The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c25.s1.6

v1.c25.s1.6

None of the pieces we have been discussing bear the King's title. Both title and name (βασιλέως Ἀλεξάνδρου) have, however, been read into the monogram [Figure:], which occurs on an extraordinary silver decadrachm of Attic weight, now in the British Museum (Pl. I, 16). The obverse type is a horseman, with lance at rest, charging down upon a retreating elephant, on the back of which are two men turning round to face their pursuer. On the reverse, beside the monogram, is a tall figure, wearing cuirass, cloak and cap, and having a sword by his side, standing to left holding a thunderbolt and a spear. In spite of certain features which are not altogether satisfactory, the genuineness of the coin has been unhesitatingly accepted by Head and Gardner, and from such experienced judges it would be very rash to differ. Gardner, who was the first to publish it (*N.C.*, 1887, p. 177), was disposed to give it to Bactria and to connect it with 'some notable victory won by a Greek King of Bactria over the invading hordes of Yueh-chi in the second century B.C.' Head, on the other hand, comes to the conclusion, 'after a careful study of the fabric...that it belongs to Alexander's own time, and that it records the historical event of his invasion of the Punjab in 326 B.C.' He sees in the standing figure a representation of Alexander as Zeus, while he puts forward the interesting suggestion that the lance is being wielded, not by the horseman, but by the rearmost of the two elephant-riders, and that consequently the scene depicted is the retreat of Porus and his pursuit by Taxiles, exactly as recorded by Arrian (v, 18). The coin, he thinks, may have been struck by Taxiles himself at his capital city Takshaçilā. Unfortunately this hypothesis is not supported by the 'find-spot' of the decadrachm. It was discovered at Khullum in Bukhāra.