CIMRM 6

TNMM 810 ↔ CIMRM 6

Gold coin. Gardner, 142 No. 54 and Pl. XXVIII, 4; MMM II 187 No. If and fig. 6. o b v.: Bust of Hooerkes. Rev.: M I I PO. Mithras dressed in tunic. Holding a lance with his l.h. and a sword with his r.h. Round his head nimbus and radiate crown. In front of him a character. Rim of pearls. Thus on the coins of the Scythian kings Kanerkes and Hooerkes reigning in North-West of India from 87-129 A.D., Mithras is represented as a solar deity with nimbus and radiate crown, but also as a war-god with lance and sword. The fact that on one of the coins described a goddess is represented with a cornucopia can hardly be explained by assuming, that Mithras was represented here in the shape of a woman (Cumont), but in all probability the personification of fertility (see index s.v. Fortuna), of which Mithras is the giver, has been depicted here. It is remarkable that Mithras is also represented together with the lunar deity. Compare for these coins moreover: von Sallet, Die Nach/olger Alexanders des Grossen in Bactrien und Indien. Berlin 1879, 202ff; A. Stein, Zoroastrian Deities on Indo-- Scythian Coins (Babylonian and Oriental Record). London 1887. For the Mithras-cult with the Scythians: Scheftolowitz in Acta Orientalia 1933,293; M. Gibellino in Bericht 6. Arch. Kongress, Berlin 1939, 367ff).