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An Indian snack: Drachm of the Western Satraps (Kshatrapas)
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<p>[QUOTE="dougsmit, post: 7346177, member: 19463"]One of my first ancient coins that was neither Greek nor Roman was a Satrap identified by the seller as Bhartrdaman. At that time I had no way to check the ID since Mitchiner was still in my future. I decided at that time that I would have no more of the coins unless I learned the language or found coins with enough legend that made me relatively certain of the ID. Full legend Satraps never came my way.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1281513[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>Over a decade ago, I briefly revisited interest in the series and picked up a few more. By that time I had Mitchiner but never became in the least comfortable reading the legends. Foreign languages are not easy for me and reading half letters is not as easy as having whole letters. This period brought me what I am calling Rudrasena I as Mahakshatrapa from year 133 (211 AD) of interest since that was the year Septimius Severus (and Geta) died. [ATTACH=full]1281525[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>That same time brought me a coin in my catalog as Rudrasimha I but listed with the same date span (199-222AD). I do not recall if this was a seller ID or mine but the coins look the same to me now so I remain confused. Am I seeing a difference in the name of the father at the bottom (two small letters between the tall hooks???)? </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1281510[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>About that same time what I am calling Vijayasena year 164 was added mostly because I thought I could read the year. My eyes are not what they were a decade ago and Mitchiner illustrations are not as clear to me now. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1281512[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>That leaves my only other Satrap which I am calling another Bhartrdaman. The portrait is not as clear as my first coin but the legend is better in the significant parts bringing up the question of which is more important when you don't have both on one coin. For that matter, I assume the rare rulers which I do not have probably would be even harder to find in clear and complete. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1281514[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>If I continue my cycle from the past, I am scheduled to revisit interest in these sometime after I am 90. If I were going to shows (cancelled) and happened upon a large pickout pot with thousands of these at a cheap price, I feel more comfortable not so much reading them but in selecting coins that have the important legends clear enough that I might be able to figure them out. Realistically, I know I will not be putting in the work to become familiar with the letters presented in partial form. For those of you with fewer years past than you have in the future and with better language skills, I could see these as being an interesting activity. </p><p><br /></p><p>From the Gupta group I only have two. The first I have as Kumaragupta I. The portrait style of this coin and flan shape appealed to me and still does.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1281534[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>The last similar coin (to be in 2016) is what I am calling Skandagupta with a bull replacing the Garuda. The number of different options from Indian region civilizations large and small from roughly the same time as what we might call 'Severan and later' Roman seems huge especially for those of us who were brought up on 'Western Civilization' rather than 'World History'. Many of the coins are decent silver and better looking than most of their late Roman equivalents. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1281540[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="dougsmit, post: 7346177, member: 19463"]One of my first ancient coins that was neither Greek nor Roman was a Satrap identified by the seller as Bhartrdaman. At that time I had no way to check the ID since Mitchiner was still in my future. I decided at that time that I would have no more of the coins unless I learned the language or found coins with enough legend that made me relatively certain of the ID. Full legend Satraps never came my way. [ATTACH=full]1281513[/ATTACH] Over a decade ago, I briefly revisited interest in the series and picked up a few more. By that time I had Mitchiner but never became in the least comfortable reading the legends. Foreign languages are not easy for me and reading half letters is not as easy as having whole letters. This period brought me what I am calling Rudrasena I as Mahakshatrapa from year 133 (211 AD) of interest since that was the year Septimius Severus (and Geta) died. [ATTACH=full]1281525[/ATTACH] That same time brought me a coin in my catalog as Rudrasimha I but listed with the same date span (199-222AD). I do not recall if this was a seller ID or mine but the coins look the same to me now so I remain confused. Am I seeing a difference in the name of the father at the bottom (two small letters between the tall hooks???)? [ATTACH=full]1281510[/ATTACH] About that same time what I am calling Vijayasena year 164 was added mostly because I thought I could read the year. My eyes are not what they were a decade ago and Mitchiner illustrations are not as clear to me now. [ATTACH=full]1281512[/ATTACH] That leaves my only other Satrap which I am calling another Bhartrdaman. The portrait is not as clear as my first coin but the legend is better in the significant parts bringing up the question of which is more important when you don't have both on one coin. For that matter, I assume the rare rulers which I do not have probably would be even harder to find in clear and complete. [ATTACH=full]1281514[/ATTACH] If I continue my cycle from the past, I am scheduled to revisit interest in these sometime after I am 90. If I were going to shows (cancelled) and happened upon a large pickout pot with thousands of these at a cheap price, I feel more comfortable not so much reading them but in selecting coins that have the important legends clear enough that I might be able to figure them out. Realistically, I know I will not be putting in the work to become familiar with the letters presented in partial form. For those of you with fewer years past than you have in the future and with better language skills, I could see these as being an interesting activity. From the Gupta group I only have two. The first I have as Kumaragupta I. The portrait style of this coin and flan shape appealed to me and still does. [ATTACH=full]1281534[/ATTACH] The last similar coin (to be in 2016) is what I am calling Skandagupta with a bull replacing the Garuda. The number of different options from Indian region civilizations large and small from roughly the same time as what we might call 'Severan and later' Roman seems huge especially for those of us who were brought up on 'Western Civilization' rather than 'World History'. Many of the coins are decent silver and better looking than most of their late Roman equivalents. [ATTACH=full]1281540[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
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