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Diodotus II

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Diodotus II
Basileus
Coin of Diodotus II
King of Bactria
Reignc. 235 – 225 BC
PredecessorDiodotus I
SuccessorEuthydemus I
Diedc. 225 BC
Bactria
DynastyDiodotid
FatherDiodotus I

Diodotus II Theos(Greek:Διόδοτος Θεός,Diódotos Theós;died c. 225 BC) was the son and successor ofDiodotus I Soter,who rebelled against theSeleucid empire,establishing theGraeco-Bactrian Kingdom.Diodotus II probably ruled alongside his father asco-regent,before succeeding him as sole king around 235 BC. He prevented Seleucid efforts to reincorporateBactriaback into the empire, by allying with theParthiansagainst them. He was murdered around 225 BC byEuthydemus I,who succeeded him as king.

Diodotus’ career was recounted byApollodorus of Artemitain theParthian History,but this text is lost, and surviving literary sources only mention him in passing.[1]Thus, most details of Diodotus' life and career have to be reconstructed fromnumismatics.

Background and co-regency[edit]

Map of major sites in Bactria.

TheSeleucid empiregained control of Bactria and the surrounding regions between 308 and 305 BC and made it asatrapy(province) of their empire. Diodotus' father, Diodotus I ruled the region of Bactria as asatrap(governor) some time in the 260s BC and gradually drifted into independence during the reign of the Seleucid kingAntiochus II Theos(261-246 BC). The process culminated in Diodotus I's proclamation of himself as king sometime between 255 and 245 BC.[2]

Coinage minted under Diodotus I derives from two separate mints. The coinage of one mint features a mature man on the obverse—generally identified as Diodotus I, while the obverse of coinage produced at the other mint depicts a similar, but younger, figure.Frank L. Holtproposes that the latter was Diodotus II. He suggests that Diodotus was entrusted with control of a portion of the realm that included the second mint. This arrangement would follow the model laid down by the Seleucids, who had made a practice of appointing thecrown princeas co-regent and entrusting them with government of the eastern portion of the empire (including Bactria).[3]The location of the region under Diodotus II's control is unknown; Holt tentatively suggests that he controlled the western region which was exposed to raids fromParthiaand had his base atBactra.[4]

Reign[edit]

During his reign, Diodotus I had expelled theParnikingArsaces Ifrom Bactria. Arsaces had gone on to seize the region ofParthiafrom the Seleucids and carved out his own kingdom in what is now northeasternIran.Diodotus I remained opposed to the Parni and thus aligned with the Seleucids. On his accession, Diodotus II reversed his father's policy:[5]

Soon after, relieved by the death ofDiodotus [I],Arsaces made peace and concluded an alliance with his son, also by the name of Diodotus; some time later he fought againstSeleucus [II]who came to punish the rebels, but he prevailed: the Parthians celebrated this day as the one that marked the beginning of their freedom

— Justin,41.4

This battle between Seleucus II and Arsaces took place around 228 BC. It is unclear whether Diodotus was actively involved in the battle or simply agreed to remain neutral, thereby leaving Arsaces free to bring all his forces to bear on the invading Seleucid army.[5]

Sometime after this, around 225 BC, Diodotus was killed byEuthydemus I,who usurped the throne and founded theEuthydemid dynasty.[6]W. W. Tarnproposed that Diodotus I had married a Seleucid princess as a second wife and had a daughter who was married to Euthydemus, making him Diodotus II's brother-in-law.[7]There is, however, no evidence for the existence of either of these women and the theory no longer enjoys credence with contemporary scholars.[8]Archaeological evidence reveals that the city ofAi-Khanoumwas besieged around 225 BC, an event which Holt connects with Euthydemus' seizure of power. It seems therefore that there was a period of civil war, culminating in Euthydemus' victory—a reconstruction that seems to be confirmed by numismatic evidence.[9]

Most scholars have treated the alliance with Arsaces as a response to the threat from Seleucus II. Tarn suggested that Euthydemus I's usurpation was a reaction to the alliance.[7]Frank Holt proposes the opposite: that the alliance with Arsaces was a response to the outbreak of civil war with Euthydemus.[10]

Coinage[edit]

Gold stater of Diodotus I, with Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ – "Of King Antiochus"
Gold stater of Diodotus II, with Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΟΔΟΤΟΥ – "of King Diodotus"
Bronze single of Diodotus I, with Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΟΔΟΤΟΥ – "of King Diodotus" (Series H)
Bronze single of Diodotus I, with Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΟΔΟΤΟΥ – "of King Diodotus" (Series I)

Diodotus II largely continued the minting patterns laid down by his father. There were two mints, which issuedgold,silverand bronze coinage. The precious metal coinage consisted of goldstatersand silvertetradrachms,drachms,andhemidrachmson theAttic weight standard.These coins have the head of a male figure on the obverse shown wearing thediadem—a band of cloth wrapped around the head, with two strips hanging down the back, which had been the standard symbol of Hellenistic kingship since the time ofAlexander the Great.The reverse of these coins depictedZeuspreparing to throw his thunderbolt. As mentioned above, during Diodotus I's reign, two different figures appeared on the obverses—an older figure ('series A') and a younger figure ('series C & E'), who are identified with Diodotus I and Diodotus II respectively.[11]Series A and C probably minted at Ai-Khanoum[12]or atBactra,[13]while Series E was minted at a second mint, which Frank Holt tentatively identifies with Bactra.[4]This mint produced coinage in a smaller quantity and at a lower quality than that of the Ai-Khanoum/Bactra mint. He proposes that the small series C was minted at the main mint in order to establish Diodotus II's position as heir apparent of the whole kingdom.[11]

After a break, both mints produce coins with the younger portrait and with the legend nowAncient Greek:Βασιλεωσ Διοδοτου('Of Diodotus', 'series D & F'), whereas the legend on the earlier coins wasAncient Greek:ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ('Of King Antiochus'). Holt suggests that this break marks the death of Diodotus I and accession of Diodotus II.[11]This shift in legends seems to reflect the final renunciation of Seleucid authority and a full proclamation of Bactrian independence.[14]

For the majority of his reign, Diodotus II issued coinage on a relatively modest scale. Towards the end of his reign, he began to mint on a much larger scale, with greater quantities of gold coinage than previously. This was accompanied by the production of an issue at the secondary mint, depicting the older figure of Diodotus I once more, but in a more idealised fashion ('series B'). Frank Holt proposes that these phenomena were a consequence of a civil war between Diodotus II and Euthydemus. He argues that the scale of minting indicates the need to provide coinage for a large number of soldiers—indicating some kind of military threat—while the series B coinage may have been intended to emphasise Diodotus II's legitimacy as son of the kingdom's founder.[14]

Diodotus II also issued a bronze coinage. Initially, this coinage bore the same obverse design as that of Diodotus I: head ofHermeswearing apetasushat ('Series H'). However, the reverse design is new: a depiction ofAthenaresting on her spear and the introduction of a new legend, reading "Βασιλεωσ Διοδοτου" ( "of King Diodotus" ), as on the gold and silver coinage. The coinage consisted of four denominations: a 'double' (c. 8.4 grammes, 20-24 millimetres in diameter), a 'single' (4.2 g, 14–18 mm), a 'half' (2.1g, 10–12 mm), and a 'quarter' (1 g, 8–10 mm).[15]Only the first two of these denominations seem to be attested under Diodotus I. The value of these denominations is uncertain; a single may have been worth 1/48 of a silver drachm.[16]After this initial issue, Diodotus introduced a new set of designs ('Series I'). On the double and single denominations, these depict the head ofZeuson the obverse (except on one issue depicting a king—probably by accident), and the goddessArtemison the reverse. On the quarters, they have an eagle on the obverse and aquiveron the reverse (symbols of Zeus and Artemis respectively). These bronze coins were found in very large numbers in the excavations of Ai-Khanoum and in smaller quantities atGyaur Gala(Merv,Turkmenistan) andTakht-i Sangin.The profusion of bronze coinage, whose value wastoken,especially in the very smallest denominations, indicates the progressive monetisation taking place in Bactria by the time of Diodotus II.[15]

Diodotus also appears on coins struck in his memory by the later Graeco-Bactrian kingsAgathoclesandAntimachus I.These coins imitate the original design of the tetradrachms issued by Diodotus II, but with a legend on the obverse identifying the king asAncient Greek:Διοδοτου Θεου('Of Diodotus Theos').[17]

References[edit]

  1. ^Holt 1999,pp. 55–57
  2. ^Holt 1999,pp. 58–63
  3. ^Holt 1999,pp. 65–66 & 87–101
  4. ^abHolt 1999,pp. 124–5
  5. ^abHolt 1999,pp. 61–62
  6. ^Polybius11.34.2
  7. ^abTarn, William Woodthorpe (2010-06-24).The Greeks in Bactria and India.Cambridge University Press. pp. 73–74.ISBN9781108009416.
  8. ^Holt 1999,pp. 68–69
  9. ^Holt 1999,pp. 54–55 & 104–5
  10. ^Holt 1999,pp. 105–6
  11. ^abcHolt 1999,pp. 87–101
  12. ^Kritt, Brian (1996).Seleucid Coins of Bactria.Lancaster: CNG.
  13. ^Bopearachchi, O. (2005). "La politique mone'taire de la Bactriane sous les Se'leucides". InChankowski, V.;Duyrat, Frédérique (eds.).Le roi et l'économie: autonomies locales et structures royales dans l'économie de l'empire séleucide: actes des rencontres de Lille, 23 juin 2003, et d'Orléans, 29-30 janvier 2004.pp. 349–69.
  14. ^abHolt 1999,pp. 101–106
  15. ^abHolt 1999,pp. 107–125
  16. ^Cunningham, Alexander (1884).Coins of ALexander's Successors in the East (Bactria, Ariana, and India).London. pp. 305–337.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  17. ^Holt 1999,p. 68

Bibliography[edit]

  • Holt, Frank L. (1999).Thundering Zeus: The Making of Hellenistic Bactria.Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.ISBN0520211405.
Preceded by Greco-Bactrian Ruler
239 – 230 BC 		Succeeded by
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