Cleveland Museum of Art

Coin of Demetrios, I (obverse)

Date

200–190 BCE

Medium

silver

Culture

Afghanistan, Greco-Bactria, Demetrios I (c. 200–180 BCE)

Department

Indian and Southeast Asian Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Demetrios I (222–180 BC) ruled the Indo-Greek kingdom of Bactria from 200 to 180 BC and minted this coin to commemorate his conquests over territories to the south, in present-day Pakistan. He linked his image on his coin to Alexander of Macedon (356–323 BC), who depicted himself with a lion scalp after his conquest of India; Demetrios substituted an elephant for the lion. On the reverse is Hercules, also identified with Alexander.

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