The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s2.115

c10.s2.115

The Periplus further shows that Apollodotus ruled Barygaza—that is, it was in his realm—for some years, in the statement that his coins and those of Menander were still circulating in that town in the first century A.D.² This is of the first importance. One numismatist has indeed denied that the word in question means ‘circulating’ and thinks it means ‘come to light’,³ but fortunately there is exact evidence about the word which leaves no loophole for doubt;⁴ it means circulating as current coin for buying and selling. One may dig up a king’s coins in places where he did not rule, coins brought thither by merchants, changed at the money-changer’s, and ultimately buried or lost; but if, long after a king’s death, his money was still current in trade in some town—which may mean that the town had gone on issuing copies of it⁵—then he must have ruled that town during his lifetime long enough to make his coinage a well-accepted medium of exchange.⁶ Consequently Apollodotus’ rule in Barygaza cannot be in doubt.