After the Parthians successfully revolted against the Seleucid Empire, they continued to explore the Hellenistic heritage of their overthrown Greco-Macedonian rulers. Coins were first minted during late third century BCE in the reign of Arsaces I, the first Parthian king. The designs imitated that of Seleucid coins, inscribed with Greek legends and Greek-style portraiture.

This coin, minted sometime in the mid-second century BCE, depicts Mithradates I (171-138 BCE), who continued the tradition of modeling Parthian coinage on Greek prototypes. The profiled head of Mithradates I wearing a Greek diadem decorates the front, while a figure resembling Apollo appears on the reverse side. The Greek legend reads 'Of the Great King Arsaces,' since Parthian kings all used the name of their dynasty's founder on their coinage.¹

(1) See the British Museum web page dedicated to this object.