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King Hyrca-Who From Sogdy-Where?

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Sap's Avatar
Australia
16868 Posts
 Posted 02/14/2014  07:37 am Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add Sap to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
I love a good mystery. If there's one coin type I can't resist from the dealer's display case, it's a coin from a king and country I've never heard of before. I know all the experts say "First the book, then the coin". But where's the fun in that?

This coin caught my eye at the same time as the much more expensive Septimus Severus denarius I just posted about. The dealer's description, as written on the 2x2, follows:

King-Hyrca-Who-From-Sogdy-Where?

"Ancient North-West India - King Hyrcodes of Sogdiana, small bronze (AE10). Bust facing right. Rev: two wrestlers (?). Circa 80-200 AD."

Now, I'd heard of "Sogdiana" as being the ancient name for the territory somewhere around where Uzbekistan is today. I was also aware of the mediaeval Chinese-style cash coins written in "Sogdian script". But I was unaware there were Greek-style "kings of Sogdiana" that issued coins in ancient times. Wildwinds mentions them in their master list of cities and states but has none on file. Zeno.ru has a dozen or so listed coins which seem to be a good match for my obverse, bot not my reverse. Even grifterrec, which is usually pretty good for these obscure central Asian pre-Islamic states, just lists a couple of the silver types. The Internet has failed me.

The dealer looked at it when I bought it and said "Ah, yes, that thing took me three hours to identify". But it's taking me much longer than that to try to verify this identity. Does anyone have any idea exactly where I might look to find others of this type, and a catalogue reference for it, if such exists?

Finally, the "wrestlers" look to me more like a very degenerated nymph-and-satyr design, as seen on several northwestern Greek city-state coins.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
Pillar of the Community
United States
3445 Posts
 Posted 02/14/2014  07:48 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add FVRIVS RVFVS to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I tend to agree about the 'wrestlers'. They seem to be facing in the same direction. Hmmmmmm

Something interesting is going on for sure
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sel_69l's Avatar
Australia
21788 Posts
 Posted 02/14/2014  08:31 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add sel_69l to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Sogdiana ia located in and area where modern Samarkand is found'
I found a Sogdianan coin (obol 0.3 grams), of 4th 5th century, unknown king, with a reference
'Zeimal pl.32.53'.

Another obol: ref.
'Senior A8.7ii'

Your ref. 'lists a couple of silver types',
references these to Mitchener.

COININDIA has a 'reduced AR drachm for sale, ref.
'MIG 671, Senior A10.2'.

It seems that next to nothing is known of this king, and coins may provide just about all that is known of him.

Perhaps this information may provide the start to a lead.
Edited by sel_69l
02/14/2014 09:05 am
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echizento's Avatar
United States
23731 Posts
 Posted 02/14/2014  08:35 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add echizento to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Interesting looking coin and one that I have not seen. Anoob is our expert in the Eastern obscure coin types hopefully he will be able to pin this coin down for you.
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Masis's Avatar
United Kingdom
946 Posts
 Posted 02/14/2014  09:31 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Masis to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
Ancient North-West India - King Hyrcodes of Sogdiana


That was not helpful giving you that description to go on.

Yes, North-West India got invaded numerous times from Central Asian tribes.

But "Sogdiana" is in Central Asia.

North-West India and Central Asia are two distinct geographical regions.

Geography lesson over.

Yes, in grifterrec.com, Hyrcodes comes across as a little known king.
King-Hyrca-Who-From-Sogdy-Where?

The portraits may show the artificial cranial deformation which was common amongst the Central Asian aristocracy, such as in the Da Yueh Chih and Dahe.
Edited by Masis
02/14/2014 09:33 am
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chrsmat71's Avatar
United States
4973 Posts
 Posted 02/14/2014  11:26 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add chrsmat71 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
that's a cool coin also, haven't seen anything quite like it.

grifterrec.com is such a great site. I heard that the guy who put that all together is very ill unfortunately.
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