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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;ancient coin hunter, post: 7272912, member: 87200&quot;]While still a round coin, this one represents a change of pace for me as I focus on Roman Imperial, Provincial, and Byzantine coins. This is from the Kushan dynasty...picked up from [USER=42773]@John Anthony[/USER] a couple of weeks ago for $40. (The following historical write-up also from John Anthony.) Note the presence of Nandi the Bull and Shiva, both Hindu figures on the reverse...and a Greek legend on the obverse. One can only imagine the syncretic/heterodox culture of the empire composed of Indian, Chinese, and Greco-Bactrian influences. Certainly a time that is far removed from the politics, extremism, and squabbles of the region in our time.</p><p><br /></p><p><i>The Kushan Dynasty was a syncretic empire formed by the Yuezhi peoples of China, who migrated into Bactrian territories in the 1st century AD. The empire’s expanse spread to encompass much of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern India. Kushan trade and culture flourished because of the kingdom’s proximity to the Silk Road. They had diplomatic contacts with the Roman Empire, Sasanian Persia, the Aksumite Empire, and the Han Dynasty of China.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p><i>Vima Kadphises ruled from c. 95 to c. 127 AD. He added to the empire’s territory by his conquests in Bactria, and issued an extensive series of coins, including the introduction of gold issues. Much of the coinage is bilingual, as one would perhaps expect from a civilization at the crossroads of so many cultures.</i></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.cointalk.com/attachments/7-kadphises-6-jpg.1267449/" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>KUSHAN DYNASTY</p><p>Vima Kadphises, 95-127 AD.</p><p><br /></p><p>AE Tetradrachm, 28mm, 16.5g, 2h.</p><p><br /></p><p>Obv. BACIΛEΥC BACIΛEωN OOHMO MEΓAC OOHM KAΔΦICHC; Kadphises, standing facing, head left, sacrificing over altar to left and holding hand on hilt; to left, filleted trident behind, tamgha and club to right.</p><p><br /></p><p>Rev: Siva with three heads standing facing, holding trident in raised right hand and resting lowered left hand on bull Nandi standing to right, behind; tamgha above to left.with kharoshthi legend <i>maharaja rajadhiraja sarvaloga isvarasa mahesvarasa</i>.</p><p>Mitchner 3040[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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