★ An interesting bilingual tetradrachm from Bukhara ★

LOCAL ISSUES, Sogdiana. Bukhara. Late 2nd to 1st centuries BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 27 mm, 8.86 g, 11 h), imitating Euthydemos I of Baktria (225-220 BC). Diademed head of Euthydemos I to right. Rev. [B]AΣIΛ[EΩ]Σ - 𐡌𐡋𐡊 𐡊𐡁 (?) ('mlk' kb' in Aramaic) Herakles seated left on rock, placing his right hand on club set his on right leg and leaning left on rocky seat. Alram 1220. HGC 12, 500. MIG 481. Senior A18.3T. Very rare. A lightly toned example of expressive style. Light scratches on the obverse, otherwise, good very fine.

This very interesting issue duplicates the Greek title BAΣΙΛΕΩΣ, 'king', by the Aramaic 'mlk''. Unfortunately, the reading of the rest of the legend is unclear and we do not know if 'kb' (?) was the name of a local ruler or if it had a different meaning.