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The Coin Galleries: Indo-Greeks: Zoilus II (c. 55-35 BCE)

Zoilus II (also spelled Zoilos) did not rule in Taxila or most of western Punjab, which was in the hands of the Indo- Scythians. So his kingdom must have been confined to a small area in more eastern parts of Punjab and the Jammu area.

     
Zoilus II

Zoilus II, Gold unit
Weight: 0.71 gm. Dimensions: 7 x 7 mm. Die axis: 12h
ZOIΛOY monogram, surrounded by Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ (king)
Diadem, surrounded by Kharoshthi legend: jhahilasa
Reference: Bopearachchi 1999
This coin sold on Sept 19, 2012 for $5,175.
This remarkable coin, apparently from the second Mir Zakah hoard, was published by Bopearachchi in a 1999 paper and appeared in a CNG auction. (photo, courtesy CNG)

Zoilus II, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.33 gm. Diameter: 16 mm. Die axis: 12h
Diademed bust of king right,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Seen from behind, Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding aegis
     on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand, monograms left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 459 var, Bop 1 var
If the portrait on this coin is at all realistic, it must have been made when Zoilus was quite young. This particular combination of monograms and Kharoshthi letters is not listed by Mitchiner or Bopearachchi.

Zoilus II, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.27 gm. Diameter: 16.5 mm. Die axis: 1h
Diademed bust of king right,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Seen from behind, Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding aegis
     on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand, monograms left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 459 var, Bop 1 var
This coin has a combination of monograms and Kharoshthi letters similar to the previous coin, except the Kharoshthi letter at left is a clear ka, not previously known.

Zoilus II, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.13 gm. Diameter: 17 mm. Die axis: 12h
Diademed bust of king right,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Seen from behind, Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding aegis
     on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand, monograms left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 459e, Bop 1 var
This combination of monograms and Kharoshthi letters is listed by Mitchiner but not by Bopearachchi.

Zoilus II, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.23 gm. Diameter: 16 mm. Die axis: 12h
Diademed bust of king right,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Seen from behind, Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding aegis
     on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand, monograms left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 459f, Bop 1R

Zoilus II, Silver drachm
Weight: 2.08 gm. Diameter: 16 mm. Die axis: 12h
Diademed bust of king right,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Seen from behind, Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding aegis
     on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand, monograms left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 459l, Bop 1Y

Zoilus II, Silver drachm
Weight: 1.96 gm. Diameter: 17 mm. Die axis: 12h
Diademed bust of king right,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Seen from behind, Athena Alkidemos standing left, holding aegis
     on outstretched left arm, hurling thunderbolt with right hand, monograms left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 459q, Bop 1E

Zoilus II, AE obol or octuple unit
Weight: 16.78 gm. Dimensions: 25 x 22 mm. Die axis: 12h
Apollo standing three-quarters right, holding bow, monogram at left,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Tripod, Kharoshthi letters left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa / tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 460a, Bop 3A

Zoilus II, AE obol or octuple unit
Weight: 17.29 gm. Dimensions: 27 x 22 mm. Die axis: 12h
Apollo standing three-quarters right, holding bow, monogram at left,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Tripod, Kharoshthi letters left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa / tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 460a, Bop 3A
This coin sold on July 24, 2013 for $184. (photo, courtesy CNG)

Zoilus II, AE obol or octuple unit
Weight: 16.55 gm. Diameter: 25 mm. Die axis: 12:30h
Apollo standing three-quarters right, holding bow, small elephant at left,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Tripod, Kharoshthi letters left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 462b, Bop 5C

Zoilus II, AE obol or octuple unit
Weight: 14.42 gm. Diameter: 32 mm. Die axis: 12h
Apollo standing three-quarters right, holding bow, small elephant at left,
     Greek legend around: BAΣIΛEΩΣ / ΣΩTHPOΣ / ZΩIΛOY
     (Basileos Soteros Zoilou ... of King Zoilos, the saviour)
Tripod, Kharoshthi letters left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa / tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG ---, Bop ---
This coin sold on Sept 4, 2013 for $368. (photo, courtesy CNG)
This is an unpublished type which combines the previous two types: it has a round flan but a rectangular arrangement of the legend.

Zoilus II, AE di-chalkon or double unit
Weight: 4.04 gm. Diameter: 17 mm. Die axis: 1h
Elephant standing right, bead and reel border around,
Tripod, Kharoshthi letters left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 464d, Bop 8B

Zoilus II, AE chalkous or single unit
Weight: 1.56 gm. Diameter: 13 mm. Die axis: 1h
Elephant standing right, bead and reel border around,
Tripod, Kharoshthi letters left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG ---, Bop ---
This is an unpublished denomination: the single unit of the previous type.

Zoilus II, AE di-chalkon or double unit
Weight: 4.04 gm. Diameter: 17 mm. Die axis: 1h
Elephant standing right, bead and reel border around,
Tripod, Kharoshthi letters left and right,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 464d, Bop 8B

Zoilus II, AE di-chalkon or double unit
Weight: 3.14 gm. Dimensions: 17 x 13 mm. Die axis: 12h
Apollo standing three-quarters right, holding bow, monogram at left, bead and reel border around,
Elephant standing right, Kharoshthi letters above,
     Kharoshthi legend around: maharajasa tratarasa / (jhoilasa)
Reference: MIG ---, Bop ---
This is an unpublished denomination: the double unit of the next type.

Zoilus II, AE chalkous or single unit
Weight: 1.54 gm. Dimensions: 13 x 14 mm. Die axis: 12h
Apollo standing three-quarters right, holding bow, monogram at left, bead and reel border around,
Elephant standing right, Kharoshthi letters above,
     Kharoshthi legend around: (maharajasa tratarasa) / jhoilasa
Reference: MIG 466, Bop 9
Bopearachchi describes this type as having a circular flan, but all his (and Mitchiner's) illustrated examples are of ambiguous shape. This coin clearly started out as square, with a legend in a rectangular arrangement, so I would suggest that the type was intended to be rectangular, as was the double unit shown above.
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