Dichalkous - Phraates IV Mithradatkart

Phraates IV secured the Parthian throne by murdering his own father Orodes II and then systematically eliminating his brothers — somewhere between thirty and a hundred of them, depending on the source. He later sent his own sons to Rome as hostages, a calculated diplomatic move that removed potential rivals while cultivating a relationship with Augustus. The Mithradatkart mint, likely located in Media, struck bronzes across his long reign but remains poorly documented in the archaeological record compared to Seleucia.

Sellwood 51.8 falls within a series notable for inconsistent module and fabric, reflecting decentralized production rather than any single controlled output.