The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c25.s1.2

v1.c25.s1.2

The imitations of Athenian tetradrachms fall into two distinct groups. The first of these (Pl. I, 7) approximates fairly closely to the original model. One variety, however,—represented both in the Bodleian and in the British Museum (Pl. I, 8)—reads, not ΑΘΕ, but ΑΙΓ, which Head interprets as perhaps referring to the Aigloi, whom Herodotus (III, 92) mentions as dwelling to the north of the Bactrians. The second group (Pl. I, 9, 10) is characterised by a softer style, by the presence of the monogram Ṃ, and by the use of a bunch of grapes as a symbol. The difference between the two is emphasised by the fact that, whereas the dies from which coins belonging to the first are struck have lain at all conceivable angles relatively to one another, the types of the coins belonging to the second are adjusted (↑↓) with a nicety which points to the employment of a hinge or of some equally effective mechanical contrivance. Further, while the first group appears to consist solely of tetradrachms, the second includes also didrachms and drachms (Pl. I, 11, 12). These smaller denominations are remarkable in that they are not minted, like the tetradrachms, on the Attic standard, which has a maximum weight of 67·5 grains (4·37 grammes) to the drachm, but on a standard in which the drachm seems to have weighed at the outside no more than 58 grains (3·75 grammes). In this and other respects they link themselves naturally to a set of drachms and diobols which are struck from regularly adjusted dies (↑↓), but in which the place of the Athenian owl is taken by an eagle, looking backwards (Pl. I, 13). On the drachms and diobols just referred to, the bunch of grapes still figures as a symbol. In one instance it is accompanied by a caduceus.