The Kingdom of Sophene is another one of those ancient countries that has not received very much attention from ancient coin collectors. Usually, it is just lumped in with Armenia because it was absorbed into the Armenian Empire by Tigranes II the Great (140-55 BCE) after 95 BCE. But Sophene had its own unique history and distinctive coinage.

The name Sophene comes from the ethnonym Suppani, a people who lived in the region dating back to the first millennium BCE; this area is now southeast Turkey. The terrain is quite mountainous and is crisscrossed by numerous rivers, creating river valleys that are very productive in spite of the harsh winters and hot, dry summers. The region was part of Urartu (Ararat) in the eighth and seventh centuries. Argishtis I of Urartu built the city of Erebuni (modern-day Yerevan) and resettled many of the inhabitants of the locality in the new city.

Xerxes (ca. 220 BCE)
A lot more is known about the reign of Xerxes, a son of Arsames I. He succeeded to the throne in 228, and his brother Orontes IV was the ruler of Armenia. In 223, several satraps of the Seleucid Empire rebelled against King Antiochus III, but most of the rebellions had been suppressed by 220. Antiochus invaded Sophene and besieged the main city of Arasomata. After Xerxes was defeated, Antiochus had his sister Antiochis marry Xerxes (what would he have got if he had won?). Within a year, she had arranged the assassination of Xerxes, opening the way for her brother to take over the kingdom. Antiochus installed an Armenian General, Zariadres, as the governor of the region.

Figure 5: KINGS of SOPHENE. Xerxes. Circa 220 BCE. Æ 19. Diademed and draped bust right, wearing folded tiara; monogram to left / Nike standing left, holding wreath; monogram to inner left ??S???OS [??????], 19mm, 5.08 g., Bedoukian, Coinage 9. (CNG 85, Lot: 6, $2200, 9/15/10).

Coins of Xerxes are very rare. Figure 5 shows the only photo of a coin of this king that I could find. It has the profile of the bearded king facing right on the obverse, and the reverse has Nike standing left holding a wreath. The legend on the reverse is ??S???OS [??????], The British Museum has three Xerxes coins; one has the same reverse and the other two have Athena standing left holding a wreath in her right and her left hand resting on a shield.

To read the complete article, see:
Ancient Coins of the Kingdom of Sophene(https://coinweek.com/ancient-coins/ancient-coins-of-the-kingdom-of-sophene/)