Jump to content

Antimachus II

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Antimachus II Nikephoros
"The Victorious"
Antimachus II on horseback
Indo-Greekking
Reign174–165 BCE
DynastyEuthydemid dynasty
FatherAntimachus IorDemetrius II

Antimachus II Nikephoros(Greek:Ἀντίμαχος Β΄ ὁ Νικηφόρος;theepithetmeans "the Victorious" ) was anIndo-Greekking. He ruled a vast territory from theHindu-Kushto thePunjabaround 170 BCE. He was almost certainly the eponymous son ofAntimachus I,who is known from a unique preserved tax receipt.[1]Osmund Bopearachchidated Antimachus II to 160–155 BCE on numismatical grounds, but changed this to 174–165 BCE after the tax receipt was revealed to synchronise his reign with that of Antimachus I.[2]R. C. Senior has not dated Antimachus II but thinks that his coins were possibly Indian issues ofAntimachus I,despite their different epithets and coin types.

In both of Boperachchi's reconstructions, Antimachus II was succeeded byMenander Iwho inherited three of his four monograms. Antimachus II probably fought against the Bactrian kingEucratides I,who had dethroned his father in Bactria.

Coins of Antimachus II[edit]

DrachmawithNikeon theobverseand the Greek legend BASILEOS NIKEPHOROU ANTIMACHOU ( "Kingship of the Victorious Antimachus" ); on thereverse,filletedking on horseback,Kharoshtilegend[3]
Bronze coin with the same Greek legend, and agorgoneionwithin anaegison the obverse; on the reverse apalm branchand victory wreath, Kharoshti lettering[4]

Antimachus II did not strike a portrait on his coins, likely since this was not custom in India. Neither did the early kings strike tetradrachms. Antimachus II struck a large number of bilingual drachms on the same lighter Indian standard as Apollodotus I, though round in shape. On the obverse isNike,and on the reverse a king on horseback.

He also issued bilingual bronzes withaegis/laurel wreathand palm. Both these and the goddess Nike seem to allude to his epithet"the Victorious".

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Rea, J. R., Senior, R. C. and Hollis, A. S., "A tax receipt from Hellenistic Bactria", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 104 (1994)
  2. ^Boperarachchi (1991) and (1998), respectively.
  3. ^Bactrian and Indo-Greek Coinage Antimachus II 1 typological description[1]
  4. ^Bactrian and Indo-Greek Coinage Antimachus II 2 typological description[2]

Sources[edit]

  • Rea, J. R.; Senior, R. C.; Hollis, A. S. (1994)."A Tax Receipt from Hellenistic Bactria"(PDF).Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik.104:261–280.Retrieved2006-12-13.
  • Tarn, William Woodthorpe(1966).The Greeks in Bactria and India(3rd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • "Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum 9", American Numismatic Society, New York, 1997.
Preceded by
Apollodotus I(possibly)
Greco-bactrian King
(inParopamisadae,Arachosia,Gandhara,Punjab)

172 – 167 BCE
Succeeded by