Early Central Asian Kingdoms, page 1

e a r l y  c e n t r a l  a s i a n  
k i n g d o m s

The Kingdoms of the Dahae, Sogdiana, Choresmia, Yueh Chi, Graeco-Sakas, Jouan-jouan and Chaghaniyan.

r e f e r e n c e s

Please also see Pankaj Tandon's site, CoinIndia, the Virtual Museum of Indian Coins

Bukhara/Western Soghd

Euthydemos prototype struck for use in Sogdiana
AR Tetradrachm
circa 205 - 200 BC
Mitchiner ECCA 40, Mitchiner ACW 1853
26 x 27 mm.
11.34 gm. [Persic standard]
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust of Euthydemos, right.
Reverse: Hercules seated on rock, club on knee. Slightly blundered Greek legend; control mark (Panjhir).
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Anonymous 'King of Sogdiana'/Imitative of Euthydemos
Billon Tetradrachm
circa 200 - 180 BC (Early Period) (?)
Mitchiner ECCA 43 (?), Mitchiner ACW 1854-1855 (?)
26 mm.
9.02 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Caricatured, diademed bust of Euthydemos, right. Hair: 3 looped uprights, 3 strands behind ear (?).
Reverse: Hercules seated on rock (?), club on knee. Traces of Aramaic legend, left and right (?).

Anonymous 'King of Sogdiana'/Imitative of Euthydemos
Billon Tetradrachm
circa 180 - 150 BC (Middle Period)
Mitchiner ECCA 45, Mitchiner ACW 1854-1855
25 mm.
7.74 gm. (some loss from chipping)
Die position=12h
Obverse: Caricatured, diademed bust of Euthydemos, right. Hair: 3 looped uprights, 3 strands behind ear.
Reverse: Hercules seated on rock (square containing 3 pellets), club on knee. Traces of Aramaic legend, left.

'King Hasa'/Imitative of Euthydemos
Billon Tetradrachm
circa 180 - 150 BC (Middle Period)
Mitchiner ECCA 47, Mitchiner ACW 1857-1858
27 mm.
7.60 gm. (some loss from chipping)
Die position=11h
Obverse: Caricatured, diademed bust of Euthydemos, right. Hair: 3 looped uprights, 2 strands behind ear.
Reverse: Hercules seated on rock (polygon containing 3 pellets), club on knee. Traces of Aramaic legend, left and right.

Eucratides II Imitation (?)
AR Drachm
circa 140 BC (?)
Mitchiner -, Mitchiner ACW -
19 x 20 mm.
3.58 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust of Eucratides, right.
Reverse: Apollo standing facing holding arrow and bow.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

'King Kamasa' (?)/Imitative
Billon Tetradrachm
circa 150 - 130 BC (Late Period)
Mitchiner ECCA 55
27 mm.
9.30 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: Caricatured, laureate bust, right.
Reverse: Hercules seated on 'rock,' club on knee. Aramaic legend around.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Yueh Chih Confederation in Sogdiana

'Great Ruler of Sogdiana, of the Tchao-ou Race'/Alram's 'Imitationsgruppe V'
Yueh Chih Principality of Sogdiana
AR Tetradrachm
130 BC - 80 AD
Mitchiner ACW 2823; Mitchiner ECCA 59; Alram 1229
27 x 28 mm.
7.63 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Beardless bust right with radiate headdress.
Reverse: Hercules seated on stool, holding club; Aramaic legend.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Dahae/Clanchiefs in Sogdiana and Bactria

'Tavr'aka'Alram's 'Clanchef IX' (?)
AR Obol
250 - 130 BC (?)
Mitchiner ACW 349v.; Mitchiner ECCA 15; Alram 1253
13 mm.
0.43 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust left. Blundered Aramaic legend.
Reverse: Soldier or deity standing facing holding bow; right hand on hip.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

'Atala'/Alram's 'Clanchef X'
AR Obol (Scyphate)
250 - 130 BC (?)
Mitchiner ACW 347; Mitchiner ECCA 12; Alram 1254
12 x 11 mm.
0.50 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust left. Blundered Aramaic legend.
Reverse: Soldier or deity standing facing holding bow; right hand on hip.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Anonymous/Hyrcodes (?)
AR Drachm
130 - 0 BC
Mitchiner ACW 355-357; Mitchiner ECCA 32; Alram 1236 type
15 mm.
1.97 gm.
Die position=9h
Obverse: Bearded, laurate bust right. Greek legend to left.
Reverse: Soldier or deity standing facing with spear left and hand on hip; flames emanating from shoulders. Greek legend left and right.

Anonymous/Hyrcodes (?)
AR Drachm
130 - 0 BC
Mitchiner ACW 355-357; Mitchiner ECCA 32; Alram 1236 type
15 mm.
1.15 gm.
Die position=6h
Obverse: Bearded, laurate bust right. Greek legend to left.
Reverse: Soldier or deity standing facing with spear left and hand on hip; flames emanating from shoulders. Greek legend left and right.

Anonymous/Alram's 'Clanchef III'
Billon Drachm
130 - 0 BC
Mitchiner ACW 359; Mitchiner ECCA 33; Alram 1242
13 mm.
1.09 gm.
Die position=3h
Obverse: Bearded, laurate bust right. Blundered Greek legend.
Reverse: Soldier or deity standing facing with spear left and hand on hip; flames emanating from shoulders. Blundered Greek legend.

The Kingdom of Choresmia

Horse reverse

Anonymous/Imitative of Heliocles
AE Tetradrachm
circa 80 - 0 BC
Mitchiner ECCA 90, Mitchiner ACW 1877-1878
29 mm.
14.26 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Caricatured bust of Heliocles, right. Hair: 5 looped uprights, 3 horizontal pairs.
Reverse: Horse standing left. Corrupt Greek legend.

Anonymous/Imitative of Heliocles
AE Tetradrachm
circa 80 - 0 BC
Mitchiner ECCA 90, Mitchiner ACW 1877-1878
32 x 29 mm.
13.67 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Caricatured bust of Heliocles, right. Hair: 5 looped uprights, 3 horizontal pairs.
Reverse: Horse standing left. Corrupt Greek legend.
Note: Courtesy Jamison T. Graff collection.

Anonymous/Imitative of Heliocles
AE Tetradrachm
circa 80 - 0 BC
Mitchiner ECCA 90, Mitchiner ACW 1877-1878
25 mm.
10.61 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Caricatured bust of Heliocles, right. Hair: 5 looped uprights, 3 horizontal pairs.
Reverse: Horse standing left; traces of four-pronged tamgha on horse's rear. Corrupt Greek legend.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Anonymous/Imitative of Heliocles
AE Tetradrachm
circa 80 - 0 BC
Mitchiner ECCA 90, Mitchiner ACW 1877-1878
28 mm.
12.60 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Caricatured bust of Heliocles, right.
Reverse: Horse standing left. Corrupt Greek legend.

Anonymous/Imitative of Heliocles
AE Drachm
circa 80 - 0 BC
Mitchiner ECCA 93, Mitchiner ACW 1879 - 1885
17 mm.
2.88 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Caricatured bust of Heliocles, right. Hair: 4 looped uprights.
Reverse: Horse standing left. Corrupt Greek legend.

Anonymous/Imitative of Heliocles
AE Drachm
Senior ISCH A22.2D
19 mm.
4.01 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Bust right.
Reverse: Horse standing left. Corrupt Greek legend.

Zeus standing reverse

Anonymous/Imitative of Heliocles
AE Tetradrachm
Senior ISCH A21.1T
28 mm.
13.98 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Caricatured bust of Heliocles, right. Hair: 5 looped uprights.
Reverse: Zeus standing facing, holding thunderbolt and sceptre; control mark. Corrupt Greek legend.

Anonymous/Imitative of Heliocles
AE Tetradrachm
circa 80 - 0 BC
Mitchiner ECCA 83-85, Mitchiner ACW 1876
28 mm.
13.99 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Caricatured bust of Heliocles, right. Hair: vaguely realistic.
Reverse: Zeus standing facing, holding thunderbolt and sceptre; control mark. Corrupt Greek legend.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Merv

Scythians in Margiana
Imitation of Eucratides
AR Tetradrachm
circa 130 - 80 BC and later
Alram -; Senior ISCH A19.3T; Mitchiner ACW 1863; Mitchiner ECCA -
> 29 mm.
14.58 gm.
Die position= 12h
Obverse: Helmeted head, right.
Reverse: Dioskouroi right; Greek legend.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Imitation of Eucratides
AR Obol
Senior ISCH A19.2; Mitchiner ACW 1866
8 mm.
0.41 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Helmeted bust right.
Reverse: Stylized Dioskouroi with palms; monogram below.
Note:

Shapur I/King of Merv under Shapur I
AE Unit
c. 240 - 260 AD and later
17 mm.
2.62 gm.
Loginov-Nikitin 'Type I' (see Plate 4, 127); Gobl SN -; Mochiri ENIS II -
Diameter of obverse dotted border=15 mm.; diameter of reverse border=16 mm.
Die position=8h
Obverse: Bust right. Tamgha (?) in front of bust.
Reverse: Horseman riding left.
Note: Loginov-Nikitin, Mesopotamia XXVIII, Sasanian Coins of the Third Century From Merv (1993)

Ardashir (?), King of Merv under Shapur I
AE Drachm
c. 240 - 260 AD and later
Alram 1218A; Mitchiner ACW -
> 17 x 16 mm.
2.01 gm.
Die position= 4h
Obverse: Diademed bust, right.
Reverse: Horseman, left, holding diadem (?) in his outstretched right hand. Trace of legend.
Note: Loginov-Nikitin, Mesopotamia XXVIII, Sasanian Coins of the Third Century From Merv (1993). Courtesy Robert W. Schaaf collection.

Yueh Chih Confederation in Afganistan

Arseiles
Yueh Chih Principality of Tu-Mi [Qunduz]
AR Hemidrachm
circa 20 - 1 BC
Alram 1257; Senior ISCH A4.1; Mitchiner ACW 2831; Mitchiner ECCA 96
14 mm.
1.40 gm.
Die position= 12h
Obverse: Helmeted head right.
Reverse: Lion standing right; Greek legend. Crescent above [lambda].
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Sapadbizes
AR Hemidrachm
Senior ISCH A6.1
15 mm.
1.82 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Helmeted bust, right. CAΠAΛBIZHC
Reverse: Lion, right. Crescent over Λ.

Sapadbizes
Yueh Chih Principality of Tu-Mi [Qunduz]
AR Hemidrachm
circa 20 - 1 BC
Alram 1259; Senior ISCH A6.1; Mitchiner ACW 2824; Mitchiner ECCA 95
15 x 16 mm.
1.14 gm.
Die position= 12h
Obverse: Helmeted head right.
Reverse: Lion standing right; Greek legend. Crescent above &Lambda.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Sapadbizes
Yueh Chih Principality of Tu-Mi [Qunduz]
AR Obol
circa 20 - 1 BC
Alram 1258; Senior ISCH A6.1a; Mitchiner ACW -; Mitchiner ECCA -
> 11 x 12 mm.
0.53 gm.
Die position= 12h
Obverse: Helmeted head right.
Reverse: Lion standing right; Greek legend. Crescent above Λ.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

For the 'Heraios' coins and the rest of Kushan, follow this link.

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