Indo-Greek king Apollodotus I (180-160 BCE). Attic standard.
Obv.: Bust of Apollodotus I wearing kausia, with bead and reel border.
Rev.: Athena holding Nike, who crowns the king’s name. Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΟΔΟΤΟΥ "King Apollodotus".

Apollodotus I was an Indo-Greek king between 180 and 160 BCE who ruled the western and southern parts of the Indo-Greek kingdom, from Taxila in Punjab to the areas of Sindh and Gujarat. Coin of King Apollodotus I, Indo-Greek Kingdom, circa 160 BCE. File links The following pages link to this file: Indo-Greek Kingdom Greco-Bactrian Kingdom Apollodotus I Categories: Currency images ... Coin of King Apollodotus I, Indo-Greek Kingdom, circa 160 BCE. File links The following pages link to this file: Indo-Greek Kingdom Greco-Bactrian Kingdom Apollodotus I Categories: Currency images ... 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... An attic is the story in a non-flat roof of a building. ... Athena from the east pediment of the Afea temple in Aegina After a sculpture of Athena at the Louvre. ... See Nike for other meanings. ... 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... (Redirected from 180 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC - 180s BC - 150s BC 140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC Years: 185 BC 184 BC 183 BC 182 BC 181 BC - 180 BC... (Redirected from 160 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC - 160s BC - 150s BC140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC Years: 165 BC 164 BC 163 BC 162 BC 161 BC - 160 BC - 159... The Dharmajika Stupa in Taxila, Pakistan Taxila is an archaeological site, located in the Punjab province of Pakistan, west of the Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi, on the border of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province and just off the Grand Trunk Road. ... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 The Punjab (also Panjab) is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. ... Sindh (Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. ... Gujarat (ગુજરાત in Gujarati) is the most industrialized state in India after Maharashtra and is located in western India, bordered by Pakistan to the northwest and Rajasthan to the north. ...

Ruler of the Indo-Greek kingdom

Apollodotus was one of the generals of Demetrius I of Bactria, the Greco-Bactrian king who invaded northern India around 180 BCE. He was probably a member of the royal house, and may have been a brother of Demetrius. Silver coin depicting the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius (r. ... 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...

Apollodotus was a contemporary of Menander I, although it seems the reign of Apollodotus preceded that of Menander, who was the general in charge of the Eastern territories during his reign. Menander I ( also known as Milinda in Sanskrit, Pali), was one of the Greek kings of the Indo-Greek Kingdom in northern India from 160 to 135 BC. A renowned Indo-Greek king His territories covered the eastern dominions of the divided Greek empire of Bactria(from the areas of...

The usurper Eucratides probably killed Apollodotus when he invaded the western territories of the Indo-Greeks around 160 BCE. Eventually Menander managed to repell Eucratides beyond the Hindu-Kush, took the title of King, and ruled alone nearly all the northwestern area of the Indian sub-continent. King Eucratides (171-145 BC) Obv: Bust of Eucratides. ... (Redirected from 160 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC - 160s BC - 150s BC140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC Years: 165 BC 164 BC 163 BC 162 BC 161 BC - 160 BC - 159... The Hindu Kush, Hindū Kūsh, Hindoo Koosh or Hindukush (هندوکش in Persian) is a mountain range in Afghanistan as well as in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. ...

An abundant multi-cultural coinage

Indian-standard coin of Apollodotus I.
Obv: Sacred elephant with decorative belt. Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΟΔΟΤΟΥ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ "Saviour King Apollodotus".
Rev: Bull with Kharoshti legend MAHARAJASA TRATARASA APALADATASA "Saviour King Apollodotus".
Actual size: 15mm, 1.4 grams.

The coinage of Apollodotus is, together with that of Menander, one of the most abundant of the Indo-Greek kings. It is found mainly in the provinces of Punjab, Sindh and Gujarat, indicating the southern limit of the Indo-Greek expansion in India. This is confirmed by the Periplus, a 1st century AD document on trade in the Indian Ocean, which describes the remnants of Greek presence (shrines, barracks, wells, coinage) in the strategic port of Barygaza (Bharuch) in Gujarat. Strabo (XI) also describes the occupation of Patalene (Indus Delta country) and the region of Kathiawar peninsula by the Greeks. 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 between Afghanistan and Pakistan between the Indus River and the... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 The Punjab (also Panjab) is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. ... Sindh (Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. ... Gujarat (ગુજરાત in Gujarati) is the most industrialized state in India after Maharashtra and is located in western India, bordered by Pakistan to the northwest and Rajasthan to the north. ... The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (Periplus Maris Erythraei ) is a Greek periplus, describing navigation and trading opportunities from Roman Egyptian ports like Berenice along the coast of the Red Sea, and others along East Africa and India. ... Bharuch (also known as Broach) is a district in south Gujarat state in India. ... Strabo (squinty) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. ... The Indus is a river; the Indus River. ... Kathiawar is a peninsula in western India. ...

Apollodotus also issued a great number of bilingual Indian-standard square coins. Beside the usual royal title, the exact significance of the animals depicted on the coins is unclear. The sacred elephant may be the symbol of the city of Taxila, or possibly the symbol of the white elephant who reputedly entered in dream the womb the mother of the Buddha, Queen Maya, which would make it a symbol of Buddhism, one of the central religion of the Indo-Greek territories. The Dharmajika Stupa in Taxila, Pakistan Taxila is an archaeological site, located in the Punjab province of Pakistan, west of the Islamabad Capital Territory and Rawalpindi, on the border of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province and just off the Grand Trunk Road. ... A stone image of the Buddha. ... Queen Mayas white elephant dream, and the conception of the Buddha. ... Statues of Buddha such as this, the Tian Tan Buddha statue in Hong Kong, remind followers to practice right living. ...

Coin of Apollodotus with erectile bull, probable representation of Shiva.

Similarly, the sacred bull on the reverse may be a symbol of a city (Pushkhalavati), or a depiction of Shiva, making it a symbol of Hinduism, the other major religion at that time. The bull is often represented in a clearly erectile state, which reinforces its interpretation as a representation of Shiva. Conversely, this also reinforces the interpretation of the elephant as a religious symbol. For the Jewish ritual of mourning, see Shivah. ... For the Jewish ritual of mourning, see Shivah. ... This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ...

Coin of Apollodotus associating the elephant with Buddhist symbols. The bull is associated with the taurine symbol (one circle and two horns) to the right, with a mint mark on top.

Before their design was eventually simplified, some of the earlier coins of king Apollodotus directly associate the elephant with Buddhist symbolism, such as the stupa hill surmounted by a star, also seen, for example on the coins of the Mauryan Empire or those of the later Kuninda kingdom. A stupa A stupa (from the Sanskrit) is a type of Buddhist structure found across the Indian subcontinent and Asia. ... The Mauryan empire (321 to 185 BCE), at its largest extent around 230 BCE. The Mauryan Empire was Indias first great unified empire. ... Silver coin of the Kuninda Kingdom, c. ...

The Paropamisadae is an ancient area of the Hindu-Kush, in the Eastern part of Afghanistan. ... Silver coin of king Agathocles r. ... Buddhas First Sermon at Sarnath, Kushan Period, ca. ... Pantaleon (reigned c. ... 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. ... Arachosia is the ancient name of an area that corresponds to the southern part of today s Afghanistan, around the city of Kandahar. ... Buddhas First Sermon at Sarnath, Kushan Period, ca. ... Punjab, 1903 Punjab Province, 1909 The Punjab (also Panjab) is a region straddling the border between India and Pakistan. ... (Redirected from 180 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC - 180s BC - 150s BC 140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC Years: 185 BC 184 BC 183 BC 182 BC 181 BC - 180 BC... (Redirected from 160 BCE) Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC - 160s BC - 150s BC140s BC 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC Years: 165 BC 164 BC 163 BC 162 BC 161 BC - 160 BC - 159... Coin of Antimachus II (160-155 BCE). ...

External links

• Coins of Apollodotus (http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/apollodotos_I/t.html)
• More coins of Apollodotus (http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Apollodotos+I+NOT+II+NOT+Philoxenos&Thumb=1)

See also

• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom
• Seleucid Empire
• Greco-Buddhism
• Indo-Scythians
• Indo-Parthian Kingdom
• Kushan Empire

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 Seleucid Empire was one of several political states founded after the death of Alexander the Great, whose generals squabbled over the division of Alexanders empire. ... Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelled Græco-Buddhism, is the cultural syncretism between the culture of Classical Greece and Buddhism, which developed over a period of close to 800 years in Central Asia in the area corresponding to modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan, between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century... Coin of the Indo-Scythian King of Kings Azes II, riding on horseback (c. ... Coin of Gondophares (20-50 CE), first and greatest king of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom. ... Boundary of the Kushan empire, c. ...

References

• "The Greeks in Bactria and India" W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press