Anzaze facts for kids
Anzaze was a queen from an ancient kingdom called Elymais. This kingdom was located in what is now Iran. Elymais was a "vassal kingdom," which means it was part of a larger empire called the Parthian Empire. Queen Anzaze is special because she appears on old coins alongside King Kamnaskires III. They likely ruled together, which was quite unusual for kings and queens in ancient times.
Who Was Queen Anzaze?
Anzaze was a powerful queen in the ancient kingdom of Elymais. This kingdom existed a very long time ago, during the 1st century BC. Elymais was not a completely independent country; it was part of the much larger Parthian Empire. Think of it like a smaller state that was connected to a bigger country.
A Queen on Ancient Coins
What makes Queen Anzaze so interesting is that her image and name appear on coins with King Kamnaskires III. He was a ruler from around 82/81 BC to 75 BC. On these coins, she is called "basílissa," which is an ancient Greek word for "queen."
It was very rare for a queen to be shown on coins with a king in ancient times. Usually, only the king's image would appear. Because Anzaze is shown on these coins, it suggests she had a very important and special role in the kingdom. It's believed that she might have ruled alongside King Kamnaskires III, sharing power with him. This makes her a fascinating figure from ancient history!
