh (also spelled Walākhsh). The etymology of the name is unclear. A suggestion has been made that the name could mean "strength".
My Cost: $83.00