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Polyxenus (or Polyxenos) was a short-lived king who seems to have had a connection to Menander,
as he adopted the latter's choice of the "thundering Athena" reverse on his silver coinage and the helmeted bust of Athena on his
bronze coinage. He uses monograms used by Strato I and Heliocles II, so it is probable that he ruled in the same area of Gandhara
and Punjab. All his coins are rare, so he probably had a very short reign.
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Polyxenus |
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Polyxenus, Silver tetradrachm
Weight: 9.66 gm. Diameter: 26 mm Die axis: 12h
Diademed bust of king right, Greek legend around:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ΠOΛYΞENOY
Basileos Epiphanous Soteros Polyxenou ... (of King Polyxenus, the manifest savior)
Seen from behind, Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding shield
on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand,
monogram at left,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa pracachasa tratarasa / palasinasa
Reference: MIG 298b, Bop 1A
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Polyxenus not only adopted the type of Strato I, he also adopted the same titulature as Strato had on his late
coinage: EΠIΦANOYΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ (the manifest savior). Drachms of this type were also issued but are very rare.
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Polyxenus, Bronze Quadruple
Weight: 9.78 gm. Dimensions: 22 x 21 mm Die axis: 12h
Helmeted bust of Athena right, Greek legend on three sides:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦA / NOYΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ΠOΛYΞENOY
Aegis (shield or cloak of Athena), monogram below,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa praca / chasa tratara / sa palakinasa
Reference: MIG 300a, Bop 3A
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The Kharoshthi rendition of the king's name is here palakinasa rather than palasinasa on the silver cooins.
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Polyxenus, Bronze Quadruple
Weight: 10.82 gm. Dimensions: 21 x 24 mm Die axis: 12h
Helmeted bust of Athena right, Greek legend on three sides:
BAΣIΛEΩΣ EΠIΦA / NOYΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ΠOΛYΞENOY
Aegis (shield or cloak of Athena), monogram below,
Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa praca / chasa tratara / sa palakinasa
Reference: MIG 300b, Bop 3B
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