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Dionysios (also spelled Dionysius) must have ruled in the Punjab for a short time in the middle of the first century BCE. He issued
some silver drachms and three bronze types, two of which are displayed below. All his coins are very rare. By this time, most of western Punjab had been taken
over by the Scythians, perhaps Azes I.
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Dionysios |
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Hippostratos, AE obol or octuple unit
Weight: 15.89 gm. Dimensions: 23 x 24 mm. Die axis: 12h
Apollo standing right, holding arrow, monogram at left,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣΩTHPOΣ / ΔIONYΣIOY
(Basileos Soteros Dionisiou ... of King Dionysios, the saviour)
Tripod, Kharoshthi letters on either side,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa / tratarasa / diunisiyasa
Reference: MIG 455b, Bop 3E
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Hippostratos, AE obol or octuple (sextuple?) unit
Weight: 12.78 gm. Dimensions: 22 x 22 mm. Die axis: 12h
Apollo standing right, holding arrow, monogram at left,
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣΩTHPOΣ / ΔIONYΣIOY
(Basileos Soteros Dionisiou ... of King Dionysios, the saviour)
Tripod, Kharoshthi letters on either side,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa / tratarasa / diunisiyasa
Reference: MIG 455b, Bop 3E
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The weight of this coin is so much lower than the ostensible weight that one wonders if it was intended to
be a 6-chalkoi or sextuple unit. Hippostratos had issued coins of that denomination, and Dionysios may have followed suit.
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Hippostratos, AE di-chalkon or double unit
Weight: 4.06 gm. Dimensions: 15 x 15 mm. Die axis: 12h
Apollo standing right, holding arrow, bead and reel border around
Diadem,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa / tratarasa / diunisiyasa
Reference: MIG 457a, Bop 4A
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The Greek legend on the obverse has been eliminated on this coin.
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