Lands of Asia layouts (Eng) 26.11.21

2 .5
between 0.6 and 3.0 grams, which apparently points to the existence of different
denominations (hemi-oboli and oboli).
In Bukhara itself and in adjacent areas, large silver coins – ‘tetradrachms’ weighing
9–11 grams – were being minted, indicating a departure from comparable prototypes
both in terms of weight standards and iconography: the ‘portrait’ of Euthydemus was
replaced by the image of a local ruler, and the Greek legend by a Sogdian one.
Thus, throughout this period, Sogdian markets were well supplied with both
small silver coins in various denominations and larger ones. Moreover, the smallest
silver coins weighing 0.3–0.6 grams replaced bronze coins that were not found here
and were used for small change, while large commercial transactions in Sogdia were
undertaken with ‘tetradrachms’ imitating Euthydemus coins.
The reasons for the absence of bronze coins in Sogdia, both in this and earlier
periods, remain unclear. The increasing number of discoveries of coin hoards
containing only ‘tetradrachms’ or only small silver coins points to the accumulation
of large sums of money by a particular segment of the Sogdian population.
The makeup of the coin supply in Sogdia and in Bactria during this period was
quite different in every respect, suggesting fundamental differences between the
dynasties and the polities of these regions. Bactria was a part of the Kushan kingdom,
while Sogdia was ruled by four independent dynasties during the same period, and
this was reflected in its coinage (imitations of Euthydemus tetradrachms, Hyrcodes
coins, coins depicting an archer, coins depicting Heracles and Zeus).
Important changes to coinage were also taking place in Khorezm: which was
experiencing a shift from the use of imitation coins to that of fully independent
coinage. The earliest stage of development of coin minting in Khorezm is represented
by group A coins. The coins belonging to this group clearly reflect the introduction
of new elements, such as the use of a Khorezmian royal tamga and the image of a
horseman instead of one of the Dioscuri on the reverse, with an image of the ruler
on the obverse. Altogether there are three sequential stages, which reflect the
development of Khorezmian coinage. The first stage of Group A coins – Group A I –
includes the earliest coin shown by V.M. Masson, which differs from the Eucratides
tetradrachm in such details as the image of a face on the obverse and the presence
of a royal Khorezmian tamga on the reverse. The next stage – Group A II coins – is
represented by the coins from the Samarkand Museum, which – according to B.I.
Vainberg – were minted using coins from Group A I as a model. Finally, coins from
Group A III contain some of the features of the previous groups, but they include
fundamentally new changes: the bust of a beardless king on the obverse, behind
whom is a schematic image of the goddess Nike crowning the king, and the image
of a horseman riding off to the right on the reverse. The Group A coins are made of
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