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HOME :
Greek Coins :
Indo-Greek Coins : Bactrian Silver Drachm of King Antialcidas
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Bactrian Silver Drachm of King Antialcidas - C.2224
Origin: Northwestern India
Circa: 115
BC
to 95
BC
Collection: Numismatics
Medium: Silver
$1,450.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
Obverse: Bust of the King Wearing a Kausia, a
Macedonian Helmet
Reverse: Zeus Enthroned upon an Elephant
Holding Nike
From his capital at Taxila, King Antialcidas ruled
over northwestern India. He is thought to have
reigned from 115-95 B.C., although other
scholars believe that he ruled earlier, from 130-
120 B.C. It is thought he was part of the Eucratid
Dynasty and may have been related to Bactrian
King Heliocles I, although he ruled after the fall
of the Bactrian Kingdom. Little else is known
about Antialcidas, as there are few historical
sources documenting the Indo-Greek kingdoms.
What we do know about him derived primarily
from his coinage and an inscription in Central
India.
How many hands have touched a coin in your
pocket or your purse? What eras and lands have
the coin traversed on its journey into our
possession? As we reach into our pockets to pull
out some change, we rarely hesitate to think of
who touched the coin before us, or where the
coin will venture to after us. More than money,
coins are a symbol of the state that struck them,
of a specific time and place, whether
contemporary currencies or artifacts of long
forgotten empires. This stunning hand-struck
coin reveals an expertise of craftsmanship and
intricate sculptural detail that is often lacking in
contemporary machine-made currencies. This
coin is a memorial an ancient king and his
kingdom passed from the hands of civilization to
civilization, from generation to generation that
still appears as vibrant today as the day it was
struck.
- (C.2224)
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