|. a 
1923.] Numismatic Supplement No. XX XVII. ae | 
work, op. cit., p. 23) describes the legend as imperfect and reads 
to the left, malkan, and to the right, malka; but Mordtmann 
(Z.D.M.G., 1880, p. 13) pronounces it, at least in the illustra- 
tion, as illegible. With the help of the other piece in my 
Cabinet I have been able to decipher it 
Commencing behind the bust of ‘Shande (Shah) puhri 
malka (At)ran mind- Enea Vs “Shapuar, the king of Eran, of 
spiritual origin. e legend on the reverse is :—Niura (2?) 
Artakhshatr, «‘ The fire of Ardashir.”’ 
The known copper coins of this type are unfortunately 
in a very bad state of preservation, consequently the legend 
on the obverse has not yet been read. But by a singular 
fate the reverse of the piece in the Bartholomaei Loleckon 
Plate I, Fig. 15) is in a good con ndition. The reading is: 
Nira zi cus deci ‘The fire of a 
could be explained by the fact that these waite were pre ck in 
a distant province, where the dialect admits very often of the 
‘. (For the different forms of the name Shapar, see Néldeke, 
Karnamak, p. 61; and Justi, Iranisches Namenbuch, p. 284.) 
Some time about the middle of his reign, Ardashir 
exchanged the Parthian helmet on his coins for a crown sur- 
mounted by a globe, and added also the words minO-chitri min 
yazdan * of spiritual origin from the sacred beings ” at the end 
of the protocol. According to Mordtmann (Z.D.M.G., 1880. 
p. 6) the coins with the Parthian helmet were issued till 232, 
When this innovation was introduced. The coins of Ardashir 
with his son Shaptr, belong to the latter category. Therefore: 
it was at some time between 232 and 241 that these coins were 
struck. From the style and epigraphy I am inclined to 
believe that the date is nearer 241 than 232, that is to say, 
about 238-39 
Description of the Drachm. 
Metal.—Silver. Size.—1:06 in. Weight.—56 grs 
Obverse.—The bust of Ardashir I to right with crown, sur- 
mounted by a _— mee —_ floating behind ; the hair 
and beard dressed in plaits. Facing him is his son, Shapur, 
with Pasting: saad and fillets floating behind. Grénetis. 
Legend Commencing behind the bust of Shapir, Shah- 
pahri malka Atran mino (chitri), * Shapir. the king of Eran, 
of spiritual origin.’ 
Reverse —The holy pyreum on an altar with handles and 
fillets: a Saree on each side. Grénetis : 
d.—Commencing from the left of the fire, Nara z 
A Vabiohate. “The fire of Ardashir.”’ Plate 
The title malka Airan strikes us as very ty pical. It was 
