Eucratides I

Eucratides I (Ancient Greek: Εὐκρατίδης, Eukratídēs; Pali: Evukratida; reigned 172/171–145 BC), also known as Eucratides the Great, was one of the most important Greco-Bactrian kings. He conquered large parts of northern India, and minted a vast and prestigious coinage, suggesting a rule of considerable importance and prosperity. His immediate successors were the last Greek kings to rule in Bactria.

Eucratides was born around 210–205 BC, the son of Heliocles and Laodice as depicted on various finds of his coinage. It is unclear whether he was a Bactrian nobleman who raised a rebellion, or, according to some scholars, a cousin of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes who was trying to regain the Bactrian territory. There has been much speculation on Eucratides' background and parentage. His mother, Laodice, is depicted wearing a royal diadem and therefore of royal descent, while his father is bare-headed. Tarn asserted that Laodice was a Seleucid princess, the daughter of Seleucus II Callinicus. Narain and other modern authors have challenged this established view.

Whatever his origins, Eucratides came to power by overthrowing the Euthydemid dynasty in Bactria, possibly when its king, Demetrius was conquering northwestern India. The king whom Eucratides dethroned in Bactria was probably Antimachus I.

Justin explains that Eucratides acceded to the throne at about the same time as Mithridates, whose rule is accurately known to have started in 171 BC, thereby giving an approximate date for the accession of Eucratides:

Almost at the same time that Mithridates ascended the throne among the Parthians, Eucratides began to reign among the Bactrians – Justin, trans. J. S. Watson

Having become master of Bactria after de-throning the Euthydemid dynasty, Eucratides was faced with a Parthian invasion which began when Demetrius I was conquering India. Having taken Tapuria and Margiana from Demetrius in about 170 BC, the powerful Mithridates I attempted to conquer Bactria itself but was checked by Eucratides. Having secured his western borders, Eucratides then conquered parts of India, campaigning as far south as Barigaza (modern day Bharuch), solidifying Greek presence in Northern India with the Indo-Greek Kingdom. According to the single remaining source, Roman historian Justin, Eucratides defeated Demetrius of India, but the identity of this king is uncertain: he could be either Demetrius I, or Demetrius II, but more likely Menander I.

Numismatic evidence suggests that Eucratides I was a contemporary of the Indo-Greek kings Apollodotus I, Apollodotus II and Plato of Bactria. In any case, Eucratides' advances into India are proved by his abundant bilingual coinage that are spread all over northern India and Pakistan.

The city of Eucratideia (Εὐκρατίδεια), which is mentioned by ancient Greek geographers as city of great wealth straddling the Oxus River, was probably named after Eucratides. It might have been a totally new foundation or an existing city which he had renamed after himself. The location of the city is uncertain, but it was probably Ai-Khanoum or perhaps Dilbarjin.