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According to Bopearachchi, Archebios (also spelled Archebius) was the last Indo-Greek king to rule in Taxila before it was conquered by
Maues. Apart from the Taxila monogram (seen below on the first silver coin and on several of the bronze coins), which was used also by Maues and Apollodotus II, all
the monograms used by Archebios disappear from the coins.
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Archebios |
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Archebios, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 9.56 gm. Diameter: n.a. Die axis: 12h
Bare-headed, diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Zeus standing facing, holding a scepter and hurling a thunderbolt,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 356e, Bop 2F
This coin sold on Sep 16, 2009 for $14,950.
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This coin features the monogram of Taxila, identified as such by Jenkins on the basis of the fact
that many coins bearing this monogram were found in that city. (photo courtesy CNG, as are some others on this page) |
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Archebios, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 6.38 gm. Diameter: 26 mm Die axis: 12h
Bare-headed, diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Zeus standing facing, holding a scepter and hurling a thunderbolt,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 356b, Bop 2B
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Archebios, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.02 gm. Diameter: 17 mm Die axis: 12h
Bare-headed, diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Zeus standing facing, holding a scepter and hurling a thunderbolt,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 357c, Bop 3B
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Archebios, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 9.64 gm. Diameter: 25 mm Die axis: 12h
Helmeted, diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Zeus standing facing, holding a scepter and hurling a thunderbolt,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 358a, Bop 4A
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Archebios, Silver drachm
Weight: 1.95 gm. Diameter: 16 mm Die axis: 12h
Helmeted, diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Zeus standing facing, holding a scepter and hurling a thunderbolt,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 359a, Bop 5A
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Archebios, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 9.43 gm. Diameter: 25 mm Die axis: 1h
Helmeted, diademed bust of king left, seen from behind,
thrusting spear with right hand, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Zeus standing facing, holding a scepter and hurling a thunderbolt,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 362a, Bop 6A
This coin sold on May 18, 2011 for approximately $4,300.
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Archebios, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 2.13 gm. Diameter: 18 mm Die axis: 12h
Bare-headed, diademed bust of king left, seen from behind,
thrusting spear with right hand, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Zeus standing facing, holding a scepter and hurling a thunderbolt, monograms at left and right,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 361, Bop 8A
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Archebios, AE hemi-obol or quadruple unit
Weight: 9.34 gm. Diameter: 26 mm Die axis: 12h
Winged Nike walking left, holding palm and wreath, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Owl standing facing, three-quarters right,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 367a, Bop 11A
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Archebios, AE hemi-obol or quadruple unit
Weight: 9.24 gm. Diameter: 26 mm Die axis: 11h
Winged Nike walking left, holding palm and wreath, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Owl standing facing, three-quarters right,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 367a, Bop 11A
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Archebios, AE hemi-obol or quadruple unit
Weight: 10.46 gm. Diameter: 26 mm Die axis: 12h
Winged Nike walking left, holding palm and wreath, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Owl standing facing, three-quarters right,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhramikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 367a, Bop 11A
This coin sold on Feb 27, 2013 for $575.
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Archebios, AE hemi-obol or quadruple unit
Weight: 10.80 gm. Dimensions: 23 x 25 mm Die axis: 12h
Elephant walking right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Owl standing facing, three-quarters right,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhra / mikasa jayadhara / sa arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 368b, Bop 12A
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Archebios, AE hemi-obol or quadruple unit
Weight: 10.90 gm. Dimensions: 25 x 24 mm Die axis: 12h
Elephant walking right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Owl standing facing, three-quarters right,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhra / mikasa jayadhara / sa arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 368a, Bop 12B
This coin sold on Nov 21, 2012 for $1,495.
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The difference between this coin and the previous one is that the mongrams are mirror images of
one another. |
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Archebios, AE hemi-obol or quadruple unit
Weight: 11.49 gm. Dimensions: 23 x 25 mm Die axis: 12h
Elephant walking right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔIKAIOY NIKHΦOPOY / APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Owl standing facing, three-quarters left,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhra / mikasa jayadhara / sa arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 368 var, Bop 12 var
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This coin is an unpublished type on which the owl on the reverse faces three-quarters left
as opposed to its usual position towards the right. |
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Archebios, AE hemi-obol or quadruple unit
Weight: 10.05 gm. Dimensions: 24 x 21 mm Die axis: 12h
Bust of Zeus right, holding sceptre over his left shoulder, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔI / KAIOY NIKHΦO /POY APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Palms and caps of the Dioscuri,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhra / mikasa jayadharasa / arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 365a, Bop 13A
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Archebios, AE hemi-obol or quadruple unit
Weight: 9.38 gm. Dimensions: 23 x 24 mm Die axis: 12h
Helmeted bust of king right, holding sceptre over his left shoulder, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔI / KAIOY NIKHΦO /POY APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Palms and caps of the Dioscuri,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhra / mikasa jayadhara / sa arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 366a, Bop ---
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This type, in which the helmeted king replaces Zeus on the obverse of the previous type, is not listed
separately by Bopearachchi, although it was so listed by Mitchiner, who showed a very worn example. This may well be only the second known example, and clearly the
nicest. |
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Archebios, AE hemi-obol or quadruple unit
Weight: 9.34 gm. Dimensions: 23 x 22 mm Die axis: 12h
Helmeted bust of king right, holding sceptre over his left shoulder, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΔI / KAIOY INKHΦO /POY APXEBIOY
(Basileos Dikaiou Nikephorou Archebiou ... of King Archebios, the just, the victorious)
Palms and caps of the Dioscuri,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa dhra / mikasa jayadhara / sa arkhebiyasa
Reference: MIG 366a, Bop ---
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An unpublished variant of the previous coin, in which the king's title is mis-spelled INKHΦOPOY
instead of NIKHΦOPOY. |
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