1840.] from Bactrian and Indo- Scythian coins. 763 



the different dynasties of the Scythians and Parthians, as neither 

 historic accounts assist us, nor are the coins so completely 

 put together, and explained, that the several families can be 

 properly arranged. This is perhaps a fact, that a frequent 

 change of dynasties happened, and a speedy decomposition of 

 the greater into smaller kingdoms. This fact is supported by 

 the nature of those countries, the lawless manners of the nations, 

 and the analogy of Turkish and Mogul history. 



Another part of the history of these Scythians is left in the 

 dark. The Chinese annals describe to us the Yuetchis as zealous 

 Buddhists, hence rises the question, whether there still exist 

 with the Yuetchis monuments of this religion.* 



We can now take it for granted, that from Azoka^s period 

 Buddhism was widely diffused through Cabul • the fathers of the 

 Church also know the Samaneans in these countries ;t and the 

 Chinese pilgrims as eye-witnesses, speak, of the great number of 

 Buddhist cloisters and monuments found there ; Buddha images 

 are likewise lately dug out in Cabul itself. There is accor- 

 dingly no want of Buddhist monuments, but it is the question, 

 whether we must attribute them to the Yuetchis. 



We must here refer to the coins, and one class of them, that 

 of Behat, must indeed be considered as Buddhist. However 

 it is only probable that those with duplicated legends belong to 

 a Scythian dynasty, but to this are limited the Buddhist nu- 

 mismatological monuments of the Yuetchi kings ; and of Azes, 

 Kadphises, the Kanerkis, no really Buddhist coin has been 

 discovered. It must therefore be left undecided, whether the 

 Chinese reports did transfer to all Yuetchis what was only cor- 

 rect to maintain as of a part of them. J But while I must leave 

 this point undecided, I am reminded at the same time that I 

 have given all that from the examination of the coins appears to 



* Thus the passage, As. T. VI. 63. At the period when all these king- 

 doms belonged to the Yuetchi, the latter put their kings to death, and 

 substituted military chiefs. They enjoined all their people to practise 

 the doctrine of Fuh-too-chi, 



t See my treatise, in the Rhenish Museum, for Philology, 1832. vol. I., p. 171. 



I From Professor Ritter's book, the Stupas, etc. Berlin, 1838, which I 

 received when printing my book, I fully understood his view on those 

 monuments, and its reasons. I am sorry to say, that I cannot be persuaded 

 into the Buddhist origin of the topes. I have already above separated 



