2020-09-25 Fri

Menander- I Soter (Menander I Saviour) also as Milinda in Pali; was an Indo-Greek King of the Indo-Greek Kingdom. He is considering as the greatest Indo-Greek king and one of the best known western and Indian classical authors.

There were over 30 Indo-Greek kings, often in competition with each other in different territories. Many of them are only known through their coins. The Indo-Greek rulers issued coins in gold, silver, copper, and nickel. This coin features a bust of the king on its obverse side and the Greek deities on the reverse side. The motif on the reverse side of the coin also depicts Indian religious symbols. All the rulers issued their coins in attic weight standards.

King Menander, I issued coins in two weight standard attic weight standards as well as Indian weight standards. He issued coins in two shapes square and circular. They had bilingual inscriptions in Kharoshthi and Greek. Very few have been found with Brahmi inscriptions.

This silver Drachma was issued by Menander I during his rule in Indo-Greek. The obverse of this coin depicts. Diademed bust to left seen from behind, wearing aegis and brandishing a spear. The reverse of this coin depicts ‘Athena Alkidemos advancing left, holding shield and thunderbolt; monogram to right’.

Image Courtesy: Todywalla Auction