Exchanges in Royal Imagery across the Iranian World, 3rd Century BC – 3rd Century AD

Abstract

The period between the 3rd century BC and the 3rd century AD saw the establishment of two supra-regional states in the Iranian world, first the Arsacid and then the Kushan Empire. The patterns of imperial imagery elaborated by the Arsacids became the reference and were adopted by many of the successive dynasties, starting with the Kushan themselves. Chorasmia was exposed to such influences, and the coin series of its first kings show the interplay between local features and elements coming from both Arsacid Parthia and the Kushan Empire.