[coin size:3.4cm/1.34"]
Material:
Time period: 170-145 BCE.
silver tetradrachm coin of the Greco-Bactrian king Eucratides I.
- The coin is one of the largest silver coins minted in the ancient world, with a weight of 169.2 grams.
- The obverse (right side) depicts the helmeted bust of Eucratides I, while the reverse (left side) shows the Dioscuri on horseback, holding lances and palms.
- The inscription on the reverse side reads "ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ," which translates to "Of the Great King Eucratides".
- Eucratides I was a Greco-Bactrian king who reigned from approximately 170 to 145 BCE.
- tetradrachm coin from the ancient Bactrian Kingdom, featuring the likeness of King Eucratides I.
- The coin was minted between 170 and 145 BC.
- The Bactrian Kingdom was located in what is now Afghanistan, at the easternmost edge of the Greek world.
- The reverse side of the coin, not shown in the image, often depicts the mythical brothers Castor and Pollux, who were esteemed horsemen.
- Coins from this period provide valuable historical insights due to a lack of other sources.
- was one of the most important Greco-Bactrian kings.[3][4] He conquered large parts of northern India,[5] and minted a vast and prestigious coinage, suggesting a rule of considerable importance and prosperity. His immediate successors were the last Greek kings to rule in Bactria.[6]
