Indo Greek Gold Coins

65 55 b c.

Indo greek gold coins. He was however ultimately defeated and became the last western indo greek king. The coins feature portraits of the ruler on the obverse and greek deities on the reverse side. Significance of indo greek rule in india the indo greeks were the first to issue gold coins in india. The indo greek kingdom or graeco indian kingdom and historically known as yavanarajya kingdom of yavanas was a hellenistic kingdom spanning modern day afghanistan into the classical circumscriptions of the punjab of the indian subcontinent northern pakistan and northwestern india during the last two centuries bc and was ruled by more than thirty kings often conflicting with one another.

The greek inscription reads. Demetrius i of bactria was son of euthydemus and conquered the extensive areas in iran afghanistan and pakistan. His coins bear legends in greek and prakrit written in greek and kharoshthi script. βασιλεωσ διοδοτου of king diodotus.

The history of the indo greek kingdom covers a period from the 2nd century bce to the beginning of the 1st century ce in northern and northwestern india. Coins of the indo greeks were made of gold silver copper and nickel. Coinage of indo greek kingdom began to increasingly influence coins from other regions of india by the 1st century bce. Mitchiner mig vol 3 type 424a vf and scarce.

Diodotus the satrap of bactria and probably the surrounding provinces founded the greco bactrian kingdom when he seceded from the seleucid empire around 250 bc and became king diodotus i of bactria. Some of the earliest greek coinage struck in baktria is attributed to the mint of ai khanoum a lost city rediscovered only in 1961. Indo greek kingdom hippostratos c. Many of them are only known through their coins.

There were over 30 indo greek kings often in competition on different territories. During the early rise of roman trade with india up to 120 ships were setting sail every year from myos hormos to india gold coins used for this trade was apparently being recycled by the kushan empire for their own coinage. 606er indo greek apollodotus ii 110 80 bc bilingual silver coinage ar drachm 2 08 grams minted in taxila chief workshop. Gold staters and silver tetradrachms were issued in the name.

Gold coin of diodotus c. He is created with real indo greek expansion in india and has also been referred in greek sources as king of indians. Motifs on the reverse side also carried indian religious symbols. Us 100 00 sphinx numismatics.

He seems to have initially fought successfully against the indo scythian invaders led by azes i.