Catalog
Obol - Pabes
| Issuer | Tribal confederation of Yuezhi (Central Asia (ancient)) |
|---|---|
| Year | 50 BC - 1 BC |
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| Composition | Silver |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of a ruler facing right, wearing a crested Macedonian-style helmet with cheek guards, rendered in the Indo-Greek artistic tradition. The portrait is executed in high relief against a plain field, with facial features showing a bearded profile characteristic of Hellenistic portraiture adapted to Central Asian coinage. The flan is irregular, typical of hand-hammered production, and the design fills the obverse field without a surrounding legend. The style reflects the direct imitation of earlier Indo-Greek coin types by the Yuezhi tribal confederation. |
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| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
The Yuezhi confederation occupied a peculiar historical position in the first century BC — recently displaced from the Gansu corridor by the Xiongnu, they had driven the Sakas southward and were consolidating control over Bactria. This obol belongs to an imitative series derived from Bactrian Greek prototypes, struck as the confederation's component kingdoms gradually coalesced into what would become the Kushan Empire under Kujula Kadphises.
At 0.59g, these pieces already represent significant reduction from their Greek models. Senior's classification as A3.1 places Pabes among the earlier tribal rulers, though the precise dynastic sequence within the confederation remains contested.