CIMRM 1 - Coins of Mithra, India

From: Coins of India.¹. Mithra is the figure on the right.

The source page gives a wide selection of the coins of Kanishka, with excellent commentary. The coins of Huvishka are here. These both include several gold coins depicting Mithra.

The CIMRM image:

Notes

Note that CIMRM 1 also exists in a version depicting Helios. The name of the deity changes, but the coin is otherwise identical.

Most of the coins of "Mithra" are similar to CIMRM 1.

A look at the coins of Huvishka indicates that CIMRM 2, supposedly of Mithra, is in fact a depiction of the goddess Ardochsho, goddess of plenty, with the wrong inscription. Compare it with the following image:

Cumont adds: "It is probable that the word 'MIORO', written on one side, is simply a mistake by the engraver."²

I was unable to locate a copy of CIMRM 3-6.

Here is Cumont's photographs of 7 coins:

Cumont introduces the coins as follows: "On the coins of the Scythian kings Kanerkes and Hooerkes, who reigned over Kabul and the North-West of India between 87 and 129 A.D., may be found the image of Mithra along with those of other Iranian, Greek or Hindu deities. Although the religious beliefs circulating in these remote countries certainly had no direct connection with the mysteries known in the west, the coin types deserve our entire attention: these are the only representations of Mithra found outside the Roman world."³

CIMRM entry

1. Gold coin. Gardner, Coins Bactria, 131 No. 19 and Pl. XXVI, 10; MMM II 185f No. 1a and fig. 1; Leipoldt, fig. I. See fig. 1a by kind permission of Mr. R. A. G. Carson. Obv.: Standing Kanerkes. Rev.: M I O P O. Mithras with nimbus and radiate crown to the left. Dressed in tunic and mantle. He holds his r.h. stretched out, the left arm akimbo. In front of him a character. Border of dots. 2 Gold coin. Gardner, 138 No. 20 and Pl. XXVII, 14; MMM II 186 No. 1b and fig. 2; Leipoldt, fig. 3. See fig. 1b. Obv.: Bust of Hooerkes. Rev.: M I O P O. Goddess with nimbus and radiate crown standing to the right. She wears a diadem in her hair. She holds a cornucopia with both hands. In front of her a character. Rim of pearls. 3 Gold coin. Gardner, 141 No. 41 and Pl. XXVII, 24; MMM 186 No. 1c with fig. 3; Leipoldt, fig. 4. See fig. 1c. Obv.: Bust of Hooerkes. Rev.: Standing bearded god with a Crescent behind his shoulders. Facing him a standing god with nimbus and radiate crown, holding a sceptre in his l.h. and stretching his r.h. out towards the lunar god. Behind the former god MAO, behind the latter MIIPO, between them a character. Rim of pearls. 4. Gold coin. Gardner, 141 No. 4 and Pl. XXVIII, 1; MMM II 186 No. 1d and fig. 4; Leipoldt, fig. 5. MOPO. Mithras standing to the left, wearing a tunic and a cuirass( ?). In his outstretched r.h. he holds a wreath with ribbons and in his l.h. a staff. In front of him a character. Rim of pearls. 5. Gold coin. Gardner, 142 No. 49 and Pl. XXVIII, 2; MMM II 186 No. 1e and fig. 5. Obv.: Bust of Hooerkes. Rev.: M I I P O. Standing Mithras in short tunic and cuirass(?). Nimbus and radiate crown round his head. In his l.h. a lance, in his r.h. a sword. In front of him a character. Rim of pearls. 6 Gold coin. Gardner, 142 No. 54 and Pl. XXVIII, 4; MMM II 187 No. 1f and fig. 6. Obv.: 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 Nackjolger 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).