Sale: Triton XIII, Lot: 804. Estimate $500.  Closing Date: Monday, 4 January 2010.  Sold For $1700. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

KINGS of PARTHIA. Vologases V. Circa AD 191-208. AR Drachm (3.79 g, 12h). Ekbatana mint. Diademed facing bust, with pointed beard of straight lines; hair in bunches above diadem and at sides / Degraded legend [but first line: 'King Vologases' in Parthian script], archer (Arsakes I) seated right on throne, holding bow; monogram below bow. Sellwood 86.3; Shore 448; PDC 7235 (this coin). EF, toned.

From the Todd A. Ballen Collection. Ex Tkalec (24 October 2003), lot 152; Rauch MBS 8 (1 October 2004), lot 143; Triton IV (5 December 2000), lot 331; Giessener Münzhandlung 102 (24 May 2000), lot 342.

Like his predecessor Vologases IV, Vologases V also had to deal with a large Roman invasion. Two events likely precipitated this. The first was Vologases’ support of the unsuccessful Pescennius Niger against Septimius Severus in the Roman civil war of 193-195 AD. While Niger perished, a number of his subordinates sought refuge with the Parthians. The second was Vologases’ determination to take advantage of the Roman civil war to extend Parthian influence into areas of Mesopotamia occupied by Rome. Seemingly in response, in 198 AD, Severus led a huge army across the Euphrates. Unfortunately, Vologases had been embroiled in a massive revolt in Iran and was unable to adequately prepare a defense. As with the invasion of Verus during Vologases IV’s reign, the Romans eventually captured Seleukeia and Ktesiphon. Little is known of Vologases’ later years.