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



rendered in Greek by MAYA 2, adding the 2 to form the Grecian 

 termination. Here then we have coins of two princes, with genuine 

 Hindoo names, written in the Greek character, and with types almost 

 all relating to India, some of which are of the highest interest, and of 

 the greatest value. The Indian origin of these two princes is further 

 declared in the plainest and most obvious manner by their being 

 represented on their coins seated in the Indian fashion — (see fig. 11, 

 pi. xxi. vol. IV. and figs. 12, 13, pi. xxii. vol. iv. Journal Asiatic So- 

 ciety of Bengal), and their Indian Government is shown by the absence 

 of their coins at Beghram, and by their abundance in the Punjab. 



I suppose these two princes to have reigned in the Punjab at the 

 same time with Hermaeus in Kabul ; a supposition which is rendered 

 extremely probable by the localities in which their coins are found, as 

 well as by their style of execution, which betrays a Reclining period of 

 Grecian art. The coins of Hermaeus, which abound at Beghram, are 

 rarely met with in the Punjab, which fact serves to point out the 

 position of his kingdom in as clear a manner as could be wished. Now 

 Hermaeus must have been posterior to Apollodotus and to Menander, 

 both of whom bear the same title of Soter, which Hermaeus affects ; 

 and as both Apollodotus and Menander possessed the Punjab, it is 

 equally certain that Maya and Aja, who ruled in the Punjab, must 

 likewise have been subsequent to Apollodotus and Menander, and 

 therefore contemporary, or nearly so, with Hermaeus, or about 100 b. c. 

 I have much more to offer regarding Aja (or Azes), but I will reserve 

 it for a longer account of these princes, which I am now engaged upon. 

 I may, however, notice here a passage from Caius Julius Solinus, re- 

 garding the Bactrian camel. In chap. lii. he says " Bactri camelos 

 fortissimos mittunt, licet et Arabia plurimos gignat. Verum hoc dif- 

 ferunt, quod Arabici bina tuhera in dorso habent, singula Bactriani.^* 

 This gross error has probably arisen from a transposition of the words ; 

 but it is nevertheless sufficient to put us on our guard against the 

 assertions of ancient authors, no matter how clear and positive they 

 may be ; and to make us exclaim with Hudibras — 

 Alas ! what is't t'us 



Whether t'was said by Trismegistus, 



If it be nonsense, false, or mystic, 



Or not intelligible or sophistic, 



T'is not antiquity nor author 



That makes Truth Truth, although Time's daughter. 



