Buddhist faith. Menander II struck only Indian silver. These depict the king in diadem or helmet of the type of Menander I, with a number of reverses: a king on horseback, Nike and a sitting Zeus of the type of Antialkidas and Amyntas Nikator, but with an eight-spoked Buddhist wheel instead of the small elephant. His bronzes feature Athena standing, with spear and palm-branch, shield at her feet, making a benediction gesture with the right hand, similar to the Buddhist vitarka mudra. Other varieties feature a king performing the same gesture. On the reverse is a lion, symbol of Buddhism, as also seen on the pillars of the Mauryan King Ashoka. In general, the coins of Menander II are quite few, which tends to indicate a rather small rule. A contemporary king to represent the Buddhist lion on his coins is the Indo-Scythian king Maues, around 85 BC. References Further reading The Shape of Ancient Thought. Comparative studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies by Thomas McEvilley (Allworth Press and the School of Visual Arts, 2002) Buddhism in Central Asia by B.N. Puri (Motilal Banarsidass Pub, January 1, 2000) The Greeks in Bactria and India, W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press. External links Coin India gallery Coins of Menander II Indo-Greek kings 1st-century BC rulers in Asia Greek Buddhist monarchs Euthydemid dynasty