The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c26.293

v1.c26.293

The coinage of Eucratides bears ample witness to the prosperity that attended him during his life. His money is even more abundant than that of Euthydemus. Although examples of his gold are exceedingly uncommon, they include one specimen which weighs as much as 2593·5 grains (168·05 grammes) and was thus worth twenty ordinary staters; no other king or city of ancient times was ever responsible for so ostentatious a display of opulence. His most characteristic types relate to the worship of the Dioscuri. On the reverse of the larger pieces Castor and Pollux appear side by side, usually mounted (Pl. IV, 4–6); the smaller often show the pointed caps of the Brethren, surmounted by stars and flanked by palms. The Greek legend is interesting. At first it is simply ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ, but presently it becomes ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΕΥΚΡΑΤΙΔΟΥ. As the more pretentious title is invariably used on the gold and also on the bronze specially struck for Indian circulation, it is perhaps permissible to connect its assumption with a successful invasion of the territory of Demetrius. It may be noted that this is the first certain instance of a king describing himself in the Greek legend on his coinage as ‘the Great.’ On inscriptions the practice was older. In this case, it is possibly a translation of the Indian title ‘mahārāja’ which is used by Demetrius in his Kharoshṭhī coin-legends. There are several well-marked varieties of portrait. On the earlier silver, and on one or two bronze pieces, the king is represented bare-headed and with draped shoulders, both ends of his diadem hanging stiffly down behind (Pl. IV, 4). Generally, however, he wears a crested helmet, ornamented with the horn and ear of a bull. On the great majority of examples the helmeted bust is draped and looks towards the right (Pl. IV, 5). But on some very rare tetradrachms the head is turned to the left, the shoulders are bare, and the right hand is uplifted in the act of thrusting with a spear (Pl. IV, 6). The intimacy of his association with India is proved, not only by the large number of square-shaped bilingual coins of bronze that have survived, but also by the fact that, though he adhered as a rule to the Attic standard of weight, he also issued silver of a class expressly designed to suit the convenience of Indian traders. The standard used for the latter is closely allied to the Persic, which had become established in N.W. India as a result of the Persian dominion.