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COINS OF THE SELEUCID KINGS OF SYRIA. 255and the marks of the fire, while part of the solderremains on the obverse. This treatment of the headcombining the Parthian rendering of the hair with the fullbeard isunique among tetradrachms, although a similartype is known among the drachms of Demetrius. Itdiffers from the famous Bunbury specimen in the BritishMuseum, in that this example is fully bearded, and theBunbury specimen shows only a slight beard.It should be carefully compared with the tetradrachmsof Mithradates I of Parthia (B.M.G.: Parthia, PL iii.7-12). The treatment of the hair, the eye, and the beardon the obverse are similar, while on the reverse the Ainstead of A, and the upturn of the top stroke of the 2are easily paralleled. The letters AN in the field to leftwould be the Parthian equivalent for AN, which, as I havealready said, is a common practice in the Syrian series ofEastern fabric, and purport that the coin was struck atAntioch.The history of Demetrius and his captivity in Parthiais so well known that it does not need to be set out here.It is sufficient to remember that in the year rnp, i.e.183 A.S., 131 B.C., Demetrius was put forward as acandidate for the Syrian throne by the Parthian kingagainst Antiochus VII. Sidetes. I suggest that Demetriushad adopted the Parthian dress and appearance: moregentis parihicae, as Longperier 4writes of him.This coin, then, would be the work of a Parthian artiston the spot before he left for his campaign.In the nextyear he had established his position in Syria, and aGreek artist continues the bearded type, and a fairlycommon series beginning from Al~lP and running on toinp, 187 A.S.,125 B.C., would be naturally explained.4Eois Parthes Arsacides, p. 28.s2