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
The Ariarathid dynasty started with Ariarathes I. Things didn’t get off to a great start when Perdikkas took Cappadocia and killed Ariarathes and his children.
In 301 BCE, Ariarathes II, the nephew of Ariarathes I, recovered Cappadocia but had to stay under Seleukid control.
Circa 220-163 BCE
AE 15 mm, 1.75 g, 11 h
Head of Ariarathes IV to left, wearing upright bashlyk
Rev. BAΣIΛEΩΣ – APIAPAΘOY Athena standing front, head to left, holding spear in her right hand and placing her left on shield
HGC 7, 808. Simonetta 4 (Ariarathes II)
Ex Savoca
Under Ariaramnes, Cappadocia rebelled and achieved some independence.
Ae 6.99g 21.70mm
Obv: Head right, wearing bashlyk.
Rev: Horseman galloping right, hurling spear; symbol in left field and beneaath I.
Simonetta 3.
Ex Bucephalus Numismatic
Ariarathes III, the son of Ariaramnes, was the first in the Ariarathid line to proclaim himself king.
Circa 230-220 BCE
Æ 5.04g, 20mm, 12h
Head to right, wearing bashlyk / Goddess facing between two seated sphinxes; [ΒΑ]ΣΙΛ[ΕΩΣ] to right, [A]ΡIAPAΘ[OY] to left, TY above, [ANA] in exergue.
Simonetta 5b = Simonetta, Coins 5; SNG Copenhagen Supp. 632 = SNG von Aulock 6258; HGC 7, 801
Ex Gorny & Mosch Giessener Münzhandlung 2012
Ex Fortuna Fine Arts (New York)
Ex Roma 2019
Ex Roma 2022
Ariarathes V cultivated the liberal arts in Cappadocia.
dated year 29 (134/3 BCE)
Mint A (Eusebeia-Mazaka)
AR Drachm (17.5mm, 3.92g, 11h)
Diademed head r.
R/ Athena Nikephoros standing l.; monogram to inner l. and outer r., ΘK (date) in exergue.
Simonetta (Ariarathes IV) 6; HGC 7, 811
Ex Simonetta Collection
Ariarathes VI was a child when he became king. His mother became regent and poisoned his five brothers, but Ariarathes VI stayed safe Mithridates VI murdered him.
Mint C (Comana), dated RY 13 = 118/7 BCE
AR Drachm 4.21g, 20mm, 12h
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΡΙΑΡΑΘOV EΠIΦANOYΣ, Athena Nikephoros standing to left, with spear and shield; monogram to outer left, IΓ (date) in exergue.
Simonetta 41; HGC 7, 821.
Ex Roma
Ariarathes VII was also a child upon becoming king and the regency was held by his mother, Laodike. When Nikomedes III of Bithynia seized his kingdom, Mithridates VI restored it. However, Ariarathes VII had issues with Gordios, the assassin who killed his father, being in government. So, Mithridates VI had Ariarathes killed.
Mint C (Komana) dated RY 12 = 104/3 BCE
AR Drachm 4.04g, 18mm, 12h.
Diademed head to right /
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΡΙΑΡΑΘOV ΦIΛOMHTOPOΣ, Athena Nikephoros standing to left, with spear and shield; M inner left, K inner right, IB (date) in exergue.
HGC 7, 832
Ex Roma 2019
Mithridates VI then installed his eight-year-old son as king – Ariarathes IX. He was removed from power several times by Tigranes II and Rome, and when Mithridates was finally defeated by Rome he was forced to abdicate.
Mint A (Eusebia under Mt. Argaios), dated RY 13 = 88/7 BCE
AR Drachm 3.75g, 19mm, 12h
Diademed head to right
BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ APIAPAΘOV ΕVΣEBOVΣ, Athena Nikephoros standing to left, holding spear and shield; monogram to inner left, IΓ (date) in exergue.
Simonetta 13; HGC 7, 845. 3
Ex Roma
Ariobarzanes I was voted into power by the citizens of Cappadocia after Rome rejected the rule of Ariarathes IX. He was removed several times but came back.
Mint A (Eusebeia under Mt. Argaios), dated RY 13 = 83/2 BCE
AR Drachm 4.26g, 18mm, 12h
Diademed head to right
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΡΙΟΒΑΡΖΑ[ΝOY] ΦΙΛΟΡΩΜΑΙOY, Athena Nikephoros standing to left; monogram in inner left field, IΓ (date) in exergue.
Simonetta 20b; DCA 460; HGC 7, 846
Ex Roma
Ariobarzanes II was the son of Ariobarzanes II. He was an ineffective ruler and was eventually assassinated by Parthians.
63-52 BCE
AR Drachm 2.79g, 16mm
Diademed head of Ariobarzanes II right.
Athena standing left, holding Nike and leaning on a shield.
HGC 7, 851
Ariobarzanes III was the son of Ariobarzanes II. He was at first confirmed by Rome, but when he objected to Roman meddling in the kingdom, he was executed.
52-42 BCE
AR Drachm 3.61g, 15mm
Diademed head of Ariobarzanes III right.
Athena standing left, holding Nike and leaning on a shield, star over crescent to left.
HGC 7, 853
Ariarathes X was also a son of Ariobarzanes II. His rule was very short because Marc Antony had him executed.
42-36 BCE
AR Drachm 3.55g, 16mm
Diademed head of Ariarathes X right
Athena standing left, holding Nike in her right hand, shield in her right hand, spear to right.
SG 7305
Ex Collection of Moritz Simon, Berlin
Ex Apolph E Cahn Auction 68, lot 1510, November 26, 1930
Archelaos was the last king of Cappadocia and was a Roman client prince. After ruling for some time, Tiberius ordered him to Rome, where he intended to kill him. However, Archelaos died of natural causes before Tiberius had the chance.
Dated 4/5 CE
AR Drachm 20mm; 3.37 gm, 12h
Cappadocia mint.
Obv: Diademed head of Archelaus to right.
Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΡΧΕΛΑΟΥ ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΡΙΔΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΚΤΙΣΤΟΥ Club. Date M to left.
BMC 3. RPC 3604
Ex Akropolis Coins
Ariarathid dynasty is founded by Ariarathes I.
Ariarathes II kills the Macedonian satrap and continues the Ariarathid dynasty, but is forced to accept Seleukid suzerainty.
Death of Ariarathes II. His son Ariaramnes continues the Ariarathid dynasty.
Ariarathes III becomes a joint king with Ariaramnes of Cappadocia.
Death of Ariaramnes, king of Cappadocia. His son Ariarathes III continues the Ariarathid dynasty.
Death of Ariarathes III. His son Ariarathes IV continues the Ariarathid dynasty as King of Cappadocia.
Death of Ariarathes IV, King of Cappadocia. His son Ariarathes V continues the Ariarathid dynasty.
Death of Ariarathes V, King of Cappadocia. His wife Nysa had killed five of her six children so she may become queen, but the remaining son, Ariarathes VI, kills her and continues the Ariarathid line.
Ariarathes VI is murdered by Mithridates VI. Cappadocia is then seized by Nikomedes III of Bithynia. Mithridates then takes the kingdom back and installs Ariarathes VII, this ends the Ariarathid line.
Mithridates VI executes Ariarathes VII, King of Cappadocia, and installs his own nine-year-old son, Ariarathes IX, as King of Cappadocia.
After a brief kingship of the brother of Ariarathes VI, Ariarathes VIII, Rome orders Ariarathes IX deposed, then lets the citizens choose Ariobarzanes I as king of Cappadocia.
Ariobarzanes I abdicates as King of Cappadocia. His son Ariobarzanes II becomes king.
Ariobarzanes II is assassinated by Parthians. His elder son Ariobarzanes III becomes king of Cappadocia.
The Roman Cassius Longinus has Ariobarzanes III executed. His brother Ariarathes X becomes King of Cappadocia.
Rome removes Ariarathes X, King of Cappadocia, and replaces him with Archelaos.
King Archelaos dies, and his kingdom, including Elaiussa Sebaste, is annexed by the Roman Empire under Emperor Tiberius. This ends the Cappadocian kingdom.