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Æ Obol - Hippostratos
| Issuer | Kings of Baktria |
|---|---|
| Year | 65 BC - 55 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Obol (⅙) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | A prominent tripod occupies the center of the field, flanked on either side by auxiliary symbols including a crescent and what appears to be a pellet or rosette device, consistent with Indo-Greek reverse iconography. The Kharosthi legend encircles the central motif, running around the periphery of the flan. The die work is characteristic of the hammered bronze coinage of the late Indo-Greek period, with a somewhat irregular and broad flan. The overall layout follows the standard bilingual format adopted by the Indo-Greek kings for their copper coinage. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Hippostratos ruled in the fragmenting eastern reaches of the Indo-Greek kingdoms during a period when Greek dynastic control over Baktria had already collapsed under Saka and Yuezhi pressure. His coinage is bilingual by necessity — Greek on one face, Kharoshthi on the other — reflecting the administrative reality of governing a population for whom Hellenistic script carried no practical meaning. Bop 8A is among the heavier copper issues attributed to him, suggesting it circulated in a region where fractional bronze denominations still commanded enough daily commerce to justify the metal.