t 2 7 $ 1 
therefore we may be permitted to fuppofe our medal 
to have been emitted from the mint at Tarfus in one 
of thofe years. If this fhould be admitted by the 
learned, and I can fee nothing unreafonable in fuch a 
fuppofition, we may naturally enough account both 
for the fymbol and the infeription. For the Par- 
thians at this time had the Romans in fuch contempt, 
by reafon of their former victories over them, that a 
body of their forces advancing to the relief (31) 
of Labienus, then incamped on Mount Taurus, at 
no very great diftance from them, engaged a Roman 
army, before their junction with that general. Be- 
ing therefore overthrown in this battle by Ventidius, 
(32) who commanded the Romans, and molt of 
them cut in pieces, they received the reward juftly 
due to their temerity and preemption. This cer- 
tainly gives us reafon to believe, that the fymbol and 
infeription I am now upon pointed at the victories 
gained by the Parthians over the Romans, about the 
time above mentioned ; and that they were intended 
to perpetuate the memory of thofe vidories, to the 
remoteft periods of time. 
In farther fupport of what has been here ad- 
vanced, it may not be improper to obferve, that a 
fimilar (33) medal publifhed by M. Pellerin feems 
to me to be undoubtedly Parthian. On one fide we 
difeover Hercules, with a club in his right hand, and 
a lion’s fkin in his left, as he appears on a coin of 
Tarfus (34), together with a bow, a fymbol not 
(31) Dio, ubi fup. 
(% 2) Idem ibid. 
(33) Peller. ubi fup. Tom. Troif. PI. CXXII. 11. 
( 34 ) Joan. Vaill. ubi fup. p. 157. 
N n 2 
feldom 
