Eukratides of Baktria

In the second century BCE in the Hellenistic kingdom of Baktria (northern Afghanistan), a certain Eukratides usurped the throne and declared himself “Great King.” Aside from his coins and a few fragmentary remarks in ancient literature almost nothing, including his identity, is known about him.

Adding to the confusion is the short-lived career of the rebel Timarchos, who defected from the Seleukid kingdom in c. 165 BCE and for a few years reigned as king in Media (northwestern Iran). The standard interpretation holds that Timarchos modelled himself after Eukratides even to the extent of forming an alliance with him against their presumed mutual adversary, Mithradates I of Parthia (northeastern Iran).

This paper offers a reexamination of some of the coins issued by these three kings, focusing on the appearance of the Dioskouroi, the divine twins, the incorporation of the epithet Megas (“Great”) in their legends and the mints that produced them. The key to resolving Eukratides’ identity lies in a series of coins containing the jugate busts of Heliokles and Ladodike on the obverse and Eukratides on the reverse. It will be argued that they offer an important clue about the circumstances that allowed Eukratides to legitimize his seizure of the Baktrian throne.