Bactrian Silver Tetradrachm of King Eukratides I, 171 BCE - 145 CE
Silver
C.2297
Obverse: Heroic Bust of the King Wearing a Military Helmet Reverse: The Dioskouroi on Rearing Horses This coin represents King Eukratides I of Bactria, a land in central Asia (Afghanistan)...
Obverse: Heroic Bust of the King Wearing a Military Helmet
Reverse: The Dioskouroi on Rearing Horses
This coin represents King Eukratides I of Bactria, a land in central Asia (Afghanistan) that was conquered by Alexander. The adoption of the title 'Great King', implying imperial rather than merely royal status, followed some years after Eukratides' consolidation of control over Bactria. He established himself as king of "the thousand cities of Bactria" and set out to enlarge his kingdom in all directions. While returning from one of his campaigns, he was killed by one of his sons, who seized the throne. Bactrian coins were made to the Greek Standard, and this is one of the most beautiful coins of the late Hellenistic period. Known for their strongly realistic portraits, this tetradrachm of Eukratides is no exception. He is depicted as a formidable warrior, wearing a cuirass and a bronze helmet over his diadem. . The helmet has the bull's ear and horn that appeared on the leopard-skin helmet of Seleukos I and that may have been meant to allude to descent from the Seleucids. His features are individualized, his expression stern. On the reverse, the Dioskouroi, Greek heroes noted for their horsemanship and prowess in battle, are shown charging with spears raised.
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 to 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.
Reverse: The Dioskouroi on Rearing Horses
This coin represents King Eukratides I of Bactria, a land in central Asia (Afghanistan) that was conquered by Alexander. The adoption of the title 'Great King', implying imperial rather than merely royal status, followed some years after Eukratides' consolidation of control over Bactria. He established himself as king of "the thousand cities of Bactria" and set out to enlarge his kingdom in all directions. While returning from one of his campaigns, he was killed by one of his sons, who seized the throne. Bactrian coins were made to the Greek Standard, and this is one of the most beautiful coins of the late Hellenistic period. Known for their strongly realistic portraits, this tetradrachm of Eukratides is no exception. He is depicted as a formidable warrior, wearing a cuirass and a bronze helmet over his diadem. . The helmet has the bull's ear and horn that appeared on the leopard-skin helmet of Seleukos I and that may have been meant to allude to descent from the Seleucids. His features are individualized, his expression stern. On the reverse, the Dioskouroi, Greek heroes noted for their horsemanship and prowess in battle, are shown charging with spears raised.
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 to 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.