________________
9. COMING OF THOMAS
The back and front of the four coins gifted down by Thondachen
Thomas was commissioned by King Gondaphores of Taxila from where his ministry extended all over India. In fact the success of Thomas in India was much vaster and deeper than the success St.Paul had in Rome and Greece.
The Indo-Parthian kingdom with its capital at Kabul barely lasted one century. It started to fragment under Gondophares' successor Abdagases I. The eastern part was conquered by the Kushans around 75 CE.
00
Coin of Gondophares (20-50 CE),
king of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom. Obverse: Bust of Gondophares and Greek legend:
BACIAEQC CS2THPOC VNAOOEPPOV
"King Gondophares, the Saviour". Reverse: Winged Nike holding a diadem, with a Kharoshti legend: MAHARAJASA GUDAPHANISA
TRATARASA King Gondophores
201