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As was already mentioned on the Azes I page, Senior has proposed there was only one king named Azes and that he ruled c. 58-12 BCE. Previously, it had been
thought that there were two kings by that name, perhaps grandfather and grandson, sandwiched around a king named Azilises. Until I study the coins more closely and reach
an opinion on the matter, I am presenting the coins as if they are the issues of two separate kings, realizing that they may belong together.
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Azes II |
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Azes, Silver tetradrachm, Athena reverse
Weight: 9.47 gm. Diameter: 24 mm Die axis: 12 o'clock
King mounted on horse right, holding whip, Kharoshthi letter sam at right,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY / AZOY
Pallas Athena standing right, holding right hand outstretched, holding spear in left,
monograms at left and right, Kharoshthi legend around:
maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / ayasa
Reference: MIG 848k, Sen 98.374T
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Azes II issued a wide array of tetradrachms that can be bewildering even to advanced collectors. The obverse is typically the so-called
"KMW" or King mounted with whip. The reverses feature different deities: sometimes Zeus, sometimes Pallas Athena, sometimes a city goddess, and a given deity can be in
different poses. The next criteria for differentiation is the monograms and/or letters on the reverse. Finally, there are distinguishing Kharoshthi letters on the obverse in front of the
horse. Nobody knows for sure what the various monograms and Kharoshthi letters signify, although some seem to be geographic markers, like mint marks.
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Azes, Silver tetradrachm, Zeus right reverse
Weight: 9.64 gm. Diameter: 23 mm Die axis: 10 o'clock
King mounted on horse right, holding whip, Kharoshthi letter ti at right,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY / AZOY
Zeus standing right, holding right hand outstretched, holding sceptre in left,
monogram at left, Kharoshthi letter si right, Kharoshthi legend around:
maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / ayasa
Reference: MIG 828, Sen 99.61T
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Mitchiner identifies the deity on the reverse as Poseidon, perhaps on the strength of the trident-like sceptre, but Senior identifies the
figure as Zeus.
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Azes, AE penta-chalkon
Weight: 10.89 gm. Diameter: 26-29 mm Die axis: 1 o'clock
City Goddess enthroned quarter left, holding cornucopia in left arm, right hand raised,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY / AZOY
Hermes standing facing, turned slightly to left, caduceus in left hand,
right arm outstretched, control marks at left and right,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / ayasa
Reference: MIG 831, Sen 101.1
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Azes, AE hexa-chalkon
Weight: 14.14 gm. Diameter: 26 mm Die axis: 5 o'clock
Humped bull standing right, monogram above,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY / AZOY
Lion standing right, monograms above, Kharoshthi legend around:
maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / ayasa
Reference: MIG 850j, Sen 102.100
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Azes, Silver tetradrachm, Zeus left reverse
Weight: 9.69 gm. Diameter: 24 mm Die axis: 7 o'clock
King mounted on horse right, holding whip, Kharoshthi letter sam at right,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY / AZOY
Zeus standing left, holding Nike aloft in outstretched right hand, holding sceptre in left,
Nike in turn holding out a diadem, monogram at left, Kharoshthi letter dhram right,
topped with Greek M, Kharoshthi legend around:
maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / ayasa
Reference: MIG 854i, Sen 105.340T
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Azes, Silver drachm, Zeus left reverse
Weight: 1.86 gm. Diameter: 14 mm Die axis: 4 o'clock
King mounted on horse right, holding whip, Kharoshthi letter bu at right,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY / AZOY
Zeus standing left, holding Nike aloft in outstretched right hand, holding sceptre in left,
Nike in turn holding out a diadem, monogram at left, Kharoshthi letter stra right,
topped with Greek B, Kharoshthi legend around:
maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / ayasa
Reference: MIG 856, Sen 105.601D
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Azes, AE tri-chalkon
Weight: 5.28 gm. Diameter: 20 mm Die axis: 3 o'clock
King seated cross-legged facing, holding whip in right hand, sceptre in lap,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ BAΣIΛEΩN MEΓAΛOY / AZOY
Winged Hermes standing facing, turned slightly to left, caduceus on left arm,
right arm outstretched, control marks at left and right,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa / ayasa
Reference: MIG 864b, Sen 107
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The facing seated king type was continued by the Kushan king Kujula Kadphises.
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