Silver drachm of Khusrau II
Sasanian dynasty, AD 606
Minted at Istakhr, near Persepolis, southern Iran
The victorious king
Khusrau II (591-628) was also known as Khosrau Parviz, 'the
victorious king'. This identity is reinforced by his distinctive
crown, which is decorated with a pair of wings, a symbol of
Victory. The king's personal name appears in Middle Persian on the
right side of the bust, while on the left the phrase
kvarrah apzut means 'may the glory of
the king increase'.
The reverse depicts a Zoroastrian fire altar flanked by two
attendants. An abbreviation in Middle Persian on the right side
identifies the mint as Istakhr, near Persepolis, in southern
Iran. The left side gives the year 16, which corresponds to AD
606.