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Telephus Euergetes

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File:TelepheCoin.jpg
Bronze coin of king Telephos.
Obv: Zeus seated on a throne, scepter in left hand, forming a benediction gesture with the right hand, similar to the Buddhist vitarka mudra. Greek legend: BASILEOS EUERGETOY TILEFOY
Rev: Squatting man in tunic, with pointed cap, holding a spear on the left shoulder, right hand forward. Kharoshthi legend: MAHARAJASA KALAKRAMASA TELIPHASA.

Telephos Euergetes, "the Benefactor", was a late Indo-Greek king who seem to have been one of the weak and brief successors of Maues. Bopearachchi dates Telephos between 75-70 BCE and places him in Gandhara, Senior to circa 60 BCE and suggests that he ruled in some parts of Pushkalavati or even further west.

Nothing is known about his dynastic connections. His few coins are rather singular and none of them bear his likeness, a rare occurrence in Indo-Greek coinage. Despite his Greek name, Telephos might therefore have been a ruler of Saka origin. His epithet was also unprecedented.

Coins of Telephos

The silver of Telephos is rare and mostly consists of drachms; only a single tetradrachm is known. On the Greek side is a serpent-footed monster holding the stems of two plants, and on the Kharosthi side two deities that probably should be identified with Helios and Selene, the sun and moon. Both types were unique in the area, though the monster would later appear on bronzes of Hippostratos.

An example of one of his bronzes is seen above, The obverse is the common type of sitting Zeus making a benediction gesture, whereas on the reverse is the unique type of a squatting man holding what on some specimens looks like a spear, on others a palm branch.

Telephos used only two monograms, which he inherited from Maues.

Overstrikes

Telephos overstruck the earlier king Archebius.


Preceded by:
Indo-Scythian king
Maues
Indo-Greek Ruler
(Gandhara)
(75-70 BCE).
Succeeded by:
Indo-Scythian king'
Azes I

See also

References

  • "The Greeks in Bactria and India", W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press.
  • "The Coin types of the Indo-Greek Kings 256-54 BCE", A.K. Narain