Tiridates II 217-252 AD (Kov 203-207)

Tiridates II (BNP [6]) was the son of Chosroes, who likely preceded him as the king captured by Caracalla in 214 or 216 (BNP 3, 250). His legitimacy as king of Armenia was recognized by Macrinus (AD 217-218) (Cass. Dio 79, 27,4). Tiridates was finally forced to abandon his throne in 252 after repeated attacks, first by Ardashir and then Shapur.

The coins cautiously attributed to this king have been only recently published in any numbers and the reading of the king's name is still being debated. Two coins have been found in excavatations at ancient Artaxata in Armenia and others are reported to have been found there, so Armenian origin seems likely, if not certain. Tiridates's head surrounded by a wreath on the larger coins (unit) is likely emblematic of his success in thwarting the Sasanian attracks on his kingdom. On one of the two smaller denominations (half-unit) is a crudely drawn twin-peaked Mt. Ararat.

Kovacs, Frank L. “Armenian Coinage in the Classical Period” CNS 10, Classical Numismatic Group, Lancaster, 2016, pp. 35.