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Tetradrachm - Gondophares - 12 BC-130 AD mint of Taxila Sirsukh
| Issuer | Indo-Parthian Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 30-55 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 9.9 g |
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|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Reverse description | Standing figure, likely Nike or a royal deity, depicted in three-quarter view holding an object — possibly a wreath or sceptre — in the raised right hand, with a Kharosthi monogram or dynastic symbol visible in the right field. The reverse design follows the standard Indo-Parthian convention of combining a Hellenistic-derived divine or royal figure with local dynastic symbols. The Kharosthi legend runs around the periphery, partially visible on this example due to the irregular flan and die wear. The style is characteristic of the Taxila Sirsukh mint workshops active during the reign of Gondophares. |
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| Additional information |
Gondophares I ruled the Indo-Parthian kingdom from roughly the late first century BC into the mid-first century AD, controlling territory spanning modern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. His reign is one of the few from this region anchored to absolute chronology by the Takht-i-Bahi inscription, dated to year 26 of his rule and confirmed against Kushan and Roman synchronisms. He is also, remarkably, the king named in the Acts of Thomas as the Indian ruler who received the apostle — a tradition old enough that it cannot be entirely dismissed as medieval invention.
The Taxila Sirsukh mint succeeded the earlier Sirkap settlement and was operational during the precise window this piece was struck.