Bigger stuff beyond Palmyra : the coinage of the Hatrans and Assyrians

The copper-alloy coinage of the Arsacid and Sasanian empires typically consisted of very small denominations, contrasting with the tradition of bronze coinages in the Roman world, which were commonly larger and heavier. The small copper-alloy coins of the Palmyrenes appear to be an adjunct to the monetary systems of the Arsacid and Sasanian empires across the Euphrates, which have also been characterised by the production and use of small coins. However, during Palmyra’s heyday states in Arsacid Mesopotamia drew not so much on the Arsacid tradition of small copper-alloy coins but consciously imitated the larger denominations of Roman provincial coinage, and more specifically the so-called SC bronzes of Antioch. This paper explores the characteristics of these little-known and poorly-understood coins