i n d o - s c y t h i a n s

The Indo-Scythians (Sakas) were various Central Asian peoples who migrated into Bactria, Sogdiana, Hazara-Kashmir and finally into Arachosia and then India beginning in the middle of the 2nd century BC. Controversies abound.

r e f e r e n c e s

Early Scythian Kingdom

Early anepigraphic coinage (circa 110 - 100 BC)
AR Hemidrachm (?)
Senior ISCH A17 type (but with different monogram); Mitchiner ACW 2144
14 x 10 mm.
0.46 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Horse walking right with her head turned back.
Reverse: Winged Nike walking right; control mark for Khandahar (?).

Maues Group

Maues (circa 90 - 60 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 5.1
29 mm.
9.64 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Head of elephant, right, wearing bell.
Reverse: Caduceus; monogram.

Maues (circa 90 - 60 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 5.1
25 x 26 mm.
6.52 gm.
Die position=12h
Magnetic.
Obverse: Head of elephant, right, wearing bell.
Reverse: Caduceus; monogram.

Maues (circa 90 - 60 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 6.1
21 x 17 mm. square
3.68 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Horse trotting right.
Reverse: Bow case; monogram.

Maues (circa 90 - 60 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 15 type
24 x 20 mm.
7.94 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Elephant walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: King seated (Monogram ?). Kharosthi legend.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Maues (circa 90 - 60 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 19.1
21 x 22 mm.
9.68 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Enthroned Zeus with Sol. Greek legend.
Reverse: City goddess. Kharosthi legend.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Vonones Group

Vonones with Spalahores

Vonones with Spalahores (circa 75 - 65 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 66.3
22 x 18 mm. square
8.12 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Hercules facing with right hand raised, holding club and lion skin.
Reverse: Pallas left with right arm raised.

Vonones with Spalahores (circa 75 - 65 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 66 type
21 x 20 mm. square
7.97 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Hercules facing with right hand raised, holding club and lion skin.
Reverse: Pallas left with right arm raised; monogram unclear.

Vonones with Spalahores (circa 75 - 65 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 66 type
20 x 24 mm. square
6.82 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Hercules facing with right hand raised, holding club and lion skin.
Reverse: Pallas left with right arm raised; monogram unclear.

Vonones with Spalahores (circa 75 - 65 BC)
AE 1/2 Unit
Senior ISCH 66.1a
20 x 17 mm. square
4.15 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: Hercules facing with right hand raised, holding club and lion skin.
Reverse: Pallas left with right arm raised.

Vonones with Spalagadames

Vonones (with Spalagadames as viceroy (circa 75 - 65 BC))
AR Drachm
Senior ISCH 67.1aD; Mitchiner ACW 2161
17 mm.
2.39 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: Zeus standing holding long sceptre and thunderbolt. Kharosthi legend.

Spalahores with Spalagadames

Spalahores with Spalagadames (circa 75 - 65 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 69.1
21 mm. square
7.74 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King mounted right (no spear).
Reverse: Hercules seated left on rocks holding club.

Spalahores with Spalagadames (circa 75 - 65 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 69.2
25 x 26 mm.
8.26 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King mounted right. Greek legend.
Reverse: Hercules seated left. Kharosthi legend.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Vonones with Spalirises

Spalirises as Heir Apparent

Spalirises as Great King

Spalirises as King of Kings

Spalirises (circa 65 BC (?))
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 73.1
23 x 24 mm.
8.17 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King walking left holding axe. Greek legend.
Reverse: Zeus enthroned. Kharosthi legend.

Spalirises with Azes

Spalirises with Azes (circa 60 BC (?))
AR Tetradrachm
Senior ISCH 74.2
25 mm.
9.44 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: Zeus standing holding long sceptre and thunderbolt. Kharosthi legend.

Spalirises with Azes (circa 60 BC (?))
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 75.1
27 x 28 mm.
8.29 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: King holding whip, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: Bow and arrow; monogram. Kharosthi legend.

Azilises

Azilises (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AR Drachm
Senior ISCH 50.2D
17 mm.
1.61 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: Athena left. Control marks in field. Kharosthi legend.

Azilises (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AR Drachm
Senior ISCH 56.12D; Mitchiner ACW 2216v.
18 mm.
1.97 gm.
Die position=2h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: City Goddess standing left holding palm and lamp. Control marks in field. Kharosthi legend.

Azilises (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AR Drachm
Senior ISCH 56.20D
16 mm.
1.51 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: City Goddess standing left holding palm and lamp. Control marks in field. Kharosthi legend.

Azilises (circa 57 - 35 BC)
1/2 Unit
Senior ISCH 58.5(a) var.
18 mm. (square)
3.88 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King mounted with spear, right.
Reverse: Bull right. Monogram 8.

Azilises (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AE 1/4 (?) Unit
Senior ISCH 59.1b
15 x 16 mm.
1.91 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King mounted right.
Reverse: Herakles left.

Azilises (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 59.2v.
25 x 24 mm. square
8.10 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: King mounted right (no spear).
Reverse: Hercules seated left on rocks holding club.

Azilises (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AE 1/4 Unit
Senior ISCH 59.1b
16 x 14 mm. square
1.86 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King mounted right (no spear).
Reverse: Hercules seated left on rocks holding club.

Azes [I]

There may be just one King Azes, reigning from 57 BC until 12 BC or so (45 years, which is certainly possible) or two Azes, the second reigning into the first few decades of the 1st century AD. In general: the coins with king mounted with spear (KMS) have been assigned to Azes I and the king mounted with whip (KMW) assigned to Azes II.

Azes I (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AR Drachm
Senior ISCH 76.3D; Mitchiner ACW 2207v.
18 mm.
2.22 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: Zeus standing left holding long sceptre. Greek legend.
Reverse: Winged Nike standing right with wreath and palm. Kharosthi legend.

Azes I (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 81.10
26 x 26 mm.
13.66 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King mounted right on camel holding axe. Greek legend.
Reverse: Yak right. Kharosthi legend.
Note: Courtesy Peter A. Linenthal collection.

Azes I (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AR Drachm
Senior ISCH 82.300 type; Mitchiner ACW 2216v.
17 mm.
2.33 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: City Goddess standing left holding palm and lamp. Control marks in field. Kharosthi legend.

Azes I (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 83.1
21 x 20 mm.
5.88 gm.
Die position=12h
Magnetic.
Obverse: King mounted right (no spear).
Reverse: Hercules seated left on rocks holding club.

Azes I (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AR Drachm
Senior ISCH 88.3
16 mm.
2.22 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: Zeus facing with raised thunderbolt; monograms. Kharosthi legend.

Azes I (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AR Tetradrachm
Senior ISCH 89.2
29 mm.
8.79 gm.
Die position=11h
Obverse: King mounted right with spear.
Reverse: Zeus facing holding thunderbolt. Control marks in field. Kharosthi legend.
Note: Partially plated copper core.

Azes I (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AR Drachm
Senior ISCH 89.10D
17 mm.
1.11 gm.
Die position=2h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: Zeus facing holding thunderbolt. Control marks in field. Kharosthi legend.

Azes I (circa 57 - 35 BC)
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 91.2; Mitchiner ACW 2236
28 x 29 mm.
19.70 gm.
Die position=1h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: Humped bull, right. Control mark in field. Kharosthi legend.

Azes
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 121 type
22 x 24 mm.
10.22 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend. Azes spelled 'AZON.'
Reverse: Humped bull, right. Monogram 37. Kharosthi legend.

Azes
AE Unit
Senior ISCH 121 type
22 x 22 mm.
11.15 gm.
Die position=12h
Obverse: King holding spear, mounted on horse walking right. Greek legend.
Reverse: Humped bull, right. Control mark in field. Kharosthi legend.

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