1836.] Third Memoir of the Ancient Coins. 539 



These classes at once point out the general nature of the succession 

 of sovereignty in this country, from the age of Euthydemus to the 

 Mahommedan era. To define particular alternations and revolutions 

 in authority, which will inevitably have happened, more knowledge 

 is requisite than we possess, or are likely to acquire. Yet some of 

 these may be conjectured from the faint lights discovered coins im- 

 part, and many more may become obvious, as research advances, and 

 as we progress in acquaintance with the subject. 



From the historical records of the west we learn so much as, that an 

 independent monarchy under Greek princes was established at Bactra, 

 or the modern Balkh, about 250 years before Christ ; and from them we 

 are led to infer that it ceased to exist about 130 years before Christ, 

 having thus flourished about 120 years. From the same records we 

 also learn the names of seven of its princes, Theodotus I. the founder, 

 his son and successor Theodotus II. the usurper Euthydemus of 

 Megnesia, his son Demetrius, Apollodotus, and Menander, famed 

 for exploits in India, and mentioned conjointly with Eucratides, 

 surnamed the Great. 



The actual coins, incontestible evidences, recently discovered of a mul- 

 titude of Greek princes, respecting whom history is silent, not only seem 

 to intimate that the Bactrian empire may have had longer duration than 

 supposed, but farther to establish the fact, that a variety of independent 

 Greek principalities were erected about that time in Central Asia, 

 some of which, judging from the coins of the princes, rivalled the 

 Bactrian in power and splendor. These principalities, or some of 

 them, we infer to have endured up to the first century of the Christian 

 era, — probably to the middle or close of the second century, about which 

 period Greek authority would appear to have been displaced by the 

 race of princes hitherto designated Indo-Scythic, of whom Kadphises 

 and Kanerkos are pre-eminent and have the precedence. Their suc- 

 cessors appear to have ruled for a very long period, according to cir- 

 cumstances, independent or tributary to paramount governments in 

 Persia or India, — perhaps very close to the Mahommedan era. We 

 say very close, because before the last mentioned era, a Sassanian 

 dynasty or dynasties must be introduced, and possibly may have ruled 

 at that epoch. This speculation may be confirmed or otherwise, by 

 consultation of the Arabian historians, some of whose works will 

 doubtless inform us from whom the armies of the Caliphs wrested 

 these countries. Beghrdm has not yielded one coin of the Arsacides, 

 or one coin that we dare positively to affirm to be Parthian. Coins 

 with the Sassanian symbols on the reverse, or the distinguishing fire 

 altar, are very numerous ; but it may be questioned whether they are 

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