170, Lot: 226. Estimate $300. Sold for $330. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Trajan. AD 98-117. Æ Sestertius (34mm, 27.33 g). Rome mint. Struck circa AD 116-117. Laureate and draped bust right / Trajan, in military outfit, seated left on camp bench set on daïs, extending hand to three eastern kings, the foremost of whom extends his hands to Trajan; two military figures, one holding baton and sceptre, standing behind Trajan. RIC II 666; BMCRE 1043; Cohen 325. Fine, green and brown surfaces. Scarce.

The scene depicted on this coin has always been the source of conjecture. The basic facts of Trajan’s eastern campaigns are known. In 113 that Parthian king Osroes I placed Parthamasiris on the throne of Armenia, in contravention of the long agreement that Armenia would be in the Roman sphere of influence. Trajan’s response was overwhelming; Osroes was driven from Ctesiphon, and Parthamaspates was was proclaimed the new king, although a mere Roman puppet. The turmoil affected all the small buffer states all the Roman-Parthian border. Parthamasiris was removed and Armenia made a Roman protectorate. Meharaspes of Adiabene was deposed in 116, as was Abgar VII of Osrohene, both for wavering in their support of the Romans. Sporaces of Anthemusia had lost his throne in 114. Sohaemus of Sophene and Attambelos VII of Characene in the south seems to have been retained, although Attambelos died the same year as Trajan. So the question is, who are the three kings who are “assigned” kingdoms? Parthamaspates had his own coin type (REX PARTHIS), and according to the historical record none of the deposed monarchs were replaced by Trajan; all the provinces came under Roman administration. it is possible that this coin type reflects Trajan’s intention to appoint new rulers, but the continuing unrest in the east lead to the decision to eliminate the autonomous client kingdoms.