26 
Notes on Indian Currencies. 
[no 1, NEW SERIES, 
lasted alout 120 or 130 years, and terminated about B. C. 120 or 
130, many coins have found their way into India, and have been 
dug out from time to time about Cabul and Peshawur, and " one 
as far East as Muttra on the Jumna." — See Elphinstone's History 
of India, Appendix iv. p. 247. 3d edition. 
A better and more complete account however of Alexander's in- 
vasion, and of the Groeco-Parthian kingdom after his time, of which 
Bactria was only an independent Satrapy, is given in Prinsep's His- 
torical accounts from Bactrian coins and in Professor Wilson's book 
on Bactrian numismatics. Previous to ('h.Q researches of these two 
gentlemen, our acquaintance with the Groeco-Asiatic currency was 
confined to a stray coin or two which had turned up par hazard 
here and there : but now by their study and inquiry upon fresh 
discoveries, that acquaintance has grown ihto a considerable chro- 
nological knowledge, not only of the order of the kings, but of the 
general history of that part of the country from Alexander's inva- 
sion to A. D. 215, the end of the Groeco-Parthian dominion. 
Pennant in his Hindostan, page 70, speaking of a place on the 
gulf of Cambay, North of Surat, called Barochia probably the -an- 
cient Barygaza, the greatest emporium of all India in ancient times, 
says — 
" Numbers of ancient drachmee have been found here, inscribed 
" with Greek letters and the names of ApoUodotus* and Menander,! 
" king of Bactria, who also reigned in this part of India." 
Also, in page 78, talking of Ougein, a city north of the Nerbud- 
da and supposed to be Ozene in Ariians PeriplusJ, having just 
described a vasa myrrhina or drinking cup of T. Petronius made 
of a stone called myrrhine from Ougein, and described by Pliny — he 
(Pennant) says — " Even in those early times the merchants had 
** their course of exchange, and made great profit by the change 
" of the gold and silver denarii§ for the money of the country." 
* B. C. 135 
t B. C. 155, according to Prinsep's Historical Results from Bactrian coins. 
+ Written about A. D. 30. 
^ Prinsep in vol. i. p. 396 of the Journal of the Asiatic Society, for Septfmber 
1832, says the Denarius was the principal silver coin of the republic— and weighed 
90 grain's— but was reduced by Augustus to 60 and by Constantinc to 40 who also 
hanged its name to Centionali«, because 100 pieces equalled 1 lb. of silyer. 
