Hi everyone,
I wanted to
pick your brain around a potential
collection theme I
had in mind to tell a partial yet interesting narrative around the Greek influence in the East (i.e., Middle East/Central
Asia...). This influence could be direct or indirect via coinage (e.g., artistic features/portrait
style), religion (greco-buddhism), etc...
Here is what I
had in mind:
- 336-323
Alexander the Great as starting point
- 323-246 Seleucids: at least Seleucos I, Antiochos I, Antiochos II (at least, and preferably until Antiochos III and maybe beyond?)
- 255-200 Greco-Bactrians: Diodotus, Diodotus II, Euthydemus (at least, and preferably until Eucratides I)
-200-130 Indo
Greeks: Demetrios I, Agathocles/Pantaleon, Antimachus I, II, Menander I
Then it is potentially more difficult as what
comes next could be more debatable and is less directly of Greek descent:
- 85-10 Indo-Scythians: From Maues to Zeionises/Kharahostes
- 30-230 Kushans: From Kujula Kadphises to Vasuveda I
- 230-365 Kushano-Sasanians: From Ardashir I to Varahran
Then it is more difficult in the 4th/5th century as it is mostly Kidarites/Hephtalites/Alchon Huns/Nezak huns...
Still not sure which ones would make more sense but I believe there could be some coinage from that which could highlight a Greek(
Bactrian)/Sasanian influence, or link to Buddhism being maintained/syncretism.
And I planned to end with the Turk Shahis 665-739 (Bahra Tegin, Tegin Shah) as probably the last representatives of Greco-Buddhism.
Other considerations was also to include some Parthian/Sasanian/Roman/Egyptian/Aum coinage along the way to further highlight the East/West influence, but I would not like to have too many segways as it could distract from the intended narrative and/or being too wide as a project.
Happy to have your views on this project: does the above make sense, would you have a different scope, do you see anything missing...?
Many thanks