Euthydemid dynasty

Euthydemus I

The Euthydemid dynasty was a Hellenistic dynasty founded by Demetrius I (son of Euthydemus) in 230 BCE which ruled the Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kingdoms throughout the Hellenistic period from 230 BC to 10 AD, upon the death of its last ruler, Strato III.

History[]

It is possible that Euthydemus was a son of a certain Antimachus (born 295 BCE) and a grandson of Sophytes, a satrap or ruler of Bactria in around 300 BCE.

Euthydemus was a satrap of Sogdiana that was married to a sister of Diodotus II, son of the original rebel, Diodotus I.^[1] He usurped the throne from Diodotus II or perhaps Antiochus Nikator and became ruler of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. Later on in his reign, he faced an invasion by the younger and ambitious Antiochus III the Great. He was defeated on the Arius but successively waited out Antiochus in his capital Bactra. His peace treaty with Antiochus granted his son Demetrius I a marriage to an unnamed daughter of Antiochus.^[2]

His son Demetrius I would go on to invade northern India and establish the Indo-Greek kingdom. After Demetrius's sons Agathocles, Euthydemus II and perhaps even Demetrius II rule over the Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kingdoms, it becomes harder to pinpoint which of the following rulers were related to each other, or even if they were members of the Euthydemid dynasty. It is possible however, that the powerful king Menander I was a member of this dynasty.

Rulers[]

Precise members of this royal family cannot be fully reconstructed due to the lack of evidence and only a remaining vast coinage of following rulers. Demetrius's successor, Agathocles, left behind extensive coinage that helped reconstruct part of the dynasty.^[3] Some of the more certain rulers are:

• Sophytes (330-300 BCE) satrap of the Paropamisadae, welcomed Alexander the Great and the grandfather of Euthydemus I

• Euthydemus I (260-195 BCE) eponymous founder of the dynasty
• Demetrius I (222-180 BCE) most famous of the Euthydemids - invaded India
• Euthydemus II ( c. 200-185 BCE) Son of Euthydemus I
• Pantaleon (190-180 BCE) Son of Euthydemus I
• Demetrius II (fl. 175-140 BCE)
• Antimachus I (c.171-160 BCE) Son of Euthydemus I
• Antimachus II (c. 170-165 BCE)
• Menander I (c. 165/155-130 BCE) married Agathoclia, father of Strato I
• Agathoclia I (c. 130-125) widow of Menander, ruled as regent for son, Strato I.
• Strato I (c. 125-105 BCE) son of Menander I and Agathoclia I.
• Demetrius III (c. 105-100 BCE)
• Amyntas I (c. 100-90 BCE)
• Menander II (c. 105 BCE)
• Demetrius IV (c. 80 BCE)
• Strato II (c.30 BCE)
• Strato III (c.10 CE) last ruler of
• Demetrius V (c. 10 CE) ? potential claimant ruler

Following these rulers, it becomes increasingly hard to date or connect them to any family, as they may have been usurpers, but the Euthydemids remained the most constant and long reigning dynasty of Greek Bactria and India.

See also[]

• Eucratides I
• Seleucid Empire

References[]