The destruction of Seleucid authority in Iran left behind a series of kingdoms - some Greek, others not. Lying to the east of Media Atropatene and Parthia, the two chief non-Greek kingdoms in Iran, was the Greek kingdom of Bactria. Although now cut off from the rest of the Greek world, it survived well into the second half of the second century BC. Its rulers are best known from the splendid coins which they left behind, but besides that are commonly little more than names. The last ruler of Bactria who is certainly dated is Euthydemus whom Antiochus III Megas in 206 compelled to acknowledge Seleucid sovereignty. Euthydemus had a son, Demetrius, to whom Antiochus III planned to give a daughter of his in marriage. After his father’s death (which actuarially ought to fall in the second or third decade of the second century BC) Demetrius carried out far-ranging campaigns including into India (Strab. XI 11,1, p. 516). Coins of a Demetrius - apostrophized on later so-called commemorative coins of another king called Agathocles as “invincible” - who bears a strong family resemblance to Euthydemus, appear to belong to about the right time (see Figure 25.1). Other kings of Bactria who are associated with this dynasty are known from their coins only: Agathocles, Pantaleon, Antimachus, and a second Euthydemus. Some may have been co-regents or vassal kings as there seems not enough time to allow them
Figure 25.1 Coins with portraits of Demetrius of Bactria. a) Bopearachchi, series 1 of Demetrius I. The legend on the reverse (not shown) reads “of King Demetrius”; b) (Bopearachchi, series 17 of Agathocles) is a so-called commemorative coin, minted after Demetrius’ reign. The legend on the reverse (not shown) reads “of King Agathocles the Just”; the legend on the obverse (shown) reads “of Demetrius the Invincible.” Source: a) Uploadalt, Http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/File:Demetrius_I_MET_coin. jpg (accessed 12th February 2013) CC BY-SA 3.0; b) PHGCOM, Http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/File:Agathokle SCoinOfDemetriusAniketos. JPG (accessed 12th February 2013) CC BY-SA 3.0
All to reign consecutively without postulating unusually turbulent times for the dynasty.
Eucratides became King of Bactria around the same time as Mithridates I became King of Parthia (circa 171) (Just. XLI 6). Based on the portrait on his coins (see Figure 25.2), he did not belong to the same family as Euthydemus and Demetrius, and it is not clear how he came to power. According to Justin (XLI 6) Eucratides waged war successfully against a “Demetrius, King of the Indians.” It is unclear if this Demetrius is the same as the son of Euthydemus; or a son of this Demetrius; or a completely different person. At some point, however, Greek dynasts established small kingdoms in northern India; the campaigns mentioned at Strab. XI 11,1, p. 516, as well as those which Eucratides himself carried out (Just. l. c.) provide the historical context for this.
According to Justin (l. c.), Eucratides was slain by his own son whom Justin does not name, but calls a co-regent. The date of Eucratides’ assassination is unknown, but given his alleged success in wars and his splendid and extensive coinage, he should have had a long reign. Several kings of Bactria who appear to be relatives of Eucratides are known from their coins: Plato, Heliocles, and a second Eucratides. Thereafter the Bactrian kingdom apparently succumbed in the second half of the second century BC, allegedly after the entrance into Bactria of nomadic tribes from the north (Strab. XI 8,2, p. 511).
Figure 25.2 Coin of Eucratides (Bopearachchi, series 6 of Eucratides I); the legend on the reverse is “of King Eucratides the Great.” Source: © The Trustees of the British Museum
The Greek dynasts who had arisen in northern India following the campaigns there by Demetrius and Eucratides lasted about a century and a half longer. Strabo (XI 11,1, p. 516) speaks of a particularly successful one, Menander, who was alleged to have crossed even the River Hyphasis where Alexander the Great had been forced to turn back. Numerous coins of this king survive (Bopearachchi 1991, plates 26-32) on which he used the epithet “Soter” (savior). The Indian form of his name was Milinda, and he figures in the Indian philosophical dialogue The Questions of King Milinda. The remaining Indo-Greek dynasts are little more than names gleaned from their coins. Where their coins were found provides the best evidence for these kings’ territories and the external date of their coinage the evidence for when, approximately, they reigned (see Bopear-achchi 1991).
World History
