Royal coinage in Hellenistic Bactria: A die study of coins from Euthydemus I to Antimachus I

Thesis

The history of Hellenistic Bactria (northern Afghanistan, and areas of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) is particularly obscure and its reconstruction contentious. Unlike other Hellenistic kingdoms very little evidence survives from literary sources and inscriptions; the best primary source is the large quantity of coins issued under the Graeco-Bactrian kings who ruled the area from the third century to the mid first century BC. With limited details of the find spots of the coins and only a few published hoards, their use has often been limited to a superficial analysis of their iconography.

This thesis presents the results of a die study, an approach to studying the coins that can give many insights into the way they were produced. The coins of six kings (Euthydemus I, Demetrius I, Euthydemus II, Pantaleon, Agathocles, and Antimachus I) are included. Different mints and rhythms of production can be identified, and the overall size of the coinages estimated. Using a thorough understanding of their production this thesis proposes a new, soundly-based, history of the Graeco-Bactrian kingdom under these kings.

Authors: Glenn, S

• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Subjects: Numismatics; Hellenistic Bactria; Numismatics, Greek; Classical antiquities