Anti-alkidas
Antialkidas Nikephoros was an Indo-Greek king best known for his coins and an inscription. His reign is tentatively around 115 to 95 BC. BC. He seems to have been one of the last significant Greco-Indian rulers who ruled a larger area and remained on the throne for a long time. After his death, his territory split into smaller empires.
Coins
The locations of his coins indicate that his empire stretched from the Hindu Kush to the Jhelam . Taxila probably belonged to his domain. His numerous coins show his profile - sometimes with a royal armband - on the obverse and Greek legends. On the back, the seated Zeus or Zeus with an elephant often appears with inscriptions in Kharoshthi . A silver series also bears Greek legends on the reverse and describes him as the Victorious . Further embossings show the head of Zeus on the front and two helmets of the Dioscuri with palm branches on the back . Here, too, there are inscriptions in Kharoshthi.
A single coin created some confusion. It shows Antialkidas on one side and Lysias on the other. This was initially seen as evidence of a co-regency or alliance between the two rulers. The more recent research is more cautious and sees this as more of an overprint.
Heliodorus pillar
Noteworthy is the inscription on the so-called Heliodorus pillar that a delegation of the ruler under the direction of a certain Heliodorus to the Shunga Rulers Bhagabhadra mentioned (= Bhagavata?).
See also
literature
- Abodh K. Narain: The Indo-Greeks. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1957, pp. 110-122.
- William W. Tarn: The Greeks in Bactria and India. 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1951, especially pp. 273 and 313-315.
Web links
- Coins of Antialkidas - Pictures + Infos (Engl.)
- Other coins of Antialkidas - Pictures + Infos (Engl.)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Anti-alkidas |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Antialkidas Nikephorus |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Indo-Greek king |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 2nd century BC Chr. |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1st century BC Chr. |