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Antialcidas (also spelled Antialkidas) was one of the few Indo-Greek kings for whom we have evidence other than his coins. A few
miles from the ancient city of Sanchi, there is a stone pillar (known as the Heliodorus pillar) that mentions him as the Greek king who sent his ambassador
Heliodorus to the court of the king Bhagabhadra. At the time, the Sungas ruled in the area, so Bhagabhadra must have been a Sunga king. The purpose of the
embassy is not specified.
In all likelihood, Antialcidas followed Lysias in the area of Kabul and Kapisa. The two kings share all the same monograms, and there exist two mule coins
that consist of the obverse of one king and the reverse of the other. The common monograms and the mules show that the two kings used the same mints, either
contemporaneously or, more probably, in immediate sequence.
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| Antialcidas |
Monolingual (Attic standard) Coins |
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Antialcidas, Silver (Attic weight) tetradrachm
Weight: 16.73 gm. Diameter: n.a. Die axis: 11h
Diademed, helmeted bust of king right, bead and reel border around
Zeus enthroned three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand, forepart of elephant at left
monogram at right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Basileos Nikepherou Antialkidou ... (of King Antialcidas, the Victorious)
Reference: MIG 270a, Bop 2A
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Antialcidas issued at least four different types of Attic weight tetradrachms which carried only Greek legends. These
included two with the helmeted bust, as on this coin, but with two different legend arrangements (see next coin for the other arrangement), and one each with
a bare-headed bust and a bust with the king wearing a kausia.He also issued at least two different monolingual drachms, a helmeted type and a kausia type.
Thus his Attic coinage was the most extensive of all the Greek kings who ruled south of the Hindu Kush.
Whether this was because he acquired territory in Bactria, north of the Hindu Kush, or simply an indication of a stronger nostalgia for the days when Greek kings
ruled in Bactria, is not known. By this time, as far as we can tell, Bactria was under Scythian rule. (photo, courtesy CNG)
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Antialcidas, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.18 gm. Diameter: n.a. Die axis: 11h
Diademed, helmeted bust of king right, bead and reel border around
Zeus enthroned three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand, forepart of elephant at left
monogram at right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Reference: MIG 270a, Bop 2A
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This coin, offered in a recent auction sale, is a new discovery, as no monolingual helmeted drachm was known
previously. The coin shows an alternative legend arrangement to the one in the previous coin; this arrangement is known on the tetradrachm.
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Bilingual (Indian standard) issues |
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Antialcidas, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 9.79 gm. Diameter: 25 mm Die axis: 12h
Diademed, bare-headed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus standing three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
behind Zeus, Elephant walking left with trunk raised,
standing on elephant's head, Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand,
monogram at left, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 273a, Bop 6A
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Indian standard, bilingual, tetradrachms are known with the bare-headed bust (this coin), the helmeted bust,
(next coin) and the spearthruster bust (following two coins). No bilingual tetradrachms with the king wearing a kausia are known.
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Antialcidas, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 9.59 gm. Diameter: 26 mm Die axis: 12h
Diademed, helmeted bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus standing three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
behind Zeus, Elephant walking left with trunk raised,
standing on elephant's head, Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand,
monogram at left, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG ---, Bop 7E
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Antialcidas, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 9.62 gm. Diameter: 27 mm Die axis: 1h
Seen from behind, diademed bust of king left, holding spear in right hand
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus standing three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
behind Zeus, Elephant walking left with trunk raised,
standing on elephant's head, Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand,
monogram at left, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 274a, Bop 8A
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Antialcidas, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 9.13 gm. Diameter: 24 mm Die axis: 1h
Seen from behind, diademed bust of king left, holding spear in right hand
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus standing three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
behind Zeus, Elephant walking left with trunk raised,
standing on elephant's head, Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand,
monogram at left, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 274a, Bop 8A
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Antialcidas, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.40 gm. Diameter: 17 mm Die axis: 11h
Diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus enthroned three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand, forepart of elephant at left
monogram at right, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 275b, Bop 9A
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Indian standard, bilingual, drachms are known with the bare-headed bust (this and the next two varieties),
the helmeted bust, and the kausia-topped bust. No bilingual drachms with the spearthruster bust are known.
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Antialcidas, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.46 gm. Diameter: 17 mm Die axis: 1h
Diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus enthroned three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand, forepart of elephant at left
monogram at right, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 275b, Bop 9A
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On this variety of the previous coin, the forepart of elephant in the reverse left field faces left rather than right.
(photo, courtesy CNG)
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Antialcidas, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.40 gm. Diameter: na Die axis: 11h
Diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus enthroned three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
wreath and palm in right hand, forepart of elephant at left,
monogram at right, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 276 type, Bop 10A
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On this variety, Zeus holds a wreath and palm instead of Nike. (photo, courtesy CNG)
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Antialcidas, Silver drachm
Weight: 1.76 gm. Diameter: 16 mm Die axis: 11h
Diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus enthroned three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
wreath and palm in right hand, whole elephant at left,
monogram at right, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 276 type, Bop 11A
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On this variety, the reverse left field features a whole elephant, depicted vertically, rather than
just the forepart.
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Antialcidas, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.44 gm. Diameter: 16 mm Die axis: 12h
Diademed, helmeted bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus enthroned three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand, forepart of elephant at left
monogram at right, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 279a, Bop 12A
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Antialcidas, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.49 gm. Diameter: 17 mm Die axis: 12h
Diademed, helmeted bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus enthroned three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand, forepart of elephant at left
monogram at right, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 279a, Bop 12A
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Antialcidas, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.43 gm. Diameter: 17 mm Die axis: 12h
Diademed bust of king right, wearing kausia, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Zeus enthroned three-quarters left, holding sceptre in left hand,
Winged Nike holding wreath in right hand, forepart of elephant at left
monogram at right, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 277a, Bop 13A
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Antialcidas, Bronze Quadruple
Weight: 8.41 gm. Diameter: 26 mm Die axis: 12h
Bust of Zeus right, holding thunderbolt in right hand, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Caps and palms of the Dioscuri (sons of Zeus),
monogram at left, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 281a, Bop 14A
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The use of the caps and palms of the Dioscuri on the reverse of the bronze coinage connects
Antialkidas with Eucratides. (photo, courtesy CNG)
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Antialcidas, Bronze Double
Weight: 4.00 gm. Diameter: 22 mm Die axis: 12h
Bust of Zeus right, holding thunderbolt in right hand, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Caps and palms of the Dioscuri (sons of Zeus),
monogram at left, Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 282a, Bop 15A
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This is one of the few Indo-Greek bronze coins in multiple denominations.
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Antialcidas, Bronze Quadruple
Weight: 7.65 gm. Dimensions: 18 x 17 mm Die axis: 12h
Bust of Zeus right, holding thunderbolt in right hand, Greek legend on three sides:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ / NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Caps and palms of the Dioscuri, monogram at left,
Kharoshthi legend on three sides: maharajasa / jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 280b, Bop 16B
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Antialcidas, Bronze Quadruple
Weight: 9.36 gm. Dimensions: na Die axis: na
Bust of Zeus right, thunderbolt over left shoulder, Greek legend on three sides:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ / NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Caps and palms of the Dioscuri, monogram at left,
Kharoshthi legend on three sides: maharajasa / jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 280c, Bop 17C
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On this variety, the thunderbolt is perched on Zeus's left shoulder, rather than being held in his
right hand. (photo, courtesy CNG)
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Antialcidas, Bronze Quadruple
Weight: 8.19 gm. Dimensions: 17 x 20 mm Die axis: 12h
Diademed bust of king right, Greek legend on three sides:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ / NIKHΦOPOY / ANTIAΛKIΔOY
Elephant with raised trunk right, monogram at right,
Kharoshthi legend on three sides: maharajasa / jayadharasa / amtialikidasa
Reference: MIG 283a, Bop 18A
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