Agathocles "the Just" was an Indo-Greek king, who reigned between around 190 and 180 BCE. He might have been a son of Demetrius and one of his sub-kings in charge of the Paropamisadae between Bactria and India. In that case, he was a grandson of Euthydemus whom he qualified as "God-King" on his coins. Maximum extent of Indo-Greek territory circa 175 BCE. The Indo-Greeks (or sometimes Greco-Indians) designate a series of Greek kings, who invaded and controlled parts of northwest and northern India from 180 BCE to around 10 BCE. They are the continuation of the Greco-Bactrian dynasty of Greek... Silver tetradrachm depicting the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius (r. ... The Paropamisadae is an ancient area of the Hindu-Kush, in the Eastern part of Afghanistan. ... Bactria, about 320 BC Bactria (Bactriana, Bākhtar in Persian, also Bhalika in Arabic and Indian languages, and Ta-Hia in Chinese) was the ancient Greek name of the country between the range of the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya (Oxus); its capital, Bactra or Balhika or Bokhdi (now... Coin depicting the Greco-Bactrian king Euthydemus (230-200 B.C.) Euthydemus was allegedly a native of Magnesia and possible Satrap of Sogdiana, who overturned the dynasty of Diodotus of Bactria and became a Greco-Bactrian king in about 230 BC according to Polybius. ...

Agathocles was contemporary with or a successor of king Pantaleon. He seems to have been attacked and killed by the usurper Eucratides, who took control of the Greco-Bactrian territory. Little is known about him, apart from his extensive coinage. Pantaleon (reigned c. ... King Eucratides (171-145 BC) Obv: Bust of Eucratides. ... Approximate extent of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom circa 220 BCE. The Greco-Bactrians were a dynasty of Greek kings who controlled Bactria and Sogdiana, an area comprising todays northern Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, the easternmost area of the Hellenistic world, from 250 to 125 BCE. Their expansion...

Pedigree coinage

Agathocles issued a series of "pedigree" dynastic coins, probably with the intent to advertise his lineage and legitimize his rule, linking him to Alexander the Great, a king Antiochus Nikator ("The Victorious", probably intended is Antiochus III), the founder of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom Diodotus and his son Diodotus II, Euthydemus, Pantaleon, and Demetrius. Alexander the Great (Greek: ,[1][2] Megas Alexandros; July 20 356 BC – June 10 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon (336–323 BC). ... Silver coin of Antiochus III Antiochus III the Great, (ruled 223 - 187 BC), younger son of Seleucus II Callinicus, became ruler of the Seleucid kingdom as a youth of about eighteen in 223 BC. (His traditional designation, the Great, stems from a misconception of Megas Basileus (Great king), the traditional... Approximate extent of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom circa 220 BCE. The Greco-Bactrians were a dynasty of Greek kings who controlled Bactria and Sogdiana, an area comprising todays northern Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, the easternmost area of the Hellenistic world, from 250 to 125 BCE. Their expansion... The founder of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom, Diodotus ca. ... Coin of Diodotus II Diodotus II was a Greco-Bactrian king, son of Diodotus I. He is known for concluding a peace with the Parthians (Justin l. ... Coin depicting the Greco-Bactrian king Euthydemus (230-200 B.C.) Euthydemus was allegedly a native of Magnesia and possible Satrap of Sogdiana, who overturned the dynasty of Diodotus of Bactria and became a Greco-Bactrian king in about 230 BC according to Polybius. ... Pantaleon (reigned c. ... Silver tetradrachm depicting the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius (r. ...

Dynast or usurper?

The pedigree coinage has been seen as a token of his ancestry, but a critical view might be considered. All the associations provide a contradictory image. The Euthydemid kings (Demetrius and Euthydemus) are not known to be related to Diodotus - in fact, Euthydemus I overthrew Diodotus II! The Seleucids were enemies of the Euthydemids as well - in fact king Antiochus III had besieged Bactra for almost two years before claiming victory over Euthydemus I. Nevertheless, Antiochus III is known to have used the epithet "Nikator"^[1] Silver coin of Antiochus III Antiochus III the Great, (ruled 223 - 187 BC), younger son of Seleucus II Callinicus, became ruler of the Seleucid kingdom as a youth of about eighteen in 223 BC. (His traditional designation, the Great, stems from a misconception of Megas Basileus (Great king), the traditional...

Finally, the association with Alexander was a standard move for usurpers in the Hellenistic world, such as the pseudo-Seleucids Alexander Balas and the Syrian general Diodotus Tryphon. Silver coin of Alexander I Balas Alexander Balas (i. ... Categories: Stub | Seleucid rulers ...

All in all, the coins might well support the view of an usurper, or more probable a member of a minor branch of a dynasty, anxious to gather support from all quarters with his various memorial coins. However, the similarities between his coinage and that of Pantaleon make it probable that Agathocles was indeed a relative of the latter, who in that case might have been a usurper as well.

Alexander "son of Philip", pedigree coin of Agathocles. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ...

Diodotus "the Saviour", pedigree coin of Agathocles. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Euthydemus "the God", pedigree coin of Agathocles. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Demetrius "the invincible", pedigree coin of Agathocles. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 627 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (982 × 939 pixel, file size: 348 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Nickel coins

Nickel coin of Agathocles.
Obv: Bust of Dyonisos, coiffed with aegis, diademed, and wearing ivy wreath.
Rev: Panther with bell, raising paw towards a small tree. Greek legend: BASILEOS AGATHOKLEIOUS "King Agathocles".

Also, Agathocles and Pantaleon, along with their contemporary Euthydemus II, are unique in the ancient world, in that they were the first in the world to issue copper-nickel (75/25 ratio) coins ¹, an alloy technology only known by the Chinese at the time (some weapons from the Warring States Period were in copper-nickel alloy ² ). These coins are indicative of the existence of trade links with China around that time (see Greco-Bactrian kingdom). Copper-nickel would not be used again in coinage until the 19th century in the United States.
Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Bacchus by Caravaggio Dionysus, the name of a god, is occasionally confused with one of several historical figures named Dionysius. ... Ægis has entered modern English to mean a shield, protection, or sponsorship, originally from the name of the mythological protective shield of Zeus. ... Pantaleon (reigned c. ... Silver coin of King Euthydemus II Euthydemus II was a son of Demetrius I of Bactria, and became one of his sub-kings in charge of Bactria around 180 BC. He was apparently killed by the usurper Eucratides, and replaced by his brother Demetrius II. See also Greco-Bactrian Kingdom... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (or Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom) covered the areas of Bactria and Sogdiana, comprising todays northern Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, the easternmost area of the Hellenistic world, from 250 to 125 BCE. The expansion of the Greco-Bactrians into northern India from 180 BCE established...

Bilingual coinage

Indian coinage of Agathocles, with Buddhist lion and Lakshmi.

At the same time, Agathocles issued an intriguing range of bilingual coinage, displaying what seems to be Buddhist as well as Hinduist symbolism. The coins, manufactured according to the Indian standard, using either Brahmi, Greek or Kharoshthi (a first in the Greek world), and displaying symbols of the various faiths in India, tend to indicate a considerable willingness to accommodate local languages and beliefs, to an extent unseen in subsequent Indo-Greek kings. They may be indicative of the considerable efforts of the first Indo-Greek kings to secure support from Indian populations and avoid being perceived as invaders, efforts which may have subsided once the Indo-Greek kingdoms were more securely in place^{[citation needed]}. Image File history File linksMetadata AgathoklesCoinage. ... Image File history File linksMetadata AgathoklesCoinage. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... BrāhmÄ« refers to the pre-modern members of the Brahmic family of scripts, attested from the 3rd century BC. The best known and earliest dated inscriptions in Brahmi are the rock-cut edicts of Ashoka. ... The Kharoṣṭhī script, also known as the Gāndhārī script, is an ancient alphabetic script used by the Gandhara culture of historic northwest India to write the Gandhari and Sanskrit languages (the Gandhara kingdom was located along the present-day border...

Buddhist coinage

The Buddhist coinage of Agathocles is in the Indian standard (square or round copper coins) and depicts Buddhist symbols such as the stupa, the "tree in railing", or the lion. These coins sometimes use Brahmi, and sometimes Kharoshthi, whether later Indo-Greek kings only used Kharoshthi. The Great Stupa at Sanchi. ... BrāhmÄ« refers to the pre-modern members of the Brahmic family of scripts, attested from the 3rd century BC. The best known and earliest dated inscriptions in Brahmi are the rock-cut edicts of Ashoka. ... The Kharoṣṭhī script, also known as the Gāndhārī script, is an ancient alphabetic script used by the Gandhara culture of historic northwest India to write the Gandhari and Sanskrit languages (the Gandhara kingdom was located along the present-day border...

Buddhist coin of Agathocles, with Stupa, and tree in railing. Image File history File linksMetadata Agathocles52. ... The Great Stupa at Sanchi. ...

Buddhist coin of Agathocles, with stupa surmounted by a star, and possibly Trisula symbol. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Trisula is the Pali word for a Trident. The symbolic weapon of the Hindu god Shiva is a trisula. ...

Buddhist coin of Agathocles, with Lion. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ...

Hinduist coinage

Indian-standard silver drachma of Agathocles.
Obv: Indian god Balarama-Sankarshana, wearing an ornate headress, earrings, sword in sheath, holding a gada in his right hand and a plow-symbol in the left. Greek legend: BASILEOS AGATOKLEOUS "Of King Agathocles".
Rev: Indian god Vasudeva-Krishna, with ornate headdress, earrings, sword in sheath, holding sankha (pear-shaped vase) and chakra (wheel). Brahmi legend: RAJANE AGATHUKLAYASA "King Agathocles".

The Hinduist coinage of Agathocles is few but spectacular. Six Indian-standard silver drachmas were discovered at Ai-Khanoum in 1970, which depict Hindu deities. Coin of Agathocles of Bactria. ... Coin of Agathocles of Bactria. ... Balarama, next to the river Yamuna. ... In Indian and Hindu mythology, Sesha is a naga (serpent). ... Vasudeva is one of the many names of God in Sanatana Dharma. ... This article is about the Hindu deity. ... For the Naruto jutsu, see Chakra (Naruto). ... Brāhmī refers to the pre-modern members of the Brahmic family of scripts, attested from the 3rd century BC. The best known and earliest dated inscriptions in Brahmi are the rock-cut edicts of Ashoka. ... ISO 4217 Code GRD User(s) Greece Inflation 3. ... Hellenistic foot fragment of a giant statue, from Ai-Khanoum, 2nd century BCE. Ai-Khanoum or Ay Khanum (lit. ...

These are the first known representations of Vedic deities on coins, and they display early avatars of Vishnu: Balarama-Sankarshana and Vasudeva-Krishna. There are 1028 hymns in the Rigveda, most of them dedicated to specific deities. ... The ten avatars of Vishnu, copyright BBT In Hindu philosophy, an avatar (also spelt as avatara) (Sanskrit: , ), most commonly refers to the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of a higher being (deva), or the Supreme Being (God) onto planet Earth. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being or Ultimate Reality for Vaishnavas and a manifestation of Brahman in the Advaita or Smarta traditions. ... Balarama, next to the river Yamuna. ... In Indian and Hindu mythology, Sesha is a naga (serpent). ... Vasudeva is one of the many names of God in Sanatana Dharma. ... This article is about the Hindu deity. ...

The dancing girls on some of the coins of Agathocles and Pantaleon are also sometimes considered as representations of Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu.
Pantaleon (reigned c. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ...

Silver tetradrachm depicting the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius (r. ... Maximum extent of Indo-Greek territory circa 175 BCE. The Indo-Greeks (or sometimes Greco-Indians) designate a series of Greek kings, who invaded and controlled parts of northwest and northern India from 180 BCE to around 10 BCE. They are the continuation of the Greco-Bactrian dynasty of Greek... The Paropamisadae is an ancient area of the Hindu-Kush, in the Eastern part of Afghanistan. ... Indo-Greek king Apollodotus I (180-160 BCE). ...

External links

• Coins of Agatocles
• More coins of Agathocles

¹ Copper-Nickel coinage in Greco-Bactria.
² Ancient Chinese weapons & A halberd of copper-nickel alloy, from the Warring States Period.

See also

• Indo-Greek Kingdom
• Greco-Buddhism
• Indo-Scythians

The Indo-Greek Kingdom (or sometimes Graeco-Indian Kingdom[1]) covered various parts of the northwest and northern Indian subcontinent from 180 BCE to around 10 CE, and was ruled by a succession of more than thirty Hellenistic kings,[2] often in conflict with each other. ... The Buddha, in Greco-Buddhist style, 1st-2nd century CE, Gandhara. ... The Indo-Scythians are a branch of the Indo-Iranian Sakas (Scythians), who migrated from southern Siberia into Bactria, Sogdiana, Arachosia, Gandhara, Kashmir, Punjab, and into parts of Western and Central India, Gujarat and Rajasthan, from the middle of the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century BCE. The first...

References

• "The Greeks in Bactria and India" W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press
• "Bactria - the history of a forgotten empire" H.G. Rawlinson, Probhstain & co, London (1912)

Notes