Kartikeyar: made

2025-11-24T22:35:06Z

made

New page

{{short description|None}}

Within the [[Indo-Greek Kingdom]] there were over 30 kings, often in competition on different territories. Many of them are only known through their coins.

Many of the dates, territories, and relationships between Indo-Greek kings are tentative and essentially based on [[numismatic]] analysis (find places, overstrikes, monograms, metallurgy, styles), a few [[classical antiquity|Classical]] writings, and Indian writings and epigraphic evidence. The following list of kings, dates and territories after the reign of [[Demetrius I of Bactria|Demetrius]] is derived from the latest and most extensive analysis on the subject, by [[Osmund Bopearachchi]] ("Monnaies Gréco-Bactriennes et Indo-Grecques, Catalogue Raisonné", 1991).

==Eastern territories==
The descendants of the [[Greco-Bactrian]] king [[Euthydemus I|Euthydemus]] invaded northwestern India around 180 BC as far as the Punjab.

[[File:DemetriusCoin.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Demetrius I of Bactria|Demetrius I]], founder of the Indo-Greek kingdom (r.c. 205-171 BC).]]
* '''[[Demetrius I of Bactria|Demetrius I]]''' (reigned c. 200–170 BC) Son of [[Euthydemus I]]. [[Greco-Bactrian]] king [http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/demetrios/t.html Coins]

The territory ruled by Demetrius, from [[Bactria]] to [[Taxila]], was then separated between western and eastern parts, and ruled by several sub-kings and successor kings. The Western part made of Bactria was ruled by a succession of [[Greco-Bactrian]] kings until the end of the reign of [[Heliocles]] around 130 BCE. The Eastern part, made of the [[Paropamisadae]], [[Arachosia]], [[Gandhara]] and [[Punjab region|Punjab]], perhaps as far as [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]], was ruled by a succession of kings, called "Indo-Greek":

===Territories of [[Paropamisadae]] to [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]] (house of [[Euthydemus I|Euthydemus]])===

* '''[[Agathocles of Bactria|Agathocles]]''' (190-180 BC) [http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/agathokles/t.html Coins]
* '''[[Pantaleon]]''' (190-185 BC)
* '''[[King Apollodotus I|Apollodotus I]]''' (reigned c. 180–160 BC)
* '''[[Antimachus II]]''' Nikephoros (160-155 BC)
[http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Antimachos+II&Thumb=1 Coins]
* '''[[Demetrius II of India|Demetrius II]]''' (155-150 BC)

The usurper [[Eucratides]] managed to eradicate the Euthydemid dynasty and occupy territory as far as the [[Indus River]], between 170 and 145 BCE. Eucratides was then murdered by his son, thereafter [[Menander I]] seems to have regained all of the territory as far west as the [[Hindu-Kush]]

===Territory from [[Hindu-Kush]] to [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]] (150 - 125 BCE)===

* '''[[Menander I]]''' (reigned c. 150–125 BC). Successor to Apollodotus. Married to Agathocleia. Legendary for the size of his Kingdom, and his support of the Buddhist faith. [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Menander+I&Thumb=1 Coins]
* '''[[Agathokleia]]''' (r.c. 130-125 BCE), Probably widow of [[Menander I|Menander]], Queen-Mother and regent for her son [[Strato I]]. [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Agathokleia+NOT+Menander&Thumb=1 Coins]

After the death of Menander I, his successors seem to have been pushed back east to [[Gandhara]], losing the [[Paropamisadae]] and [[Arachosia]] to a Western Indo-Greek kingdom. Some years later the Eastern kings probably had to retreat even further, to Western Punjab.

===Territory from [[Gandhara]]/Western [[Punjab region|Punjab]] to [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]] (125 - 100 BC)===

* '''[[Strato I]]''' (125 - 110 BC) [http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/strato_I/SNGANS_996.jpg Coin], son of [[Menander the Just|Menander]] and [[Agathokleia]]
* '''[[Heliokles II]]''' (110 - 100 BC) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Heliokles+II+NOT+Menander&Thumb=1 Coins]
The following minor kings who ruled parts of the kingdom:
*'''[[Polyxenios]]''' (c. 100 BC - possibly in Gandhara)
* '''[[Demetrius III Aniketos|Demetrius III]]''' Aniketos (c. 100 BC).

After around 100 BCE, Indian kings recovered the area of [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]] and Eastern Punjab east of the [[Ravi River]], and started to mint their own coins.

The Western king [[Philoxenios|Philoxenus]] briefly occupied the whole remaining Greek territory from the Paropamisadae to Western Punjab between 100 and 95 BC, after what the territories fragmented again. The eastern kings regained their territory as far west as Arachosia.

During the 1st century BC, the Indo-Greeks progressively lost ground against the invasion of the [[Indo-Scythian]]s, until the last king [[Strato II]] ended his ruled in Eastern Punjab around 10 CE.

===Territory of [[Arachosia]] and [[Gandhara]] (95-70 BCE)===

* '''[[Amyntas Nikator]]''' (95 - 90 BC) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Amyntas+AND+bakt+NOT+Egypt&Thumb=1 Coins]
* '''[[Peukolaos]]''' (c. 90 BC)
* '''[[Menander II]]''' Dikaios "The Just" (90 - 85 BCE) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Menander+II&Thumb=1 Coins]
* '''[[Archebios]]''' (90 - 80 BC) (with western Punjab) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Archebios+NOT+oriental&Thumb=1 Coins]
* ('''[[Maues]]'''), [[Indo-Scythian]] king.
* '''[[Artemidoros Aniketos|Artemidoros]]''' (c.80 BC) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Artemidoros+AND+Bakt&Thumb=1 Coins].
* '''[[King Telephos|Telephos]]''' (75 - 70 BC) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Telephos+AND+serpent&Thumb=1 Coins]

===Territory of Western [[Punjab region|Punjab]] (95-55 BC)===
[[File:Coin of Hippostratos.jpg|thumb|200px|Tetradrachm of '''Hippostratus''', reigned circa 65-55 BCE.]]
* '''[[Epander]]''' (95 - 90 BC) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Epander&Thumb=1 Coins]
* '''[[Archebios]]''' (90 - 80 BC) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Archebios+NOT+oriental&Thumb=1 Coins]
* ('''[[Maues]]'''), [[Indo-Scythian]] king
* '''[[Thraso]]''' (around 80 BC or earlier)
* '''[[Apollodotus II]]''' (80 - 65 BC) (with Eastern Punjab) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Apollodotus+II&Thumb=1 Coins]
* '''[[Hippostratos]]''' (65 - 55 BC) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Hippostratos&Thumb=1 Coins], defeated by the [[Indo-Scythian]] King [[Azes I]].
* ('''[[Azes I]]'''). [[Indo-Scythian]] king.

Around 80 BCE, parts of Eastern Punjab were regained again:

===Territories of Eastern [[Punjab region|Punjab]] (80 BC - 10 AD)===

* '''[[Apollodotus II]]''' (80 - 65 BCE)[http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Apollodotus+II&Thumb=1 Coins]
* '''[[King Dionysios|Dionysios]]''' (65 - 55 BC)
* '''[[Zoilos II]]''' (55 - 35 BC)
* '''[[Apollophanes]]''' (35-25 BC)
* '''[[Strato II]]''' (25 BC - 10 AD) [http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sg/sg7728.jpg Coin]
* ('''[[Rajuvula]]'''), [[Indo-Scythian]] king.

{{clear}}

==Western territories==
The following kings ruled the western parts of the Indo-Greek/Graeco-Bactrian realms, which are here referred to as the "Western kingdom". Probably after the death of Menander I, the Paropamisadae and Arachosia broke loose, and the Western kings eventually seem to have extended into [[Gandhara]] by the following kings. Several of its rulers are believed to have belonged to the house of [[Eucratides]].

===Territories of the [[Paropamisadae]], [[Arachosia]] and [[Gandhara]] (130 - 95 BC)===
[[File:HelioclesCoin.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Silver coin of [[Heliocles I|Heliocles]] (145-130 BC)]]
* '''[[Zoilos I]]''' (130 - 120 BC´), revolted against the dynasty of Menander.[http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=zoilos+I&Thumb=1 Coins]
* '''[[King Lysias|Lysias]]''' (120 - 110 BC), probably conquered Gandhara for the Western kingdom. [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Lysias&Thumb=1 Coins]
* '''[[Antialcidas]]''' (r.c. 115-95 BC) [http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/antialkidas/t.html Coins]
* '''[[Philoxenios|Philoxenus]]''' (reigned c. 100- 95 BCE) [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Philoxenus&Thumb=1 Coins]. Philoxenus ruled in western Punjab as well.

After the death of Philoxenus, the Western kingdom fragmented and never became dominating again. The following kings ruled mostly in the [[Paropamisadae]].



===Territory of the [[Paropamisadae]] (95-70 BC)===
* '''[[King Diomedes|Diomedes]]''' (95 - 90 BC)[http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/diomedes/Bop_10A.jpg Coin]
* '''[[Theophilos (king)|Theophilos]]''' (c. 90 BC) [http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/theophilos/Bop_5.jpg Coin]
* '''[[King Niciuas|Nicias]]''' (reigned c. 90–85 BC
* '''[[King Hermaeus|Hermaeus]]''' (reigned c. 90–70 BC).
*('''[[Yuezhi]]''' rulers)

The Yuezhi probably then took control of the Paropamisadae after Hermaeus. The first documented Yuezhi prince, [[Sapadbizes]], ruled around 20 BCE, and minted in Greek and in the same style as the western Indo-Greek kings, probably depending on Greek mints and celators. The Yuezhi expanded to the east during the 1st century CE, to found the [[Kushan Empire]]. The first Kushan emperor [[Kujula Kadphises]] ostensibly associated himself with [[King Hermaeus|Hermaeus]] on his coins, suggesting that he may have been one of his descendants by alliance, or at least wanted to claim his legacy.
{{clear}}

==Indo-Greek princelets (Gandhara)==
After the [[Indo-Scythian]] Kings became the rulers of northern India, remaining Greek communities were probably governed by lesser Greek rulers, without the right of coinage, into the 1st century CE, in the areas of the Paropamisadae and Gandhara:

* '''[[Theodamas]]''' (c. 1st century CE) Indo-Greek ruler of the Bajaur area, northern Gandhara.

The Indo-Greeks may have kept a significant military role towards the 2nd century CE as suggested by the inscriptions of the [[Satavahana]] kings.

== See also ==

[[Category:Indo-Greeks]]
[[Category:Greek timelines|Indo-Greek kingdoms]]

Timeline of Indo-Greek kingdoms - Revision history

Kartikeyar: made