[ 297 3 
unacceptable to that mod illuftrious and very learned 
body. 
At frft, from feveral flight circum fiances, I attri- 
buted thefe coins to one of the Perfian monarchs of 
the houfe of Saffan 3 but examining them afterwards, 
with greater attention, I was rather inclined to 
believe, that they appertained to one of the latter 
Parthian kings. This, upon a farther inquiry, may 
perhaps appear probable, from the following con- 
liberations. 
1. The workmanfhip of thefe pieces, however rude 
and inelegant, feems tolerably well to agree with that 
of feveral brafs medals of the later Parthian kings 3 
whereas it almoft totally differs from that of the 
coins generally affigned the Perfian monarchs, 
poflerior to thofe kings. 
2. The tiara of the prince exhibited by the medals 
before me is fomewhat fimilar to thofe handed down 
to us by two Parthian coins, attributed, by Dr.Vaillant, 
to Vologefes II. and Artabanus IV. 
3. Thefe medals may naturally enough be fup- 
pofed to have fir ft appeared in fome neighbouring 
province, reduced by the Parthian arms, rather than 
in the interior part of Parthia itfelf 3 which may 
poffibly, in fome meafure at lead, account for the 
rudenefs and inelegance of taffe they apparently pre- 
fent to our view. 
4. The coins in queftion feem to have had fome 
Greek characters originally impreffed upon them. If 
this be admitted by the learned, thofe letters may 
poffibly be thought to point at a Parthian mint, per 
we have fcarce ever hitherto met with any Greek 
Vol. LVI. Q^q characters 
