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We don't know for sure if the coins traditionally assigned to Heraios were issued by Kujula Kadphises. What we do know, however, thanks to the Rabatak inscription (which we will look at more closely when we look at the coins of Kanishka), is that there was a Kushan ruler named Kujula Kadphises, who was the great-grandfather of the great Kushan king Kanishka I.
Other than the still controversial silver coins of "Heraios," Kujula issued only copper coins. Sometime in the first half of the first century, he issued coins derived from the AE tetradrachms of the Indo-Greek king Hermaios. These coins were issued in the Kabul valley and in Gandhara. Further east, he issued several types, including a type characterized by a "Roman" style bust and a type derived from the Indo-Scythian ruler Zeionises.
It appears that Kujula's empire was not long-lived, as there is evidence that the Indo-Parthian ruler Gondophares seized much of his territory. This then had to be recovered by Kujula's son, Vima Takto (or Vima Takha), and may explain why Vima inscribed most of his coins not with his name, but the epithet "SOTER MEGAS," or "great saviour."
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| AE tetradrachm
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:7.29 gm., Diam:22 mm., Die axis: 10h
Hermaios-style diademed bust right
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣTHPOΣΣV EPMAIOV /
Hercules standing facing, holding club and lion skin
Kharoshti legend around:
Kujula Kasasa Kushana Yavugasa Dhramathidasa
Ref: MAC 2844.
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The first copper coins of Kujula Kadphises were derivative from the AE tetradrachms of the Indo-Greek ruler Hermaios. The coins carry a bust right and even name Hermaios on the obverse. However, Kujula is named on the reverse, in the Kharoshti legend. |
| AE tetradrachm
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:8.23 gm., Diam:24 mm., Die axis: 7h
Hermaios-style diademed bust right
Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣTHPOΣΣV EPMAIOV /
Hercules standing facing, holding club and lion skin
Kharoshti legend around:
Kujula Kasasa Kushana Yavugasa Dhramathidasa
Ref: MAC 2844. |
| AE reduced tetradrachm
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:6.21 gm., Diam:23 mm., Die axis: 7h
Hermaios-style diademed bust right
Blundered Greek legend around /
Hercules standing facing, holding club and lion skin
Kharoshti legend around:
Maharajasa Khushanasa Yavugasa Kushana Katisa
Ref: unpublished, believed unique. |
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The Kharoshti legend on this coin has not been seen on any other published coin of Kujula. The weight of the coin indicates it is a later, maybe even posthumous, issue. The Greek legend has degraded to the point of being illegible, but the Kharoshti is well-formed. (Thanks to Joe Cribb and Harry Falk for their input on the reading of the Kharoshti legend.) |
| AE reduced tetradrachm
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:4.04 gm., Diam:19 mm., Die axis: 5h
Hermaios-style diademed bust right
Blundered Greek legend around /
Hercules standing facing, holding club and lion skin
Blundered Kharoshti legend around
Ref: MAC 2906-10. |
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The degraded style, further reduced weight and blundered legends of this coin indicate it is an even later, no doubt posthumous, issue. |
| AE drachm, Kapisa
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:2.73 gm., Diam:18 mm., Die axis: 2h
Hermaios-style diademed bust right
Blundered Greek legend around /
Winged Nike standing left, holding diadem
Blundered Kharoshti legend, control mark
Ref: MAC 2856-58 |
| AE drachm
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:2.05 gm., Diam:17 mm., Die axis: 9h
Roman style diademed bust right /
Winged Nike standing left, holding diadem
control mark
Ref: MAC 2856 variation |
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The portrait on this coin is quite remarkable, and very different from the usual Nike-reverse coins. Perhaps it was a posthumous issue. |
| AE reduced drachm
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:1.83 gm., Diam:15 mm., Die axis: 4h
Diademed bust right
Blundered Greek legend around /
Winged Nike standing left, holding diadem
Blundered Kharoshti legend, control mark
Ref: MAC 2912 |
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Another interesting portrait! Again, this coin was probably issued posthumously. |
| AE dichalkon
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:3.66 gm., Diam:18 mm., Die axis: 9h
Hermaios-style diademed bust right
Greek legend around /
Winged Nike (?) standing left, holding diadem
Kharoshti legend
Ref: MAC 2854 |
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If the deity on the reverse is Nike, this is a most unusual representation! |
| AE dichalkon, Chach
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:2.85 gm., Diam:16 mm., Die axis: 8h
Roman style diademed bust right
Greek legend around:
KOZOΛA KAΔAΦEC XOPANOV ZAOOV /
King seated right in curule chair
Kharoshti legend:
Khushanasa Yauasa Kuyula Kaphasa Sacha Dhramatidasa
Ref: MAC 2875-77 |
| AE dichalkon, Chach
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:3.26 gm., Diam:18 mm., Die axis: 11h
Roman style diademed bust right
Greek legend around:
KOZOΛA KAΔAΦEC XOPANOV ZAOOV /
King seated right in curule chair
Kharoshti legend:
Khushanasa Yauasa Kuyula Kaphasa Sacha Dhramatidasa
Ref: MAC 2878-79 |
| AE chalkous, Chach
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:1.61 gm., Diam:14 mm., Die axis: 1h
King seated cross-legged facing
Kharoshti legend around:
Kuyula Kadaphasa Kushanasa /
Zeus standing right
Greek legend: KOZOΛA XOPANOY ZAOOY
Ref: MAC 2881 |
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Mitchiner displays the coin in this way: with the seated king facing being the obverse. However, judging by the Greek legend on the other side, it may be that that side was intended as the obverse of the coin. |
| AE penta-chalkon, Chach
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:9.96 gm., Diam:24 mm., Die axis: 2h
Bull standing right
Blundered Greek legend around, nandipada , control mark /
Bactrian camel standing right
Kharoshti legend: Maharayasa Rayatirayasa Kuyula Kara Kapasa
Ref: MAC 2891 |
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This type is derived from the bull/lion type of Zeionises, which it must have followed in the eastern part of Kujula's empire. |
| AE tri-chalkon, Chach
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:4.82 gm., Diam:18 mm., Die axis: 10h
Bull standing right
Blundered Greek legend around, nandipada , control mark /
Bactrian camel standing right
Kharoshti legend
Ref: MAC 2894 |
| AE di-chalkon, Chach
c. first half of 1st. Century
Weight:4.62 gm., Diam:16 mm., Die axis: 11h
Bull standing right
Blundered Greek legend around, nandipada , control mark /
Bactrian camel standing right
Kharoshti legend
Ref: MAC 2895-96 |
| AE didrachm, Kapisa
c. 1st. Century
Weight:3.56 gm., Diam:18-19 mm., Die axis: 5h
Stylized bust of king right
Blundered Greek legend around /
Zeus enthroned left, with hand outstretched
Blundered Kharoshti legend
Ref: MAC 2911 |
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This type almost certainly was issued posthumously. Note that Mitchiner says the coin carries no legend, but this specimen clearly shows traces of legends on both the obverse and the reverse. |
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