Item number: A197

Year: AD 590-628

Material: Silver

Size: 30.4 x 30.4 x 0.5 mm

Weight: 4.14 g

Provenance: Coincraft 2016

This is a silver drachm coin, minted by King Khusrau II of the Sassanian Empire, who reigned between the years AD 590 and AD 628, commonly known as the “Conqueror King.” On the obverse side of the coin, there are two concentric circles. In the centre, there is a right-facing portrait of King Khusrau II wearing a crown. On either side of the portrait, his name and titles are inscribed in Pahlavi script. Surrounding the central portrait, at the twelve, three, six, and nine o’clock positions, are crescent moons each encircling a star, serving as decorative elements.

On the reverse side of the coin, there are three concentric circles, with four star-and-crescent decorations similar to those on the obverse side positioned around the outer edge. Within the innermost circle is depicted a Zoroastrian fire altar, a religious symbol originating from Persia and associated with the indigenous religion of the Sassanian Empire, Zoroastrianism. Flanking the fire altar on either side are figures of priests wearing crowns and holding swords. Surrounding the scene, there are decorative elements inscribed in Pahlavi script.

Khusrau II, also known as Khosrow Parviz, was the last great emperor of the Sassanian Empire. Upon ascending to the throne in AD 590, he faced challenges from internal rebels, forcing him to flee to the Byzantine Empire for refuge. With the support of Byzantine Emperor Maurice, Khusrau II reclaimed his throne the following year. In AD 602, after Maurice was assassinated, Khusrau II took advantage of the situation to launch an offencive against the Byzantine Empire. His forces advanced as far as the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, achieving the greatest territorial expansion of the Sassanian Empire.

In AD 628, after Khusrau II was assassinated by his son, the empire’s power rapidly declined. Simultaneously, its greatest rival, the Byzantine Empire, weakened due to continuous warfare, provided an opportunity for the rising Islamic forces from the Arabian Peninsula. In AD 633, the first Caliph, Abu Bakr, led the Arabs in launching conquests against Persia, leading to the Islamisation of Persia. During the early Arab rule, coins were minted in the style reminiscent of the Sassanian Empire. It wasn’t until AD 661, with the accession of Muawiyah I, who founded the Umayyad Caliphate, that the Sassanian-style coins with “idolatrous” imagery were gradually phased out.

物件編號: A197

年代: 公元 590-628 年

材料: 銀

尺寸: 30.4 x 30.4 x 0.5 mm

重量: 4.14 g

來源: 錢幣工藝 2016

這是一枚公元590至628年之間，有「得勝王」之稱的薩珊王朝霍斯勞二世鑄造的打蘭銀幣。錢幣正面有兩道圓環，中央是頭戴王冠的霍斯勞二世右側肖像，人像兩側以巴列維文寫上國王名字和頭銜。外圍的十二、三、六和九點鐘方向，各有一環抱星星的新月作為裝飾。

錢幣背面有三道珠圈，外圍跟正面一樣有四個星月裝飾。珠圈內部是發源自波斯的本土宗教，瑣羅亞斯德教(沃教)拜火祭壇，兩側各有一頭帶王冠和手持寶劍的祭司，周圍則以巴列維文作裝飾。

霍斯勞二世是波斯薩珊王朝最後一位大帝，公元590年繼位之初，遭到國內叛將挑戰被迫出逃至拜占庭帝國尋求庇護，隔年在拜占庭皇帝莫里斯的支持下重新奪回皇位。公元602年，莫里斯遭到刺殺後，霍斯勞二世趁勢對拜占庭帝國發動攻勢，一度逼近拜占庭帝國的首都君士坦丁堡，成就薩珊王朝最大的疆域。

公元628年，霍斯勞二世遭到兒子刺殺後，帝國的國勢便一落千丈。同一時間，最大的對手拜占庭也因連年征戰元氣大傷，提供阿拉伯半島的伊斯蘭勢力趁勢崛起的機會。公元633年，首位哈里發阿布·巴克爾帶領阿拉伯人開啟對波斯的征服，促使了波斯的伊斯蘭化。而阿拉伯人統治初期，仍仿薩珊王朝的銀幣形制鑄幣。直到公元661年，開創伍麥亞帝國的穆阿維亞一世登基後，方才逐漸淘汰帶有「偶像」的薩珊形制錢幣。