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Coins of Ancient Foreign Invaders
Coins of foreign invaders changed from time to time with the succession of the kingship in India.
A new phase in Indian history commenced with the coming of Alexander the Great to India in 32 !.C. "e crossed the Indus# marched to $axila and then advanced to "ydespes %&helum'# where he was strongly opposed (y )uru %)orus'. $he final victory was achieved (y Alexander and the victory was commemorated (y silver *decadrachms* and *tetradrachms*. $hese coins were found in !a(ylonia. $he coins manifest a figure which was identified as Alexander# in the form of the Greek god +eus# was shown on one side. ,n the other side of the coins were the goddess of victory# -ike was crowning him. Another scene was depicted that defined a horseman with a lance at rest charging upon a retreating elephant# on whose (ack were two men turning round to face their pursuer. $he coins of foreign invaders include the coins that were issued during the time of Greek# !actrian and akas. Apart from these invaders# several other invaders came to India and issued coins for their trading purpose. After the death of Alexander# the true association of foreign coinage with India took place. /uring this time the far flung territories that he had con0uered were divided amongst the powerful officers of his army. A Greek kingdom was esta(lished in yria under eleucus in this period. $he Greek rulers extended their territory with the progression of time. 1ater# gold coins were found of this period that proves issuing of gold coins during this time. $hese gold coins were issued (y /iodotus %eleucid satrap of !actria'# ucratides %one of the most important Greco!actrian kings' and uthydemus. !ut these coins were confined to !actria and were never issued in India. According to the (asis of their types# a few legendless gold coins were attri(uted to 4enander. /uring this period# most of the coins were issued in silver and copper. A few pieces of )antaleon and Agathocles were found in nickel and they are considered to (e the earliest coins in the world issued in this metal. $he kings of !actria adhered strictly to the monetary system of Athens# which had (een adopted (y the Greek ruler Alexander and his successors in yria. $he silver Indo!actrian coins were also issued with exception of certain s0uare coins. $he coins were all round and struck to )ersian standard. $he copper coins were issued in umpteen num(ers and (elieved to have (een issued on the standards of the local copper coins of $axila. $he coins of Indo!actrian rulers issued coins (y diestriking techni0ue which followed the Greek pattern. $hey give a new form to the Indian coinage (y placing portraits of the king on the o(verse side of the coin. A form of coin was common during this period which was the helmeted head or (ust. Apart fromthese# some coins issued during this time manifest the king wearing an elephant scalp# sometimes to commemorate the kings# the heads of the kings were portrayed on the coins. $he portraits on the coins were realistic and (oldly drawn and represent clearly the facial features of the early foreign invaders of India. $hey also introduced the effigy of the Greek gods and goddesses or some of the sym(ols of their worship. $he sym(ols were invaria(ly placed on the reverse side of the coin (ut occasionally they were also found on the o(verse side of the coin. $he copper coins issued during this time# (ore an image of a deity with superscription *5avishaye nagara devada* in 5haroshthi. After coming under the Indian influence# the Indo!actrian rulers started etching the Indian gods and goddesses were found. Inscription was another feature of the coins that were issued during this time. $he later invaders of India were the akas. $wo main lines of aka invaders were known from their coins.
$wo main lines of aka invaders are known from their coins. ,ne was 4aues in the )un6a( and its ad6oining lands# and the other of 7onones and his associates in 5andahar %Arachosia' and !aluchistan %Gadrosia and /rangiana'. $he coins of 4aues were minted in silver and copper and those cons were similar to those of the Indo!actrian king Apollodotus. In the coins of 4aues# no (ust or head was seen ashe did not use them in his coins. $hough most of the coins retain the !actrian devices# some of the coins show nomadic traits also. 4ost significant device of the coins was the device of the king with a spear on horse(ack and in the later period this trait (ecame one of the important characteristics of aka coinage. 4any of the coins issued during the time of 4aues# the reverse of the coin showed a man seated crosslegged which was identified with the figure of !uddha (y some scholars. ,n another type of coin# a striding male figure with clu( and trident was seen and the figure was identified as hiva (ut this is uncertain. $he coins of this period were mostly of copper and (ore an elephant*s head on the o(verse and caduceus %staff of the god "ermes' on the reverse side of the coin. $hese types of coins had the Greek legend *!asileos 4ayou* on the reverse side of the coin and all the other coins were (ilingual. $he coins of 7onones# who was contemporary of 4aues# were comparatively few. $he silver coins issued during this time (ore a king with a spear on horse(ack on the o(verse and on the reverse side8 the coin (ore +eusstanding with a long scepter and thunder(olt. ,n the o(verse of the copper coins# a standing "eracles wasshown crowning himself and )alas Athene standing left with shield and spear on the reverse side of the coin. In the later period silver coins# round and s0uare copper coins (earing the name of the king were issued. As the time advanced# the rulers started incorporating new devices on the coins. ometimes the nomadic influences were seen on the coins and at9 the same time# some kings introduced some original Indian device on the coins# which was A(hisheka 1akshmi. In the later period# during the ruling period of aka)ahlava coins were introduced with the (ase metal silver and copper. In the later period# even certain small coins were also introduced. $he coins issued in the later period reign# followed the patterns of aka)ahlava.