The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 21, 2026

Two circular views show a silver coin. On the left, a relief portrait depicts a man in profile facing right, wearing an elephant-skin headdress with trunk and tusks. On the right, a nude male figure stands centered, holding a club and pelt in his left hand while touching his head. Greek lettering and a monogram border the figure. Fine carving highlights the leather's heavy texture and the figure's defined musculature.

Tetradrachm Coin of Demetrios I

200–190 BCE

Afghanistan, Bactria, Indo-Greek

silver
Diameter: 3.3 cm (1 5/16 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 1999.318
Location: Not on view

Description

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.
  • ?–1999
    (Spink & Son, Ltd., London, England, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1999–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Tetradrachm Coin of Demetrios I|url=false|author=|year=200–190 BCE|access-date=21 April 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1999.318