The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c11.s3.8

c11.s3.8

Smith had classified the coins of the Horseman type according to the direction of the horse, Horseman to right and Horseman to left. Mr. Allan also divided them into two classes, but his class I consists of coins without symbol on the reverse and class II of those which have a symbol. Symbol however is a minor element on the reverse and it would therefore be better to classifiy the coins with reference to some characteristic peculiarities of the obverse. A horseman is primarily a warrior, and we think that the weapons which the king is carrying should not be left out in the classification of these coins. It would therefore be on the whole satisfactory to follow Smith in dividing the coins into Class I, consisting of those where the horseman is to left, and Class II of those coins where he is to right. Varieties in each class will be determined with reference to the weapons.