Coins struck at Seleucia on the Hedyphon
1 catalogued coin and note attributed to Seleucia on the Hedyphon, with weights, legends, dates and Wikimedia-sourced images across Parthian (Arsacid) Empire.
In short
Seleucia on the Hedyphon in Khuzestan was the principal mint of Elymais, the semi-independent kingdom that struck its own coinage under Parthian suzerainty for three centuries. Seleucia on the Hedyphon is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 32 BCE – 54 CE. Its output here covers Billon in the Drachm, Tetradrachm denominations, issued under Kamnaskires V of Elymais.
- Catalogued
- 1
- Eras
- 1
- Metals
- 1
- Denominations
- 2
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 32 BCE – 54 CE |
| Eras represented | Parthian (Arsacid) Empire |
| Metals | Billon |
| Denominations | Drachm, Tetradrachm |
| Issuers | Kamnaskires V of Elymais |
| Region | Khuzestan |
| Kingdom | Elymais, c. 147 BCE–224 CE |
| Named kings | Kamnaskires and successors |
| Ended by | Sasanian conquest under Ardashir I |
The kingdom of Elymais
Elymais occupied the mountains and plain of Khuzestan, controlling temple wealth that made it worth conquering — Antiochus III died attempting exactly that. It retained coining rights under Parthian overlordship until the Sasanian conquest.
Its tetradrachms and drachms, naming kings such as Kamnaskires, carry Greek legends that degrade over generations into decorative marks, a visible index of cultural distance from the Hellenistic world.
Collecting Elymais
Silver is scarce and often poorly struck; bronze is more available and forms the bulk of what circulates on the market.
The series rewards patience: it is one of the few places where a local Iranian kingdom's political history survives almost entirely in its coinage.
Parthian (Arsacid) Empire · 247 BCE – 224 CE
Era overview →Frequently asked about Seleucia on the Hedyphon
- What was Elymais?
- A semi-independent kingdom in Khuzestan under Parthian suzerainty, striking its own coinage from the second century BCE until the Sasanian conquest in the 220s CE.
- Why are Elymaean legends unreadable?
- Greek was inherited from Seleucid administration and gradually stopped being understood; engravers copied shapes rather than letters, so the legend became ornament.
- What coins were struck at Seleucia on the Hedyphon?
- Seleucia on the Hedyphon is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 32 BCE – 54 CE. Its output here covers Billon in the Drachm, Tetradrachm denominations, issued under Kamnaskires V of Elymais.
- How many Seleucia on the Hedyphon pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 1 item, dated 32 BCE – 54 CE, spread across 1 era: Parthian (Arsacid) Empire.
- Which metals were used for Seleucia on the Hedyphon coinage?
- Billon. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Which denominations are associated with Seleucia on the Hedyphon?
- Drachm, Tetradrachm. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.