Greco-Bactrian kingdom

In the work of the ancient Greek historian Justin "Epitome of the composition of Pompey Trog" History of Philip "" it is reported that the Scythians founded the kingdoms of the Parthians and Bactrians ^[1] .

Around 250 BC e. Bactrian governor ( diocese ) Diodotus was deposited from the Seleucids . The success of his ambitions was facilitated by reliance on the local Iranian aristocracy and the Syrian wars . His son Diodotus II defended the independence of Bactria due to the pro-Parthian position. However, such a position on an alliance with the barbarians caused discontent of the Greco-Macedonian military circles inside Bactria, as a result of which the Bactrian governor Sogdiana Eutidem carried out in 235 BC. e. coup d'etat and became king. Meanwhile, the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III , defeating the Parthians and forcing the Parthian king Artaban I to declare himself dependent on the Seleucids, in 208 BC. e. defeated the 10 thousandth cavalry of Eutidemus and besieged the capital of Bactria . The siege lasted about two years. Finally, weary of a difficult war, Antiochus III sent his close Teleus to negotiate with Tsar Eutidemus. The Bactrian king managed to convince Teleus that it was not profitable for the Syrians to destroy an independent kingdom in Bactria, since in the east there were huge hordes of nomads ( Saks and Massagets ). Now, said Eutidem, the Bactrians protect all of Asia from them, and if they are subjugated, Antiochus will have to deal with them himself, and this is not an easy task. Antiochus accepted these arguments and concluded with Eutidemus in 206 BC. e. a peace treaty, under the terms of which the rulers of Bactria officially recognized the imperial title, although they were to accept the supreme power of the Seleucids. This union was sealed by the dynastic marriage of the son of Eutidemos Demetrius with the daughter of Antiochus III.

Under the successor of Eutidemus Demetrius, the Greco-Bactrian kingdom reaches a relative peak. Taking advantage of the fall of the Mauryev empire and the subsequent religious unrest between Buddhists and Hindus, Demetrius in 180 BC. e. crosses the Hindu Kush and invades the Indus Valley, which by that time was controlled by the Hindu Shung Dynasty. As a result of the military campaign, the territories of Arachosia and Punjab are under his authority. The Greco-Bactrian kingdom supports Buddhism , which leads to the appearance of a bizarre phenomenon of Greco-Buddhism . Too much emphasis on the Indian direction led to the conservative military rebellion of Eucratides , who founded the third dynasty of Bactrian kings. The Buddhist Indo-Greek kingdom , headed by eutidemide Menander I, soon fell away from Bactria. Soon Sogdiana separated from Bactria, which later became part of Khorezm . Around the same time, Parthian king Mithridates I captured Margiana. Actually, Bactria was conquered by the warlike nomads of the Tochars . The city of Ai-Khanum was completely burned and destroyed in 140 BC. e. , and further has not been restored. At this time, the last king Heliocles left Bactria and moved his capital to the valley of Kabul , from where he managed the Indian possessions. He is considered the last Greek-Bactrian king, although it is possible that it was his heirs who were able to advance beyond the Hindu Kush and owned the western lands of the Indo-Greek kingdom .

The population of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom was heterogeneous. Small-sized, but possessing advanced military technology ( hetaira , phalanx , fighting elephants ), the Greco-Macedonian colonists ("Ionaka") held military and administrative posts. At first, they carefully preserved their Hellenistic culture ( gymnasiums , the theater , megarons , sculpture, orgy ), as evidenced by the ancient settlement of Ai-Khanum . They also welcomed the Hellenization of the local Iranian-speaking population, which, however, was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, archaeologists find traces of Greco-Bactrian influence in western China (geometric ornament, statuettes of Greek soldiers).

At the same time, the Greco-Macedonian population actively absorbed elements of Eastern wisdom, giving rise to the effect of Greco-Buddhism . In the 2nd century, the Christian author Clement of Alexandria testifies to the existence of Buddhists ( Sarmans , Greek: “Σαρμάναι”) among the Bactrians (at that time the Eastern Greeks were called “Bactrians”) and speaks of their influence on Greek thought (“Stromata”, book I, part XV).

The basis of the economy was the transit of the emerging Silk Road and gold mining .

On the territory of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom, Greek as well as Aramaic writing was used. The religion of the colonists ( ancient Greek religion ) was different from the religion of the local population ( Zoroastrianism , Vedic religion ).

• Bactra (capital)
• Alexandria Eskhata
• Alexandria Caucasian
• Alexandria in Arachosia
• Antioch Zayaksartskaya
• Demetris
• Sirkap
• Ai Hanum

256 - approx. 55 BC e. - Greco-Bactrian kingdom
Central Asia, Afghanistan, Northwest India. The capital is Bactra.

• 1. Diode I Soter (256-248).
• 2. Diodotus II, son (248–235) *
• 3. Eutidemus I Theos (c. 235-200).
• 4. Demetrius I, son (c. 200-185).
• 5. Eutidemus II, brother (co-ruler approx. 200-190).
• 6. Antimachus I Theos (c. 185-180).
• 7. Pantaleon, son of 4 (c. 180).
• 8. Demetrius II (Aniket) (?).
• 9. Agathocles, son of 4 (c. 180-165) *
• 10. Eucratides I (c. 165-155) *
• 11. Menander (Milinda), son of 4 or 8 (c. 155-130).
• Heliocles I (co-regent approx. 155-140).
• Eucratides II (co-regent approx. 140-135) *

OK. 130 Kushan conquest.
OK. 130–55 BC e. - The Greek kingdom in Paropamiz (Sistan).

• 12. Plato (c. 130) *
• 13. Antimachus II Nicephorus (c. 130-125) *
• Straton I (pret. Approx. 130 - 95).
• Archebius (pret. Approx. 130-120).
• 14. Phyloxene (c. 125-120).
• 15. Zoil I (c. 120).
• 16. Heliocles II (c. 120-115).
• 17. Lysis (c. 115).
• 18. Antialkide (approx. 100).
• 19. Apollodot (c. 95–90).
• Straton II (pret. Approx. 95).
• 20. Dionysius, Zoil, Apollofan (co-ruler approx. 90).
• 21. Nicius (c. 90–85).
• Diomedes (pret. Approx. 90).
• Telephone (approx. 90).
• 22. Hippostratus (c. 85–70).
• Aminta (pret. Approx. 85–75).
• 23. Theophilus (c. 70).
• 24. Germey (c. 70–55).

OK. 55 BC e. Kushan conquest. ^[2]

• Greek Buddhism
• Kings of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom

• Bactria and Parthia in the 3rd – 1st centuries BC e. The World History. Encyclopedia. Volume 2. (1956)
• Kings of Bactria, genealogy

Links in Russian

• A. Berzin . Historical essay on Buddhism and Islam in Afghanistan.
• Korovchinsky I.N. 2007: Cults of the Hellenistic Bactria (based on the materials of the “temple with the concession niches” in Ai-Khanum and the temple of Oks in Takhti-Sangin) : Auth. diss ... candidate of historical sciences M.
• Popov A.A. Greco-Bactrian kingdom. St. Petersburg: Publishing House of St. Petersburg State University, 2008.

Links in English

• “The Shape of Ancient Thought. Comparative studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies ”by Thomas McEvilley (Allworth Press and the School of Visual Arts, 2002) ISBN 1-58115-203-5
• “The Oxford Illustrated History of Greece and the Hellenistic World” by John Boardman, Jasper Griffin, Oswyn Murray (Oxford University Press) ISBN 0-19-285438-0
• “The Diffusion of Classical Art in Antiquity” by John Boardman (Princeton University Press, 1994) ISBN 0-691-03680-2
• "Records of the Great Historian. Han dynasty II ", Sima Qian, trans. Burton Watson. Columbia University Press. 1993. ISBN 0-231-08167-7
• “Monnaies Gréco-Bactriennes et Indo-Grecques, Catalog Raisonné”, Osmund Bopearachchi, 1991, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, ISBN 2-7177-1825-7 .
• “Buddhism in Central Asia” by BN Puri (Motilal Banarsidass Pub, January 1, 2000) ISBN 81-208-0372-8
• “The Greeks in Bactria and India,” WW Tarn, Cambridge University Press.
• “De l'Indus à l'Oxus, Archéologie de l'Asie Centrale”, Osmund Bopearachchi, Christine Sachs, ISBN 2-9516679-2-2