Circa 325 BCE
AR Drachm 5.53 gm, 17mm
Persic standard
Obv.: ‘m in Aramaic, head of the nymph Sinope to left, her hair bound in a sakkos, wearing triple-pendant earring and pearl necklace; to left, aphlaston.
Rev.: ‘ariyrth’ in Aramaic, sea-eagle with spread wings standing on a dolphin to left.
HGC 7, 434; SNG BM Black Sea 1459; SNG Stancomb 761
Ariarathes may have been the last Persian satrap.
He fought against Alexander at the Battle of Granicus and then again at Gaugamela. After Darius’ defeat, he headed back to his satrapy of Northern Capadoccia and resisted from there.
He survived remarkably long because Alexander had bigger fish to fry and therefore put Cappadocia on his ‘to do’ list. So, Ariarathes grew rich in his now effective kingdom and even minted some coins in his name.
Eventually, all good things come to an end and shortly after Alexander’s death, Perdikkas led an army that practically obliterated Cappadocia. Ariarathes and most royals were subsequently executed by crucifiction.
If Ariarathes had any children, it appears Perdikkas got them too. However, his nephew Ariarathes II retrieved the kingdom in 301 BCE and continued the Ariarathid line, which Ariarathes I is credited as starting.