Persian Treasury
Ruler

Coinage of Mithradates I

1 catalogued issue of Mithradates I — metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions with references.

In short

Mithradates I of Parthia (c. 171–132 BCE) turned a small Iranian kingdom into an empire, taking Media, Mesopotamia and Seleucia, and was the first Arsacid to style himself Great King. Mithradates I issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 138 BCE – 171 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at Seleucia-on-the-Tigris.

Catalogued
1
Eras
1
Metals
1
Denominations
2

Key facts

Key facts about Mithradates I in the Persian Treasury catalogue
Catalogued pieces1
Date range138 BCE – 171 CE
Eras representedParthian (Arsacid) Empire
MetalsSilver
DenominationsDrachm, Tetradrachm
MintsSeleucia-on-the-Tigris
Reignc. 171–132 BCE
ConquestsMedia, Mesopotamia, Seleucia
TitleGreat King; epithet Philhellene
Standard reverseSeated archer with bow

From kingdom to empire

His conquests brought the Parthians the Mesopotamian tax base and the mint of Seleucia-on-the-Tigris, which allowed a shift from local coinage to imperial silver on the Greek standard.

The Arsacid drachm and tetradrachm types stabilise under him: bearded royal bust obverse, seated archer reverse with a Greek legend — a formula that lasted almost four hundred years.

Philhellene politics

Mithradates adopted the epithet PHILELLENOS on his coinage, a deliberate signal to the Greek urban populations of Mesopotamia that Parthian rule would not disturb their institutions.

That legend is a political document in three words, and one of the reasons Parthian coinage is read as evidence for imperial ideology rather than only for economics.

Parthian (Arsacid) Empire · 247 BCE – 224 CE

Era overview →

Mithradates I Tetradrachm

Mithradates I

171–138 BCE

First king to title himself 'Great King'.

Frequently asked about Mithradates I

Who founded the Parthian empire?
Arsaces founded the dynasty, but Mithradates I turned it into an empire by conquering Media and Mesopotamia in the mid-second century BCE.
What does Philhellene mean on Parthian coins?
'Friend of the Greeks' — a legend addressed to the Greek cities of Mesopotamia, signalling that Parthian rule would respect their civic institutions.
What coins did Mithradates I issue?
Mithradates I issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 138 BCE – 171 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at Seleucia-on-the-Tigris.
How many Mithradates I pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
1 item, dated 138 BCE – 171 CE, spread across 1 era: Parthian (Arsacid) Empire.
Which metals were used for Mithradates I coinage?
Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
Which denominations are associated with Mithradates I?
Drachm, Tetradrachm. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.
Where were Mithradates I coins minted?
Recorded mints include Seleucia-on-the-Tigris.

Explore related hubs

Denominations here

Metals here