Saturday, June 25, 2022

Agathocles of Bactria

 Agathocles I Dikaios (GreekἈγαθοκλῆς) was an ephemeral Greco-Bactrian/Indo-Greek king, who reigned between around 190 and 180 BC, likely of the dynasty of Diodotus I, due to his commemoration of Antiochos Nikato


Deities on the coinage of Agathokles

 The coinage of Agathocles (circa 180 BCE) incorporated the Brahmi script and several deities from India, which have been variously interpreted as Vishnu, Shiva, Vāsudeva, Balarama or the Buddha.[9][10]

1. Zeus standing with goddess Hecate.[11] Greek: "King Agathokles".

2. Deity wearing a long himation with a volume on the head, arm partly bent, and contrapposto pose. Greek: "King Agathokles".[11] This coin is in bronze.[12]

3. Hindu god Balarama-Samkarshana with attributes. Greek: "King Agathokles".[13]

4. Hindu god Vāsudeva-Krishna with attributes.[13] Brahmi: "Rajane Agathukleyasa", "King Agathokles".


5. Goddess Lakshmi, holding a lotus in her right hand.[14] Brahmi: "Rajane Agathukleyasa", "King Agathokles".



Agathokles coin Rajaye Agathukleya (Brahmi script).


Agathokles nickel coin with Dionysos and panther with Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

Indian coinage of Agathocles.
Obv Lion with Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ.
Rev Lakshmi, with Brahmi legend Rajane Agathukleyasa "King Agathocles".



 Identical regnal names 
Agathuklayesa (Brahmi: 𑀅𑀕𑀣𑀼𑀼𑀓𑁆𑀮𑁂𑀬𑁂𑀲) and Agathokles (Greek: ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ) on a bilingual coin of Agathocles, used by Christian Lassen to decipher securely the first Brahmi letters.[21]

six-arched hill symbol surmounted by a star. Kharoshthi legend Akathukreyasa "Agathocles". Tree-in-railing, Kharoshthi legend Hirañasame.[24][25]

Buddhist coin of Agathocles, with stupa surmounted by a star, and vegetal symbol.


Coin of Agathocles with Hindu deities.
'Obv Balarama-Samkarshana with Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ (Basileōs Agathokleous).
Rev Vāsudeva-Krishna with Brahmi legend:𑀭𑀚𑀦𑁂 𑀅𑀕𑀣𑀼𑀼𑀓𑁆𑀮𑁂𑀬𑁂𑀲 Rajane Agathukleyesa "King Agathocles".








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