Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XXIII 24-25 Mar 2022
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Indo-Greek Kingdom, Polyxenos Epiphanes Soter AR Tetradrachm. Circa 85/0 BC. BAΣIΛΩΣ EΠIΦANOYΣ ΣΩTHPOΣ ΠOΛYΞENOY, diademed and draped bust to right / 'Maharajasa prakachasa tratarasa Palasinasa' in Kharosthi, Athena Alkidemos standing to left, wielding thunderbolt and shield; monogram to left. Bopearachchi 1A = Mitchiner 298a; Bopearachchi & Rahman 471 and supp. II, 6; SNG ANS -; HGC 12, 386; CNG MB 70, 474. 9.64g, 25mm, 12h.
Near Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; the sixth recorded example after those attested to in the Bopearachchi & Rahman catalogue and the example auctioned by CNG in 2005.
From the Rubellite Collection.
The reverse of this coin immediately identifies its obverse subject, Polyxenos Epipahnes Soter, as part of the dynasty of Indo-Greek kings established by Menander I Soter, who was the first ruler of this region to represent Athena Alkidemos on his coinage, a practice that was adopted by several of his successors. It is highly likely that Menander himself had borrowed the iconography from earlier Macedonian kings such as Antigonus II Gonatas and Philip V, who had featured Athena Alkidemos wielding a thunderbolt on the reverse of their tetradrachms back in the late 4th – early 3rd centuries BC.
The divine epithet 'Alkidemos', literally meaning 'Defender or Protector of the People', is only mentioned once in the surviving literary record in relation to Athena by the Roman writer Livy in book XLII of his History of Rome. In this particular episode he recounts the discussions of King Perseus of Macedon with his advisors as to whether or not to make war with Rome, discussions which take place at Pella, the ancient city of Macedonia and birthplace of Alexander the Great. Livy tells us that, having determined that war was the only noble course of action, Perseus "himself offered a sacrifice of one hundred victims in regal style to Minerva whom they call 'Defender of the Folk'" (XLII.51.2) before setting out on campaign. This brief reference, coupled with the extensive numismatic evidence from Macedonian rulers, has led scholars to conclude that Athena Alkidemos was the tutelary goddess of the city of Pella and was, therefore, implicitly linked with Alexander himself in antiquity. In that context it could be argued that, in appropriating the image of Athena Alkidemos, Menander and subsequent Indo-Greek kings were drawing parallels between themselves and the Macedonian dynasty. The Greco-Baktrian king Agathokles had a century before been more explicit in shoehorning himself into a line of succession that could be traced back to Alexander himself, by issuing 'pedigree' coins that employed the name and types of Alexander (Bopearachchi 12B).
While the goddess also appears in a similar form on coins of Ptolemy (a ruler who notably struck coins in the name of Alexander), Agnes Baldwin Brett notes that there is a distinct difference between the Athena that appears on Ptolemaic coinage, often confused with the Athena Alkidemos on Macedonian and Indo-Greek issues, in that on the former she is invariably holding a spear, whereas on both the latter she "always hurls a thunderbolt" (Brett, A.B., 1950. ATHENA ΑΛΚΙ∆ΗΜΟΣ OF PELLA. Museum Notes (American Numismatic Society), 4, p.57). This assessment further underpins the argument that the depiction of Athena in this guise on the coins of Menander I and his successors like Strato and Polyxenos was a deliberate attempt to cast themselves as the successors to Alexander the Great in his conquering of North West India.
Near Extremely Fine. Extremely Rare; the sixth recorded example after those attested to in the Bopearachchi & Rahman catalogue and the example auctioned by CNG in 2005.
From the Rubellite Collection.
The reverse of this coin immediately identifies its obverse subject, Polyxenos Epipahnes Soter, as part of the dynasty of Indo-Greek kings established by Menander I Soter, who was the first ruler of this region to represent Athena Alkidemos on his coinage, a practice that was adopted by several of his successors. It is highly likely that Menander himself had borrowed the iconography from earlier Macedonian kings such as Antigonus II Gonatas and Philip V, who had featured Athena Alkidemos wielding a thunderbolt on the reverse of their tetradrachms back in the late 4th – early 3rd centuries BC.
The divine epithet 'Alkidemos', literally meaning 'Defender or Protector of the People', is only mentioned once in the surviving literary record in relation to Athena by the Roman writer Livy in book XLII of his History of Rome. In this particular episode he recounts the discussions of King Perseus of Macedon with his advisors as to whether or not to make war with Rome, discussions which take place at Pella, the ancient city of Macedonia and birthplace of Alexander the Great. Livy tells us that, having determined that war was the only noble course of action, Perseus "himself offered a sacrifice of one hundred victims in regal style to Minerva whom they call 'Defender of the Folk'" (XLII.51.2) before setting out on campaign. This brief reference, coupled with the extensive numismatic evidence from Macedonian rulers, has led scholars to conclude that Athena Alkidemos was the tutelary goddess of the city of Pella and was, therefore, implicitly linked with Alexander himself in antiquity. In that context it could be argued that, in appropriating the image of Athena Alkidemos, Menander and subsequent Indo-Greek kings were drawing parallels between themselves and the Macedonian dynasty. The Greco-Baktrian king Agathokles had a century before been more explicit in shoehorning himself into a line of succession that could be traced back to Alexander himself, by issuing 'pedigree' coins that employed the name and types of Alexander (Bopearachchi 12B).
While the goddess also appears in a similar form on coins of Ptolemy (a ruler who notably struck coins in the name of Alexander), Agnes Baldwin Brett notes that there is a distinct difference between the Athena that appears on Ptolemaic coinage, often confused with the Athena Alkidemos on Macedonian and Indo-Greek issues, in that on the former she is invariably holding a spear, whereas on both the latter she "always hurls a thunderbolt" (Brett, A.B., 1950. ATHENA ΑΛΚΙ∆ΗΜΟΣ OF PELLA. Museum Notes (American Numismatic Society), 4, p.57). This assessment further underpins the argument that the depiction of Athena in this guise on the coins of Menander I and his successors like Strato and Polyxenos was a deliberate attempt to cast themselves as the successors to Alexander the Great in his conquering of North West India.