874 Lieut. Cunningham on Bactrian coins. [No. 105. 



Obverse. Head of the king helmeted to the right ; the ends of the 

 diadem floating behind the head, and the chlamys fastened on the 

 shoulder. The helmet on this coin is similar to that found on many of 

 the coins of Menander and of Eucratidas, and more especially to that 

 found on the beautiful didrachm of Philoxenes — and differs from the 

 Macedonian helmet, which is found on all the known coins of Antialci- 

 das. Legend, disposed circularly, BA2IAEQ2 NIKHa>OPOY 

 ANTIAAKIAOY ; " (coin) of the King Antialcidas, the victorious." 



Reverse. The Olympian Jupiter seated, and slightly turned to the left. 

 In his left hand is a sceptre ; and in his outstretched right hand is a figure 

 of Victory, which extends a chaplet to the left in one hand, and holds a 

 palm in the other ; to the left, and under the figure of Victory, is the 

 forepart of an elephant, similar to that found on the common drachmas 

 of this prince, but in a contrary direction, for on this coin it is portrayed 

 facing the figure of Jupiter ; a Grecian monogram in the field composing 

 KAM, and differing from all the monograms yet found on the coins of 

 this prince. The monogram as represented in the plate is faulty, and 

 should have under the cross stroke of the A, thus making the monogram 

 as I have read it ; legend in Bactrian characters *PS^1u 'P^'^H19'*13 

 'P'I^AS Maharajasa jayadharasa Antialikidasa ; " (coin) of the great 

 King Antialcidas, the victorious." It is worthy of remark, that this 

 coin weighs only 35 grains, or a little more than a hemidrachma : but 

 the best preserved drachmas of the common type of Antimachus weigh 

 only 41 grains, and these light weights betoken a period subsequent to 

 Eucratidas, whose drachmas are of the Grecian standard weight. 



No. 5. A round copper coin of middle size, of good execution, and 

 in fair preservation. 



Obverse. A head bearded and wreathed, looking to the right, the 

 shoulders and bust bare, the right hand grasping a thunderbolt, as if 

 about to hurl it forwards. Circular legend BA2IEQS NIKH- 

 ^OPOY ANTIAAKIAOY ; " (coin) of the victorious king Antial- 

 cidas." This bearded and wreathed head is no doubt that of Jupiter 

 Nicephorus, whose figure forms the only reverse of all the known silver 

 coins of Antialcidas. Here we have more of the bust than on the 

 square copper coins of this prince ; and the hand grasping the thun- 

 derbolt, which projects across the neck, shows that the undecided 

 object, indifferently called " a palm, a thyrsus, or a club," which is 



