Antimachus I
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Anthimachus I was one of the Greco-Bactrian kings from around 185 to 170 BC.
Tarn and most Western historians place Antimachus as a member the Euthydemid dynasty and probably as a son of Euthydemus and brother of Demetrius. Many Eastern historians, like Narain, mark him as independent of Euthydemid authority, and probably a scion of some relation to the Diodoti themselves. He was king of an area covering parts of Bactria, the lower Kabul Valley and, as attested by the regions ruled by his proven associate kings, suzerain of parts of northern Pakistan. He apparently was defeated during his resistance to the usurper Eucratides.
Apparently adding to the argument against direct Euthydemid familial connections, is a unique tax-receipt that begins:
- "In the reign of Antimachos Theos and Eumenes and Antimachos..."
That Antimachos would list his own associate kings argues strongly against the suggestion that that he was appointed as a Northern associate of Euthydemus and Demetrius. This inscription also gives an excellent idea as to the nature of his kingdom; his elder or more senior associate Eumenes ruling with or near him in the North, and Antimachus II governing his own provinces in Northern India. This arrangement also explains why Antimachus I adopted only Buddhist symbology, while Antimachus II minted his own Greek and Kharosthi issues in his territories - where it would be more pertinant.
On his coinage, Antimachus called himself "God-King", a first in the Hellenistic world. On some of his coins, he also sometimes labeled his father Euthydemus "The God", indicating that he might have been the object of a state cult (see coin description: [1]).
Image:AntimachosElephant.jpg
Anthimachus I also issued coins depicting an elephant on the front, within the bead and reel contour, a position reserved to Kings. The back of the coints show the Greek goddess of victory Nike holding out a wreath (to the elephant on the other side). The elephant is one of the symbols of Buddhism and Gautama Buddha, and the coins probably illustrate the victory of Buddhism brought about by the conquests of the Indo-Greek Kings. These coins are reminiscent of those of Demetrius I, as well as Apollodotus I. Antimachus I had his two sons as co-regents, Antimachus II and the otherwise unknown Eumenes.
| Preceded by: Euthydemus II | Greco-Bactrian Ruler (Bactria) (185-170 BCE) | Succeeded by: Eucratides |
External links
References
- "The Greek in Bactria and India", W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press
- "The Decline of the Indo-Greeks", R.C. Senior and D. MacDonald, Hellenistic Numismatic Society
- "The Indo-Greeks", A.K. Narain, B.R. Publications