Numizmatikai Közlöny, 1985-1986 (84-85. évfolyam)

D. W. MacDowall: Indo-Greek and Kushan Coins in the Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum, Budapest

Indo-Greek and Kushan Coins in the Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum, Budapest The seventy-seven Indo—Greek, Kushan and related coins in the Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum, Budapest, constitute a small but fine collection representative of the series — interesting in themselves and a welcome addition to the published material. Like many major collections the coins have mostly been purchased in Europe and there is no record of the find spots of individual specimens. The fine Attic tetradrachms of the Greek rulers of Bactria in the later 3rd and early 2nd century BC are represented by Euthydemus I, Antimachus Theos, Eucratides and Heliocles.1 Particularly interesting are the four tiny silver obols of Demetrius and Eucratides that circulated in north and west Afghanistan.2 Most of these coins are well preserved and their monograms can be clearly read — probably the marks of moneyers or issues.3 One of the earliest Greek kings to conquer Afghanistan south of the Hindukush was Apollodotus I.4 The collection contains three of his square silver drachms with legends in Greek and Kharoshthi copying the square Indian coins of the punchmarked silver series. Menander, the Indo—Greek king who extended Greek rule deep into India in the mid-2nd century BC is represented by six round silver drachms again with legends in Greek and Kharoshthi, and one square copper coin with a mark of value A for one chal­­cous.5 His successors Lysias, Antialcidas, Antimachus Nikephorus, Apollodotus II, Zoilus II, Hermaeus and Strato are represented by bilingual Greek and Kharoshthi silver drachms, and Lysias and Philoxenus by the characteristic Indo—Greek square copper coins that constituted the currency of Taxila,6 Gandhara7 and South East Afghanistan.8 The Indo-Scythian ruler Azes I, who followed the Indo-Greeks in the first century BC is represented by a silver tetradrachm and a square copper coin. Azes II, distinguished on the silver by the Horseman holding a whip9 (instead of the couched lance that Azes I had held) is well represented by drachms of the Pallas type (nos. 33, 34) the currency of Gandhara in North Pakistan west of the Indus, and the parallel copper coins of the humped bull/lion type (nos. 36-38) - a series that shares monograms with the accompanying silver.10 From the province of Taxila there is a silver drachm of the Zeus Nike­phorus type (no. 35) and two coppers of the associated copper series of the seated king/Hermes type (nos. 39, 40). The end of the Azes dynasty is marked by the fine silver tetradrachm of Zeionises (Jihonika) the independent satrap in Chuchsha and a billon drachm of the great satrap Rajuvula who ruled the Panjab to the east of Taxila. The collection has six silver drachms of the obscure ruler Hyrcodes of the 2nd/1st cent. BC — a coinage that should be attributed to Western Turkestan. The Kushan dynasty is very well represented. There are three debased copper tetradrachms of Kujula Kadphises (nos. 49—51) which copy the obverse type of Hermaeus, with the reverse type of Hercules symbolising the Kushan god of war and death. His successor the Nameless King Soter Megás, who unified the coinage of the Kushan empire,11 is represented by four copper coins with an idealised rayed head of the King and his characteristic tamgha ^ (nos. 52-55). The less usual four pronged symbol on no. 53 should be noted. Later Kushan kings of the 2nd century AD are represented by Vima Kadphises with the reverse of Shiva and his bull; by Kanishka with some of his celebrated Pantheon of cosmopolitan deities — Mao the moon god (no. 58), Mioro (ie Mithra) the sun (nos. 59, 60) and Nana (nos. 61 and 63). Hu­­vishka’s reduced weight tetradrachms show the Kushan King riding on an elephant - marking his conquest of India (nos. 64, 65). With Vasu-deva and the later Kushans (nos. 66—73), the dynasty reverts to the use of Shiva and the bull. Coins of the later series are often worn and in poor condition. The Budapest collec-

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