Antimachus Antimachus I

Other historians, like Narain, mark him as independent of Euthydemid authority, and probably a scion of some relation to the Diodotid dynasty. He was king of an area covering parts of Bactria and probably also Arachosia in southern Afghanistan (see under coins). Antimachus I was either defeated during his resistance to the usurper Eucratides, or his main territory was absorbed by the latter upon his death. Apparently adding to the argument against direct Euthydemid familial connections, is a unique tax-receipt that states: "In the reign of Antimachos Theos and Eumenes and Antimachos.. the fourth year, month of Olous, in Asangorna, the guardian of the law being. The tax collector Menodotus, in the presence of.. who was also sent out by Demonax, the former.,and of Simus who was.. by the agency of Diodorus, controller of revenues, acknowledges receipt from.. the son of Dataes from the priests. While Eumenes never issued any coins. A king named Antimachus II Nikephoros later appeared in India. lieutenant seems plausible that the Indian Antimachus was identical with the son of Antimachus I, but it is unclear whether his reign in India overlapped with his father" reign in Bactria. Antimachus I issued a numerous silver coinage on the Attic standard, with his own image in a flat Macedonian kausia hat, and on the reverse Poseidon with his trident. Poseidon was the god of the ocean and great rivers - some scholars have here seen a reference to the provinces around the Indus River, where Antimachus I may have been a governor - but also the protector of horses, which was perhaps a more important function in the hinterland of Bactria. This indicates that Antimachus I might have been instrumental in creating a royal state cult (see coin description: ). Antimachus I also issued round bronzes depicting an elephant on the obverse, with a reverse showing the Greek goddess of victory Nike holding out a wreath. These coins are reminiscent of those of Demetrius I, as well as Apollodotus I. Other bronzes, square and rather crude, also portray a walking elephant, but with a reverse of a thunderbolt. These have been attributed by Bopearachchi (as well as older scholars) to Arachosia. They are Indian in their design, but the legend is only in Greek.

Antimachus Antimachus I

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Background

Tarn and numismatist Robert Senior place Antimachus as a member of the Euthydemid dynasty and probably as a son of Euthydemus and brother of Demetrius.

Career

Other historians, like Narain, mark him as independent of Euthydemid authority, and probably a scion of some relation to the Diodotid dynasty. He was king of an area covering parts of Bactria and probably also Arachosia in southern Afghanistan (see under coins). Antimachus I was either defeated during his resistance to the usurper Eucratides, or his main territory was absorbed by the latter upon his death.

Apparently adding to the argument against direct Euthydemid familial connections, is a unique tax-receipt that states:

"In the reign of Antimachos Theos and Eumenes and Antimachos.. the fourth year, month of Olous, in Asangorna, the guardian of the law being.

The tax collector Menodotus, in the presence of.. who was also sent out by Demonax, the former.,and of Simus who was.. by the agency of Diodorus, controller of revenues, acknowledges receipt from.. the son of Dataes from the priests.

While Eumenes never issued any coins. A king named Antimachus II Nikephoros later appeared in India.

lieutenant seems plausible that the Indian Antimachus was identical with the son of Antimachus I, but it is unclear whether his reign in India overlapped with his father" reign in Bactria.

Antimachus I issued a numerous silver coinage on the Attic standard, with his own image in a flat Macedonian kausia hat, and on the reverse Poseidon with his trident. Poseidon was the god of the ocean and great rivers - some scholars have here seen a reference to the provinces around the Indus River, where Antimachus I may have been a governor - but also the protector of horses, which was perhaps a more important function in the hinterland of Bactria. This indicates that Antimachus I might have been instrumental in creating a royal state cult (see coin description: ).

Antimachus I also issued round bronzes depicting an elephant on the obverse, with a reverse showing the Greek goddess of victory Nike holding out a wreath.

These coins are reminiscent of those of Demetrius I, as well as Apollodotus I.

Other bronzes, square and rather crude, also portray a walking elephant, but with a reverse of a thunderbolt. These have been attributed by Bopearachchi (as well as older scholars) to Arachosia.

They are Indian in their design, but the legend is only in Greek.

Connections

colleague:: Euthydemus I

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