The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s6.113

c10.s6.113

The reason for one’s interest in the obscure Nicias is a square bronze coin of his which shows on the obverse a head of Poseidon with his trident and on the reverse a dolphin twined round an anchor,⁴ recalling the Triton holding a dolphin and rudder of Hippostratus. That this coin celebrates a naval victory seems certain enough: Poseidon had not appeared on any Greek coin in the Farther East since the first Antimachus had used the type to celebrate his naval victory on the Oxus (pp. 90 *sq.*). It might be suggested that, if Nicias was a descendant of Antimachus I through Antimachus II, he was merely copying his type; but even if he had it to copy, which would be very doubtful, it is far too remote in both time and place, and moreover the two types are very different.⁵ Nicias’ Poseidon and trident must have its usual meaning on Greek coins: he had defeated a Saca fleet on the Jhelum. In a sense he is imitating Maues' coin, but his Poseidon tramples on no river-god; to the invading Sacas the rivers were hostile barriers, but to the Greeks on the defensive the Jhelum played its traditional rôle of friend and would-be-helper to the defence.¹