The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c13.7

c13.7

But one notices distinct deterioration in the Archer and the Lion-slayer types. The torso of the king on the former is often shown too much thrown back and his figure on the latter is not so vigorous and energetic as that of the king on the Lion-slayer type of Chandragupta II. On both these types the king's breasts are sometimes so prominent as to make him appear to be a female rather than a male. The horse on the Aśvamedha coins of Kumāragupta can bear no comparison to that on the Aśvamedha pieces of Samudragupta. It thus appears that the numismatic art had begun to show symptoms of decline in the regin of Kumāragupta I.¹ Possibly the troubles in the latter half of the reign were partly responsible for this phenomenon.