History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.Campbell, James M.
History
History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.
Campbell, James M.
Gujarat (India) -- History
As his coins are found in Káthiáváda Eucratides may either have
advanced into Káthiáváda or the province may have come under his
sway as lord of the neighbouring country of Sindh. Whether or not
Eucratides conquered the province, he is the earliest Baktrian-Greek
king whose coins have been found in Káthiáváda and Gujarát. The fact
that the coins of Eucratides have been found in different parts of
Káthiáváda and at different times seems to show that they were the
currency of the province and were not merely imported either for trade
or for ornament. It is to be noticed that these coins are all of the
smallest value of the numerous coins issued by Eucratides. This may
be explained by the fact that these small coins were introduced by
Eucratides into Káthiáváda to be in keeping with the existing local
coinage. The local silver coins in use before the time of Eucratides
are very small, weighing five to seven grains, and bear the Buddhist
symbols of the Svastika, the Trident, and the Wheel. Another variety
has been found weighing about four grains with a misshapen elephant
on the obverse and something like a circle on the reverse. [41] It
was probably to replace this poor currency that Eucratides introduced
his smallest obolus of less weight but better workmanship.
The end of the reign of Eucratides is not fixed with certainty: it is
believed to be about B.C. 155. [42] For the two Baktrian-Greek kings
Menander and Apollodotus who ruled in Káthiáváda after Eucratides,
better sources of information are available. As already noticed Strabo
(A.D. 20) mentions that Menander's conquests (B.C. 120) included Cutch
and Suráshtra. [43] And the author of the Periplus (A.D. 240) writes:
'Up to the present day old drachmæ bearing the Greek inscriptions
of Apollodotus and Menander are current in Barugaza (Broach).' [44]
Menander's silver drachmæ have been found in Káthiáváda and Southern
Gujarát. [45] Though their number is small Menander's coins are
comparatively less scarce than those of the earliest Kshatrapas
Nahapána and Chashtana (A.D. 100-140). The distribution of Menander's
coins suggests he was the first Baktrian-Greek king who resided in
these parts and that the monuments of Alexander's times, camps temples
and wells, mentioned by the author of the Periplus [46] were camps of
Menander in Suráshtra. Wilson and Rochette have supposed Apollodotus
to be the son and successor of Menander, [47] while General Cunningham
believes Apollodotus to be the predecessor of Menander. [48] Inferences
from the coins of these two kings found in Gujarát and Káthiáváda
support the view that Apollodotus was the successor of Menander. The
coins of Apollodotus are found in much larger numbers than those
of Menander and the workmanship of Apollodotus' coins appears to
be of a gradually declining style. In the later coins the legend
is at times undecipherable. It appears from this that for some time
after Apollodotus until Nahapána's (A.D. 100) coins came into use,
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