,388 On the Epoch of the Gupta Dynasty. [No. 5, 



any thing (apart from the present issue) it is more appropriate td 

 the Muluk-i-Towaif, whose head was essentially a king of kings, — 

 the constitution of the Parthian system of government was, that 

 there were "kings in each city,"* and one Suzerain over the whole : 

 who entitled himself 2ATPAIIH2 TON 2ATPAII Satrap of Satraps,f 

 BASIAEOS BA^IAEON,+ or the Semitic Krfe^rfe Malhvn Malkd,§ 

 as the case might be. The Sassanians imitatively adopted the latter 

 title, without however, continuing the political constitution, which 

 had rendered the designation so peculiarly appropriate. Prom 

 Malhdn Mailed, the later members of the Sassanian dynasty pro- 

 ceeded to l<^ Khuda,|| the then current term for King — 'but nei- 

 ther Shah nor Shahan Shah is ever found on their coins, though 

 that the term existed, we have of course evidence in the name of 



* Talari, Persian MS. \j iSj&*> j*> J ty. ^i\jJo &jbo C^w*>J A+A 



f Grotarges' Greek inscription at Behistun, quoted by Rawlinson, J. R. A. S. 

 XI. 118. 



% Coins, J. A. S. B. II. p. 34, &c. 



The following early Parthian Monarchs adopt the title of BA2IAEH5 BA3IAEX1N 

 on their coins ! 



1st. Arsaces, VI. Mithridates I. 173 to 136 B.C. 

 2nd. Ditto, XII. Phrahates III. 70 to 60 B.C. 

 3rd. Ditto, XIII. Mithridates III. 60 to 54 B.C. 

 4th. Ditto, XIV. Orodes I. 54 to 37 B.C. 

 5th. Ditto, XV. Phrahates IV. 37 B.C. to 4 A.D. 

 6th. Ditto, XIX. Artabanus III. 13 to 42 A.D. 

 The first and second Kings of this list continue however to employ the simple 

 BA2IAEH2 Arsaces XII. likewise styles himself BA2IAETONT02 BA2IAEHN. 

 Ruler of Kings. 



The three Princes noted below take the title of 0EOI1ATOPO2 



1st. Arsaces, IV. Phraapatius 196 to 181 B.C. 



2nd. Ditto, VII. Phrahates II. 136 to 126 B.C. 



3rd. Ditto, IX. Mithridates II 123 to 87 B.C. 



" View of the coinage of the Parthians," by John Lindsay, Cork, 1852. 



§ Coins Num. Chron. XII. 68. 



|| See Longperier " Essai sur les Medailles des Rois Perses" coin 47, page 52, 

 coin 48, &c. See also Hamzah Isfahani, p. 47, liJw*w &\&£*> Regis interfectores 

 Journal Asiatique 1841, pp. 145, 278, *^^ J !•>•=*» Livre des rois et Khodai bourn 

 le maitre de la terre ! 



