PLXII. Inscriptions in Greek and Peblavi ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ 2 ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΥ 3 ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΖΟΥ ΦΛΟ 20 Ο ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΫΑΖΙΛΙΣΟΥ ΠΥΛΙΟΥ 20 7 ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΙΚΗΤΟΥ ΦΙΛΟΞΕΝΟΥ 8 ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ ΑΝΤΙΜΑΧΟΥ PSU της Υ Ρ Υ 2 larity to the Tartar appellation khákán, common to monarchs of Bactria in later days; and it may not be unreasonable to assume this reading, until one more plausible is discovered. At first I was inclined to read it ra-rao, in conjuction with the preceding word mahardo, on the strength of the expression before alluded to, of rao nano rao, on the Kanerkos coins; but in no example have I found the first letter replaced by. The collocation of the letters is, again, exactly similar to those of the Hebrew rabreba, 'maximus'; but for this reading we must suppose y to be a b, which is contradicted by all other examples. For ANIKHTOT, 'the unconquered,' we find the terms apatilo, and apatilako, and for NIKH OPOT, 'the conquest-bearing,' ajalako or ajalado: of neither of these can I attempt a solution, and the examples being few, we cannot be very certain of their correctness. The inscription cut on the silver disc found in the casket of the Manikyala Tope, [vi.] (fig. 26,) may be read Phich Pruk, famaro kanadako; the second word, without any very great straining, might be conceived to be the native mode of writing Kanerko; and if this interpretation be allowed, we may indeed look upon this tope as the monument of that monarch. The writing on the brass cylinder itself (fig. 20 b of the same plate), which was, from my ignorance, inverted in the engraving, seems to consist of Bactro-Pehlví characters, which, rendered in Roman letters, would be kad.. malapo, far kamana papako, the purport of which I must leave uninterpreted: nor will I endeavour to forestal the ingenuity of others by any crude attempt to convert into Roman letters the longer inscriptions given by Mr. Masson, from the Jalálábád cylinder [vi.], and by M. Court, from the stone slab of another Manikyála tope (Jour. As. Soc. Beng., vol. iii., pl. xxxiii.) I have already remarked that this latter inscription contains, very legibly, in the second line, the word malakdo, identical with the royal designation so common upon the coins. It is now time to turn our attention to the coins themselves, whence our data for the construction of the Bactro-Pehlví alphabet have been derived. Of these I need do little more than furnish a few notes of reference to the accompanying six plates, in which I have brought down the series of selected specimens from Euthydemus to Kadaphes Choranos, a name so nearly allied to Kadphises, that the latter may be looked upon as its patronymic; while the title that follows it (choranos) coincides so closely with what has been already described as existing on the rao nano rao group (p. 131), that it would seem to form the link of connection between them and the coins which bear Pehlví legends on the reverse. COINS WITH GREEK INSCRIPTIONS ONLY. With Euthydemus of Magnesia, who conquered Theodotus II., B.C. 220, commences our present series: of his coinage I now possess a medal in silver, procured by Mohan Lál, for Dr. Gerard, near Kábul. It is superior in execution to the fine coin taken home by Lieut. Burnes. The exterior surface is of a dark-grey, like that of chloride of silver. EUTHYDEMUS. Fig. 1. Silver tetradrachma, weight 240 grs. REVERSE.-Hercules with his club, seated on clouds; inscription, BAXIAENZ ΕΥΘΥΔΗΜΟΥ. Fig. 2. A hemidrachma of Demetrius, silver, in the Ventura collection; a very beautiful coin, similar to one depicted in Sestini. OBVERSE.-Head of the king, with helmet shaped like an elephant's skin and tusks. AGATHOCLES. Fig. 3. A silver coin of Agathocles, in the Ventura collection. OBVERSE.-A well executed head, with the royal fillet: short curly hair. REVERSE. Jupiter standing, holding a small female figure, having apparently a flambeau in either hand: on the sides, BAXI^ENE AгA@OKAEOTZ, with a peculiar monogram. The general appearance of the head, and of the figure on the reverse, resemble the unique coin of Heliocles which Mr. Wilson has sketched for me from Visconti's work. Should there have been any indistinctness in the first two letters of the name of that coin, we may find reason to erase Heliocles from the Bactrian monarchy, and to substitute Agathocles, of whom Mr. Masson has already made known to us ten very peculiar copper coins, (Jour. As. Soc. Beng., iii., pl. ix. fig. 17.) The inscription in Pehlví (?) on the reverse of those coins proves that they belong to a Bactrian prince, and are not to be ascribed to Alexander's general of the same name, who is nowhere asserted to have assumed the regal power. The name is common enough. It was in revenge for a grievous insult offered to his family by one Agathocles, prefect of the provinces beyond the Euphrates, under Antiochus Theos, (B. C. 250,) that the Scythian Arsaces was roused to establish independent dominion in Parthia. The same party may have followed the example of assuming the title of king in some province of Bactria. That the coin does not belong to Agathocles of Syracuse I can now assert with confidence, having before me the most beautiful plates of the coins of that sovereign, (whose name is always written in the Doric genitive Agathocleos, or Agathocleios) in the Trésor de Numismatique,' now under publication at Paris, MAYUS. FIG. 4. One of two copper coins of Mayus, (or, Nayus) in the Ventura collection. OBVERSE.-Head of an elephant, with proboscis elevated; a bell hanging round the neck. REVERSE.-The Caduceus of Mercury, on the sides of which the words, BAZIAENE MATOT, and a monogram composed of the letters M and I. This is an entirely new name, nor can it be read as a Greek word in its present shape, although the characters are perfectly distinct on the coin, and the style of engraving corresponds with the early and pure Greek types. There is no Pehlví inscription. Could the third letter be read as a gamma, the name MAror might denote the union of the office of chief priest of the Magi with that of king, and the elephant's head, found on the coins of Menander and of Demetrius, might enable us to appropriate the present medal to one or the other of these princes. EUCRATIDES. Figs. 5 to 10. Coins of Eucratides the Great. (Ventura.) REVERSE. TWO Bactrian horsemen, (or Castor and Pollux,) with wings on their shoulders, and lances; the two first letters of the legend corrupt, ÈVIAENE ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΕΥΚΡΑΤΔΟΥ; monogram, M. Fig. 6. A beautiful didrachma, of the same prince. (Ventura.) |