Persian Treasury
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Coinage of Peroz I

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

In short

Peroz I (459–484 CE) fought the Hephthalites three times, was captured once, paid a crushing ransom, and died with his army in a final defeat that left the Sasanian state financially broken. Peroz I issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 459 CE – 484 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at Adurbadagan (Azerbaijan).

Catalogued
1
Eras
1
Metals
1
Denominations
1

Key facts

Key facts about Peroz I in the Persian Treasury catalogue
Catalogued pieces1
Date range459 CE – 484 CE
Eras representedSasanian Empire
MetalsSilver
DenominationsDrachm
MintsAdurbadagan (Azerbaijan)
Reign459–484 CE
EnemyHephthalites of Central Asia
OutcomeCapture, indemnity, death in battle 484
Numismatic traceHephthalite countermarks on his drachms

The Hephthalite disaster

Peroz's campaigns against the Hephthalites of Central Asia ended in capture, an enormous indemnity in silver, and finally annihilation in 484 CE. The ransom payments drained the treasury and forced heavy taxation across the empire.

The subsequent instability — including the Mazdakite movement and Kavad I's deposition — traces directly to this fiscal shock.

Coins as evidence

Peroz drachms are common and are found in Central Asian and Indian contexts in quantity, physical evidence of the indemnity silver flowing east.

Hephthalite countermarks on Sasanian drachms of this period are a distinct collecting field and among the best-documented cases of one state re-validating another's coinage.

Sasanian Empire · 224 – 651 CE

Era overview →

Peroz I Drachm

Peroz I

459–484 CE

Peroz's wars against the Hephthalites bankrupted the empire and he was killed in battle in 484. From his reign onward, mint and year on Sasanian drachms enable precise dating.

Frequently asked about Peroz I

Why are Peroz I drachms found in Central Asia?
Because the enormous ransom and indemnity payments to the Hephthalites moved Sasanian silver eastward in bulk, where it circulated and was often countermarked.
What are Hephthalite countermarks?
Small punches applied by Hephthalite authorities to Sasanian drachms to validate them for local circulation — a common feature on coins of this period.
What coins did Peroz I issue?
Peroz I issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 459 CE – 484 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at Adurbadagan (Azerbaijan).
How many Peroz I pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
1 item, dated 459 CE – 484 CE, spread across 1 era: Sasanian Empire.
Which metals were used for Peroz I coinage?
Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
Which denominations are associated with Peroz I?
Drachm. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.
Where were Peroz I coins minted?
Recorded mints include Adurbadagan (Azerbaijan).

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Denominations here

Metals here