Alexander Aspet Petrovich

Alexander Aspet Petrovich was an early contributor to the field of Armenian numismatics, known for his work Arshakuni Coins—A Rich Collection, published in Vienna in 1904. This publication attributed a particular group of coins to Armenian rulers from the Arsacid dynasty, sparking significant scholarly interest and debate. His attributions included coins believed to be associated with Armenian kings such as Vagharshak, Artashes I, Artavazd I, and Tigran the Great.

While Petrovich’s work was instrumental in introducing these coins into the academic conversation, it was met with criticism by later scholars, particularly Fr. Hagopos (Jacob) Vardapet Tashian. Tashian challenged the classifications and historical interpretations presented in Petrovich’s study, ultimately rejecting many of his hypotheses regarding the coins’ origins. Despite these critiques, Petrovich’s efforts were valuable for their time, as they laid a foundation for the systematic study of Armenian coins and brought attention to the importance of numismatic evidence in understanding Armenian history.