Kushan Empire, Soter Megas, Bronze Tetradrachm - c. 80 to 90 CE - Ancient India

Kushan Empire tetradrachms, minted from the 1st to 4th centuries BCE, notably blend Indian and Hellenistic artistic elements, reflecting the empire's adoption of Greek culture. Originally part of the Yuezhi, a confederation of Indo-European tribes from northwestern China, the Kushans migrated westward after displacement by the Xiongnu around 176-160 BCE. The name "Kushan" derives from the Chinese term "guishang." The coins typically feature a royal bust with radiating rays on the obverse and a horse-mounted deity on the reverse, often inscribed with the Greek title “Soter Megas” or "Great Savior." These inscriptions do not specify a ruler, leading to scholarly debate over whether they represent Kujula Kadphises, the empire's founder, or his successor, Vima Takto. The design continued under Vima Takto's long reign either to maintain currency standardization or as a signature of his rule. The Soter Megas coins showcase the Kushan Empire's rich cultural amalgam of Greek, Iranian, and Indi