Kushan coins collected by timeline

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My collecting story starts with my grandchildren. I hope at least one will take over my collection in  due time. Their mother was born in Uzbekistan when it was still a part of Russia. My grandchildren go there, have family there and they speak Russian. What my daughter-in-law knows about the history of what is now Uzbekistan is what the communists wanted her to know. In fact, I already know more about the history of the country than she does. I want my grandchildren to fare better.

Collecting the coins of a country throughout history is challenging. First, borders change. Second, there are masses of coins to collect, including many rarities. In the case of Uzbekistan, coins that are more than 100 years old may not be exported, though many of them are common. In my case, I don't have much time left.

My solution is timeline collecting. Catalogues are irrelevant when you collect by timeline. All that matters is your knowledge of history. You pick up what you can get, but concentrate your searches as if you are making a coin-illustrated history of the country. You start out with very large periods in time, like Hellenism, Islamisation, Islam, Russian occupation, independence. Next, you branch out. Alexander and Seleucids become separate chapters, Islam becomes a series of dynasties and so forth. As your collection grows, your timeline thickens.

A chapter that opened up recently is the Kushans. They are covered on WoC as an Indian subject, but to me, they are relevant in the history of Uzbekistan. I will prefer mints now in Uzbekistan, but not care much if the coin was struck in another part of their empire. I am aiming for one coin of each coin-issuing ruler. While the Western part of the empire was lost first, the Eastern part continued for a good while. Yet, I will try to cover also rulers that did not rule over what is now Uzbekistan, just because the coins appeal to me. I am not doing the same thing for Russian coins, except for those that appeal to me: commemoratives for people or events connected to Uzbekistan.

In this thread, I will show my Kushan coins. You will find better and more coins in museums and on WoC. It is my personal way of approaching an interesting part of Kushan history. That's why I plan to include some pictures of Toprak Kala, a fortified Kushan palace in Uzbekistan, contemporary with e.g Roman emperors Trajan and Hadrian. I was there in 2017.

Peter

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The history of the Kushans starts in China. They were probably a branche of the Yuezhi confederation, possible from Tokharia (now Xinjiang province). The Yuezhi were defeated by the Xiongnu in 176 BC. One group of survivors found its way to Sogdia, an area now centred on the Ferghana valley, largely in Uzbekistan. From there, they expanded to Bactria, the North of which is now the Uzbek heartland. The areas were lightly defended. The Greco Bactrian kingdoms, successors of the once mighty Seleucids, were divided, small and badly armed. Their strength was in trading, culture, creativity and fashion setting. Only the local Scythians were redoubtable horseman, but they were far too few in numbers to stop the Yuezhi.

Having found a new homeland, the Yuezhi started to subsume local cultures, traditions and religions. They were different from those in China, but at least as refined. Ironically, the Han seem to have sought out the Yuezhi for an alliance against the Xiongnu. It didn't work out. The Yuezhi were heavily influenced by Hellenistic art, they used Greek on their coins, adopted the Greek pantheon and the Bactrian language and clothing. They also started calling themselves Kushan.

The founder of the Kushan dynasty in central Asia is unknown. The earliest candidate is Sapadbizes, Yuezhi ruler from 20 to 1 BC. His coins are so rare I haven't a hope to be able to own one, even in bad state. Next in line is the Kushan king Heraios (1 BC to 30 AD). He may have been a separate person, but Joe Cribb, who is a renowned expert on Kushan coins has argued that it is another name for Kujula Kadphises (30-80). It is of course quite a possible scenario that in the years after the conquest of Bactria, the Kushans used the name of the Greco-Bactrian king Hermaios Soter. Incidentally, the dates are also still being discussed. Don't be surprised by different dates in different publications, including Wikipedia. Kujula Kadphises used the title of Soter Megas, great saviour.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Kujula Kadphises was succeeded by Vima Takto (80-100). He expanded the Kushan empire with northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China. His name was long unknown, but the Rabatak inscription showed that coins with the legend BASILEU BASILEUWN CWTYR MEGAC (King of Kings, Great Saviour) should be assigned to Vima Takto.

My coin is MACW 2981, tetradrachme, Kapisa mint, 21 mm, 8.31 grams, bronze, but so black that it may just have a very low silver content and is very difficult to photograph, all the more because of a high relief.

obv: Diademed and radiate (10 rays) bust of king right, holding spear, three-pronged tamgha behind
rev: Mounted king right, Three-pronged tamgha in right field; Greek legend BASILEU BASILEUWN CWTYR MEGAC ("King of Kings, Great Saviour") around.

Peter

[cmerc]

Thanks for starting this very nice thread, Peter! Do you intend this to be an exhibition of your Kushan coins journey, or are members allowed to add theirs as well? (I am happy to delete/move this post if you would like to keep your narrative continuous.)

My collecting story starts with my grandchildren. I hope at least one will take over my collection in  due time.

Thank you for sharing--also trying to get my daughters interested in coins. Never too early to start planning a multi-generational collection!

My solution is timeline collecting. Catalogues are irrelevant when you collect by timeline. All that matters is your knowledge of history. You pick up what you can get, but concentrate your searches as if you are making a coin-illustrated history of the country.

Agree! One can spend eternity chasing small hidden dots on coins that are otherwise identical. Personally, I gave up on that after years of doing exactly so.

He may have been a separate person, but Joe Cribb, who is a renowned expert on Kushan coins has argued that it is another name for Kujula Kadphises (30-80).

I have followed that argument as well, but find it hard to believe. The purpose of rulers, especially that of a fledgling empire, is to build a brand and establish reputation. Why would one switch names and designs completely in the middle of your reign? Sends the wrong signal in a pre-mass-media society. Plus, the portraits of Heraios and Kujula Kadphises look very different.

In another recent talk, Joe Crib suggests that the gods on Kushan gold are essentially a way to mark and track batches. The die studies presented as evidence are very thoroughly researched. However, imho, it is still difficult to fully accept this batch-marking idea, and believing that the iconography has no political or religious agenda.

but so black that it may just have a very low silver content

Wondering if any XRF measurements were ever done on Kushan coppers. John Deyell did some work on later Kushan/post-Kushan gold coins.

[Figleaf]

Thank you for sharing--also trying to get my daughters interested in coins. Never too early to start planning a multi-generational collection!

Be aware that for reasons far beyond my comprehension, an interest in numismatics tends to skip a generation, which is one reason why my hopes are on my granddaughters. Another thing I fail to understand is that women are vastly under-represented in numismatics.

I have followed that argument as well, but find it hard to believe. The purpose of rulers, especially that of a fledgling empire, is to build a brand and establish reputation. Why would one switch names and designs completely in the middle of your reign? Sends the wrong signal in a pre-mass-media society. Plus, the portraits of Heraios and Kujula Kadphises look very different.

There is a fine equilibrium between legitimacy and branding. There are several examples of Asian rulers caring about legitimacy first and turning to branding later. This is an interesting process, as numismatics tends to concentrate on rulers, ignoring people. If the need for legitimacy was urgent (unruly or divided people, a recent conquest), it would make sense to seek acceptance by linking with predecessors. I don't have indications on how far the Kushans were accepted by the locals, so I won't take sides in the debate.

In another recent talk, Joe Crib suggests that the gods on Kushan gold are essentially a way to mark and track batches. The die studies presented as evidence are very thoroughly researched. However, imho, it is still difficult to fully accept this batch-marking idea, and believing that the iconography has no political or religious agenda.
Wondering if any XRF measurements were ever done on Kushan coppers. John Deyell did some work on later Kushan/post-Kushan gold coins.

I evidently need to do some more thinking on this. Currently, I tend to see them as a legitimacy effort, not very different from how the Romans incorporated the gods of conquered nations into their own pantheon. I saw some trends in your talk (the number and origin of the deities) that seemed to confirm this.

Peter

[THCoins]

Nice idea for a thread !
Hope you allow me to throw in another specimen of Vima Takto. Unfortunately overcleaned, but does show some nice details also illustrating the variety of the potrait within this type:

[Figleaf]

That's a brilliant addition, TH! Hard to believe my coin has a similar amount of detail. Am a bit busy with the grand event today, but will revert to this thread soon.

Peter

[Saikat]

My coin is MACW 2981, tetradrachme, Kapisa mint, 21 mm, 8.31 grams, bronze, but so black that it may just have a very low silver content and is very difficult to photograph, all the more because of a high relief.

May I suggest to use a strong light source at an oblique angle? The high ridges will be illuminated to white and that will create a contrast on the black surface.
Saikat

[Figleaf]

Thank you, Saikat. I used evening light, turning the coin to find an optimal angle, strengthening contrast and lightening. The problem is the legend. Good parts of the legend are readable if you hold the coin just right, but it's impossible to get it right on a picture. Had an even worse problem with black plastic tokens. Our eyes can still beat a camera

Peter

[Figleaf]

During the reign of Vima Kadphises, the Greek legends started to become corrupted. Gold coins were introduced. Their iconography is far superior to that of the copper coins, but they are outside my budget until I can no longer resist one. They are intriguing also because the Kushan gold coins are close to the standard of Roman gold coins. The gold coins are a clear indication that the Kushan were becoming an intermediary in China's trade with the West, including the Roman empire.

Vima Kadphises expanded the Kushan territory into present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kushan trade with India is attested to by the appearance of Shiva on the coins.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Kanishka (c.127-152 AD) is best known for expanding the Kushan lands. See map below (By PHGCOM - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2110032). These conquests significantly changed the nature of the Kushan empire. They were no longer raiding warlords with an economy based on wheeling and dealing and a culture that was of a conquered land. They became a political and economic power by themselves as well as a conduit of Asian culture. A direct road from Gandhara to China remained under Kushan control for more than a century, encouraging travel across the Karakoram and facilitating the spread of Mahayana Buddhism to China. The Kushan dynasty had diplomatic contacts with the Roman Empire, Sasanian Persia, the Aksumite Empire and the Han dynasty of China. The Kushan Empire was at the center of trade relations between the Roman Empire and China.

Kushan copper coins changed radically under Kanishka. The most obvious change was that the Kushan pantheon expanded radically to include deities from all parts of the empire. There are several theories on what these reverses signify. Personally, I think the Kushans were just imitating the Romans, who also enlisted the gods of conquered tribes into their own religion, with gods with the same function working side by side under different names. In the Roman empire, Roman Jupiter, Greek Zeus and Syrian Sol covered the same ground. In the Kushan empire, Greek Helios and Iranian Mithras shared honours. The god on my coin, Αθþο (athsho, Atar) originates in Zoroastrianism and is the god of fire. The fire altar is also Zoroastrian.

Tetradrachm, 26mm, 17.34 grams. Mint of Taxila or Pushkalavati. Mitchiner ACW 3082-3083.

Obv: King in long mantle, Bactrian trousers and boots standing left beside fire altar, holding trident. Bactrian legend PAC KANHPKI
Rev: Nimbate Athsho standing left, wearing a long cape and holding a wreath, AΘþO in the right field, tamgha in the left field.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Huvishka (152 - 180) is known for being a period of consolidation and peace for the Empire. It sounds good, but the economic picture modify the image. His reign saw a number of significant devaluations of the copper coins, going from around 15 via 11 to 8.5 gram. My coin adheres to the first standard. I will soon want a coin of the other two standards. The most obvious reason would be overspending.

Huvishka moved his capital to Mathura, now in Uttar Pradesh (see map above). He may have found it difficult to keep up with the rich neighbours and found appearances more important than the army. Another opportunity for largesse was his interest in Buddhism. He is known to have fixed up temples and donated to them. The gold coins of Huvishka are plentiful and of an admirable quality. One suspects that Huvishka could attract top artists to his capital - with money. The locations of his mints were mainly in Balkh and Peshawar, with smaller mints in Kashmir and Mathura.

Mao is a minor Zoroastrian deity, Mah (Old Persian Maha), the goddess of the moon. Sun and moon are important religious symbols in Bactria, but also in other cultures.

Tetradrachm, Taxila or Pushkalavati mint. 25mm, 12.77 grams. MACW 3213.

obv: King riding elephant right, holding lance, PAONANA PAO OOhpKE NOPANO
rev: Mao standing left, large crescent on her shoulders, MAO in the right field, tamgha in the left field.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Vasu Deva had the difficult task of combining the strength of Kanishka with the cultural prowess of Huvishka. His coins say he failed on the financial side. His coppers are lightweight and crudely cut and struck, inspired by the coins of Kanishka.

On the cultural side, Vasu Deva reduced Huvishka's pantheon to Oesho (Vishnu) with Nandi and had himself pictured next to a fire altar, turning the dazzling number of different designs under Huvishka to one basic type.

Vasu Deva was the last Kushan ruler to be mentioned in Chinese sources. During his reign, Bactria and its mint in Balkh fell to the Sassanid Ardashir I, breaking the connection between the Kushan and Chinese empires. At this point, the Kushan leave the history of Uzbekistan. They would carry on for another century, but as an Indian state, waiting for the Kidarite Huns to take over.

My timeline approach allows me to continue with the Sassanids and at the same time acquire coins of some of the later Kushan rulers. After all, I am not out to write a catalog, I want an illustrated history book for my granddaughters.

Stater, Taxila or Pushpapura (Patna) mint 19.9-22.1 mm, 8.5 grams. MACW 3470.

obv: king standing, facing, in long coat, trousers and boots, holding trident, reaching for fire altar below another trident. PAONANA PAO ВAЭAh NOPANO
rev: Oesho standing, holding trident, in front of Nandi, tamgha in right field.

Peter

[Figleaf]

Kanishka II (c.225-245 AD) is usually blamed for letting the Kushan power go into a terminal decline. I think it is more realistic to say he couldn't reverse the decline set in under Huvishka. His options were few. The loss of Bactria greatly undermined the commercial power of the Kushan, while strengthening that of the Sassanids.

Ardoksho is originally an Iranian fertility goddess. The Kushan turned her into a symbol of happiness, wealth and good luck. Since Oesho and Ardoksho are now the only deities remaining on Kushan coins, they may have been considered partners.

Stater, Taxila mint, 20mm, 8.32 grams. MACW 3512.

obv: King standing, crude partial legend in Greek naming the King, control mark "Vi" in Karoshti in right field.
rev: Ardoksho facing, seated within a dotted border.

Peter

[Figleaf]

As if the threat of the Sassanids wasn't enough, the Gupta empire started making inroads into the Kushan lands. Three rulers succeeded rapidly in the years c.245-300: Vasisha (ca.247-267 AD), Kanishka III (ca.268 AD) and Vasu Deva II (ca.268-300 AD). Vasu Deva II was probably a local ruler in the area of Taxila, in western Punjab only, under the suzerainty of the Gupta Empire. The coins remained virtually unchanged compared with those of Kanishka II, apart from slight differences in the style of the clothes and a declining weight. The development of Kushan culture had come to a halt. The weight is an indication that my coin is likely to have been produced late in this period.

Stater, Taxila mint, 22mm, 4.22 grams. MACW 3524-3525.

obv: King standing
rev: Ardoksho seated within a dotted border.

Peter