Antialcidas Nikephoros (Ancient Greek: Ἀντιαλκίδας ὁ Νικηφόρος; epithet means "the Victorious", Brahmi: 𑀅𑀁𑀢𑀮𑀺𑀓𑀺𑀢𑀲 Aṃtalikitasa, in the Heliodorus Pillar) was a king of the Indo-Greek Kingdom, who reigned from his capital at Taxila.
Several later kings may have been related to Antialcidas: Heliokles II, Amyntas, Diomedes and Hermaeus all struck coins with similar features.
He issued a number of bilingual Indian silver types: diademed, wearing a helmet with bull's horns or a flat kausia.
This was interpreted by Tarn and other earlier scholars as though the two kings might have forged some kind of alliance, but later, a bronze with the opposite arrangement was found.
Modern scholarship has however largely accepted that what was originally supposed to be a "joint issue" was in fact a mule; in other words, a mistake occurred in the process of overstriking the original coin, and it was accidentally issued with both king's standards.
Silver tetradrachm of King Antialcidas.
Obv:
Bust of Antialcidas wearing
aegis
and holding a spear, with Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ ΑΝΤΙΑΛΚΙΔΟΥ "Of Victorious King Antialcidas".
Rev:
Zeus
with lotus-tipped sceptre, in front of an elephant with a bell (symbol of
Taxila
), surmouted by
Nike
holding a wreath, crowning the elephant.
Kharoshti
legend: MAHARAJASA JAYADHARASA ANTIALIKITASA "Victorious King Antialcidas".
Pushkalavati
mint.
Inscription on the
Heliodorus pillar
made by Antialcidas' Ambassador Heliodorus in 110 BCE.
Silver
drachm
of King Antialcidas.
Obv:
Bust of Antialcidas wearing a helmet, with Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ ΑΝΤΙΑΛΚΙΔΟΥ "Of Victorious King Antialcidas".
Rev:
Seated
Zeus
holding sceptre, with
Nike
on his extended arm, holding out a wreath to a baby elephant with bell.
Kharoshti
legend: MAHARAJASA JAYADHARASA ANTIALIKITASA "Victorious King Antialcidas".
Silver coin of King Antialkidas in Attic weight. Obverse: Diademed King's portrait with Beotian Helmet facing right. Reverse: Zeus Nikephoros seated slightly left; to left, forepart of elephant left; monogram to inner right.
Silver coin of King Antialkidas in Attic weight.Obverse: Diademed and draped king's portrait facing right, wearing kausia.Reverse: Zeus Nikephoros seated slightly left; to left, forepart of elephant left; monogram to inner right.
Antialcidas wearing the
kausia
, with
Greek
legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ ΑΝΤΙΑΛΚΙΔΟΥ,
Basileōs Nikēphorou Antialkidou
, "Of Victorious King Antialcidas".
Japan Currency Museum
.