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After Alexander: Central Asia Before Islam
Some questions regarding the numismatics of pre-Islam Merv
Natasha Smirnova
The numismatic material coming from the sites of Ancient Merv is large: the number of surface finds as well as that of stratified coins is substantial. The International Merv Project (IMP) had at its disposal about 1,550 coins discovered during excavations and survey work between 1992 and 2000. There are also several hundred coins including some hoards in the numismatic depository of the South Turkmenistan Archaeological Multi-disciplinary Expedition (YuTAKE) set up by M.E.Masson in the 1950s.
Archaeological investigations in Merv confirmed the existence of a Greek context covered over later by subsequent Parthian, Sasanian and Islamic structures. Twenty-six Greek coins from Gyaur-kala are mostly bronze specimens of small denominations, which came from the site after excavation work or as chance finds (1953-2000). There are no less than three new coin types occasionally present among the numismatic finds, which were unknown before the publication of Merv numismatic materials and which serve to confirm local minting and circulation. The composition of the list of Greek coin-finds from Ancient Merv is similar to the range coming from some other Central-Asian city-sites (Takht-i Sangin, Ai Khanoum). The presence in Margiana of Seleucid and Graeco-Bactrian coins confirmed the political influence and possessions of the Hellenistic rulers in this area. There is no interruption in the Greek numismatics of Margiana from Antiochus I (281-261 BC) to Eucratides I (170-145 BC). The question remains as to whether the Bactrian Greeks were the real owners of Margiana and, if so, which one of them (Diodotes I or Diodotes II) was the first ruler here.
In the mid-2nd century BC Margiana was incorporated into the expanding Parthian state. There is not one Parthian drachm from Merv from before the time of Phraates II (138-127 BC), who, as we know, emerged victorious from the fighting in 129 BC for the Eastern Satrapies against the Seleucid king, Antiochus VII [Justin, XLII, 1.4-5]. The question to be resolved is when the Parthians conquered Margiana – just after the death of Eucratides I between 145 and 129 BC or earlier, when Margiana – as one of two provinces lost by the Bactrians – was conquered by the Parthians [Justin, XL, 6]. Stable Parthian rule in Margiana between the 2nd century BC and the 2nd century AD is demonstrated by the numismatic evidence. We have at our disposal 200 specimens of Parthian copper coins, which were mainly minted locally by unknown rulers from one of the branches of the Aršakid dynasty (monogram ? under a bow). These local issues are still not classified, because the complicated question of the last Parthian issues in Margiana has not yet been resolved.
About 30 late Roman Imperial bronze coins of small denominations of the 4th-5th century AD and some rare Byzantine bronze coins have been found in Merv, which served to confirm contacts between the Roman, Byzantine and Sasanian empires.
Among the 1,550 coin-finds from Merv there are about 1,000 identified items, including 700 coins – mostly bronze specimens – belonging to the Sasanian period. The most intensive period of coin production in Merv was in the reign of Shapur I (240-272) and Shapur II (309-379). A new local type of Sasanian coin with the image of a horseman was identified as having been minted by the Merv king ruling from 240-260.
There are no more than 10 coins from Merv, which belong to the categories of Vasudeva Imitations and Kushano-Sasanian Coppers by Hormizd (1) and Varahran (1). The short interruption (272-276) in Merv minting between Shapur I (240-272) and Varahran II (276-293) could possibly have been used by Kushanshah Hormizd I for issuing his rare Merv series. Mainly Kushan imitations and Kushano-Sasanian coppers were imported into Margiana and Sogdiana from Bactria and these were concentrated in the border region along the Amu-Darya river – the main trade route in Central Asia, but they were occasionally discovered in Merv itself.
The Sasanian coinage of the 4th and 5th centuries AD is well represented
by coin-finds from the city-sites of Merv. Yet we have no registered
coins of Ardashir II (379-383). The bronze coins of Varahran V (420-438)
issued by the Merv mint are also unknown, but silver drachms of
the Sasanian ruler were struck in Merv, issued specially for the
needs of his military campaigns on the north-eastern borders of
the Sasanian empire against the nomads. The period from the second
half of the 5th century to the beginning of the 6th century AD is
remarkable for the absence of bronze anonymous issues with a fork-like
object on the obverse, which appeared at this time. In 510 AD the
minting of silver drachms began once again in Merv because of the
more stable situation during Kavad’s rule. Locally minted
Sasanian coins of the 6th to early 7th century are well represented
in Merv. There are two rare coins of Sasanian type of unknown local
rulers from the second half of the 7th century and one with the
name Halid, the Muslim governor of Basrah.