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Heliocles I

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Silver tetradrachm of Heliocles (145–130 BC)
Obv:Bust of Heliocles
Rev:Zeus standing, with thunderbolt and sceptre. Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥΣBasileos Dikaiou Heliokleous,"Of King Heliocles the Just".
Silver tetradrachm of Heliocles (145–130 BC)
Obv:Bust of Heliocles helmetted and in uniform.
Rev:Zeus standing, with thunderbolt and sceptre. Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥΣBasileos Dikaiou Heliokleous,"Of King Heliocles the Just".
Yuezhicopy of a coin of king Heliocles. The Yuezhi are thought to have invaded his territory and taken over his coinage as a consequence.

Heliocles I(Ancient Greek:Ἡλιοκλῆς,romanized:Helioklēsmeaning "glory of Helios"; reigned 145–120 BC) was aGreco-Bactrianking, brother and successor ofEucratides the Great,and considered (along with his co-ruler and son/nephewHeliocles II) the last Greek king to reign over theBactrian country.His reign was a troubled one; according to Roman historianJustin,Eucratides was murdered crossing theHindu Kushby one of his sons, although this is highly disputed and Justin fails to name the perpetrator. Eucratides’ death led to instability, even civil war, which caused the Indian parts of the empire to be lost to Indo-Greek kingMenander Iand southernBactriato be lost to theYuezhi.

Yuezhi invasion[edit]

From 130 BC anomadicpeople, theYuezhi,started to invadeBactriafrom the north and we could assume that Heliocles was killed in battle during this invasion. Details from Chinese sources seem to indicate that the nomad invasion did not end civilisation in Bactria entirely. Hellenised cities continued to exist for some time, and the well-organised agricultural systems were not demolished.

The Yuezhi would copy and adapt the coin types of Heliocles for a long time.

References[edit]

  • The Shape of Ancient Thought. Comparative studies in Greek and Indian Philosophiesby Thomas McEvilley (Allworth Press and the School of Visual Arts, 2002)ISBN1-58115-203-5
  • Buddhism in Central Asiaby B. N. Puri (Motilal Banarsidass Pub, January 1, 2000)ISBN81-208-0372-8
  • The Greeks in Bactria and India,W. W. Tarn,Cambridge University Press.

External links[edit]

Preceded by Greco-Bactrian King
(in EasternBactria)

145 – 130 BCE
Succeeded by