Vima Kadphises - AE Tetradrachm

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

I've had this interesting piece for awhile. Anyone else have coins of the Kushan Dynasty, a latter Indo-Greek Kingdom? If so, please share. The history of this period is somewhat obscure.

KUSHAN DYNASTY

Vima Kadphises, 95-127 AD. AE Tetradrachm, 28mm, 16.5g, 2h.

Obv. BACIΛEΥC BACIΛEωN OOHMO MEΓAC OOHM KAΔΦICHC; Kadphises, standing facing, head left, sacrificing over altar to left and holding hand on hilt; to left, filleted trident behind, tamgha and club to right.

Rev: Shiva with three heads standing facing, holding trident in raised right hand and resting lowered left hand on bull Nandi standing to right, behind; tamgha above to left.

With kharoshthi legend maharaja rajadhiraja sarvaloga isvarasa mahesvarasa. Mitchner 3040 

Edited May 7, 2023 by Ancient Coin Hunter

[velarfricative]

The Kushans were not Indo-Greek, but rather from Central Asia. Here is an issue of Kanishka III:

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

The only one I have was a Secret Saturnalia present.

[DLTcoins]

1 hour ago, velarfricative said:

The Kushans were not Indo-Greek, but rather from Central Asia.

The Kushans arose from a tribal confederation known in Chinese as the Yuezhi. There is some debate whether the Yuezhi displaced the Bactrian Greeks directly or whether that was accomplished first by the Sakas (Scythians), in turn displaced by the Yuezhi. In any event, the Kushans seem to have been a component tribe among the Yuezhi who gained hegemony over the others, founding an empire.

I used to cringe at some of the history articles on Wikipedia but lately there seems to be a great deal of improvement, at least with regard to Central Asia. The article linked below gives a good accounting of the Yuezhi and the rise of the Kushans, I think.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuezhi

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by DLTcoins

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

9 hours ago, DLTcoins said:

The Kushans arose from a tribal confederation known in Chinese as the Yuezhi. There is some debate whether the Yuezhi displaced the Bactrian Greeks directly or whether that was accomplished first by the Sakas (Scythians), in turn displaced by the Yuezhi. In any event, the Kushans seem to have been a component tribe among the Yuezhi who gained hegemony over the others, founding an empire.

I used to cringe at some of the history articles on Wikipedia but lately there seems to be a great deal of improvement, at least with regard to Central Asia. The article linked below gives a good accounting of the Yuezhi and the rise of the Kushans, I think.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuezhi

Thanks for the correction and background information

9 hours ago, DLTcoins said:

 

 

[Fortuna Redux]

Here’s my Vima Kadphises Ae tetradrachm and a silver coin from their fellow Yuezhi ancestor

Kushan Empire, Vima Kadphises, c.105-143 AD, Ae Tetradrachm, 25mm, 12.68g

Yuezhi, Sapalbizes (Sapadbizes) AR Hemidrachm. Late 1st century BC. Helmeted and draped bust to right; CAΠAΛBIZHC around / Lion standing to right; crescent and Λ above, NANAIA to left and right. ANS Kushan 1-2; Senior A6.1; Alram 1259; HGC 12, 516. 1.40g, 15mm, 1h.

[Ancient Coin Hunter]

2 minutes ago, Fortuna Redux said:

Here’s my Vima Kadphises Ae tetradrachm and a silver coin from their fellow Yuezhi ancestor

Kushan Empire, Vima Kadphises, c.105-143 AD, Ae Tetradrachm, 25mm, 12.68g

Yuezhi, Sapalbizes (Sapadbizes) AR Hemidrachm. Late 1st century BC. Helmeted and draped bust to right; CAΠAΛBIZHC around / Lion standing to right; crescent and Λ above, NANAIA to left and right. ANS Kushan 1-2; Senior A6.1; Alram 1259; HGC 12, 516. 1.40g, 15mm, 1h.

Interesting Bactrian influence on that silver coin - looks like Eukratides...

[Sulla80]

https://www.sullacoins.com/post/an-emerging-story

Yuezhi, Sapalbizes (Sapadbizes) AR Hemidrachm. Late 1st century BC (~20 BC)

Obv: Helmeted and draped bust to right; CAΠAΛBIZHC around

Rev: Lion standing to right; crescent and Λ above, NANAIA to left and right.

Ref: ANS Kushan 1-2; Senior A6.1; HGC 12, 516. 1.24g, 15mm, 12h.

Edited May 25, 2023 by Sulla80