Fine Coins Showcase
Antiquities Showcase
Show Empty Categories
Shop Search
Shopping Cart
My FORVM
Contact Us
About Forum
Shopping at Forum
Our Guarantee
Payment Options
Shipping Options & Fees
Privacy & Security
Forum Staff
Selling Your Coins
Identifying Your Coin
FAQs
zoom.asp
Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Greek Coins| ▸ |Hellenistic Monarchies| ▸ |Bactrian Kingdom||View Options:   | | | Bactria, Afghanistan today, was part of the Persian Empire when Alexander the Great defeated King Darius III. Although Iran fell quickly, in Bactria Alexander faced strong resistance. The land was inherited by the Seleukids, but the satrap Diodotos declared himself an independent king, c. 255 B.C. The Greek kings of Bactria expanded their influence to India but later as their territory shrank until they became an isolated island of Greek rule. This isolated Greek area in India, which lasted three centuries, ended when the last Greek king was defeated by the Kushans. |
Diodotus I was the Seleukid governor of Baktro-Sogdiana early in Antiochos II's reign. His first coinage was issued with the Seleukid monarch's portrait. He then issued coins, like this one, with his own portrait, yet retaining the name of Antiochos as king. Diodotus' territory was so remote that he was king in all but title. About 250 B.C., he took the title too and issued coins as king in his own name (BAΣIΛΕΩΣ ΔIOΔOTOY).
Recent scholarship shows that Ai Khanoum (Greek name uncertain) was the principal mint of the region, located on the frontier between Afghanistan and the former Soviet Union.
SH21940. Gold stater, Houghton-Lorber 629.1, Newell ESM 713, SGCV II 7497, EF, weight 8.375 g, maximum diameter 18.4 mm, die axis 180o, Ai Khanoum mint, c. 255 - 250 B.C.; obverse diademed head of middle-aged Diodotus I right; reverse BAΣIΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY, naked Zeus striding left, aegis over extended left arm, about to hurl fulmen with raised right arm, eagle and N in field; fantastic specimen, with mint luster, struck from the finest early Hellenistic style dies, and not marred by the usual test cut!; rare; SOLD
Baktria, Diodotus I as Satrap for Antiochus II Theos, c. 255 - 250 B.C.
Diodotus I was the Seleukid governor of Baktro-Sogdiana early in Antiochos II's reign. His first coinage was issued with the Seleukid monarch's portrait. He then issued coins, like this one, with his own portrait, yet retaining the name of Antiochos as king. Diodotus' territory was so remote that he was king in all but title. About 250 B.C., he took the title too and issued coins as king in his own name (BAΣIΛΕΩΣ ΔIOΔOTOY).
Recent scholarship shows that Ai Khanoum (Greek name uncertain) was the principal mint of the region, located on the frontier between Afghanistan and the former Soviet Union.SH18896. Gold stater, Houghton-Lorber 629.1, Newell ESM 713, SGCV II 7497, EF, test cut to head, weight 8.292 g, maximum diameter 18.1 mm, die axis 180o, Ai Khanoum mint, obverse diademed head of middle-aged Diodotus I right; reverse BAΣIΛΕΩΣ ANTIOXOY, Zeus striding left, naked, aegis over extended left arm, hurling fulmen with raised right, N over eagle inner left; rare; SOLD
Bactrian Kingdom, Eukratides I, c. 171 - 135 B.C.
Struck on the Attic weight tetradrachm standard.SH31089. Silver tetradrachm, Mitchiner IGIS I, type 177(ee); SNG ANS 465; Bop. 6E, UNC, weight 16.962 g, maximum diameter 33.0 mm, die axis 0o, chief workshop, Pushkala mint, c. 160 - 135 B.C.; obverse helmeted, draped and diademed bust right, fillet border; reverse BAΣIΛΕΩΣ MΕΓAΛOY ΕYKPATIΔOY, the Dioskouroi on horseback right, each holding a palm branch and spear, monogram below right; scarce; SOLD
Indo-Greek Kingdom, Menander I Soter, c. 155 - 130 B.C.
Menander was in charge of the eastern Baktria, including modern Punjab and perhaps other regions deeper into Indian land. He expanded his influence further more into India where he is mentioned in several sources such as Milindanpanha and Mahavamsa, and an inscription on a reliquary. The tradition maintains that he was a wise and powerful King and that he converted to Buddhism. This is further evidenced by his later coin legends which translate to "follower of the Dharma."
Click here to see an Indian| sculpture of a possible Greek| King.SH58759. Silver drachm, SNG ANS 733, Mitchiner IGIS 224e, Bopearachchi Smithsonian 68, Bopearachchi 7B, SNG Cop 301, HGC 12 188 (S), aEF, old cabinet toning, weight 2.397 g, maximum diameter 17.0 mm, die axis 0o, Paropamisadai or Gandhara, uncertain mint, c. 155 - 130 B.C.; obverse BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ MENANΔPOY, diademed heroic bust left, seen from behind, wearing aegis over shoulder, brandishing spear in right hand; reverse Kharosthi legend: maharaja tratasa Menadrasa (of Great King Menander the Savior), Athena Alkidemos standing left, brandishing thunderbolt in right hand, sloping shield on left arm, Kharosthi monogram lower right; Mitchiner IGIS 224e,; scarce; SOLD
Indo-Greek Kingdom, Antimachos II Nikephoros, c. 174 - 165 B.C.
Antimachus II Nikephoros "The Victorious" ruled a vast territory from the Hindu-Kush to the Punjab. He was the son of Antimachus I and probably fought with King Eucratides I, who dethroned his father in Bactria.
Bopearachchi originally dated Antimachus II to 160 - 155 B.C. on numismatic evidence, but revised this to 174-165 B.C. after a unique preserved tax-receipt was revealed to synchronise his reign with that of his father Antimachus I. See J. R. Rea, Senior, R. C. and Hollis, A. S., "A tax receipt from Hellenistic Bactria," Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 104 (1994). Senior proposed that "Antimachus II" coins should perhaps be attributed as Indian issues of Antimachus I, but this seems unlikely due to the different epithets and coin types.GS58768. Silver drachm, Indian-standard; Mitchiner IGIS 135a, SNG ANS 414 - 419, Bopearachchi 1F, Mitchiner ACW 1672, SNG Cop 352 var. (monogram), nice VF, old cabinet toning, weight 2.448 g, maximum diameter 16.4 mm, die axis 0o, Pushkalavati(?) mint, obverse BANTΣIΛΕΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY ANTIMANTXOY, Nike advancing left, palm in right, filleted wreath behind in left,
(Kharosthi monogram) lower left; reverse Kharosthi legend: maharajasa jayadharasa Amtimakasa, king in armor on horseback riding right, cloak flying behind; SOLDCLICK HERE TO SEE MORE FROM THIS CATEGORY - FORVM's PRIOR SALES
REFERENCES|
Page created in 1.531 seconds.
