Agathokleia (Queen)

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Coin with a bust of Agathokleia, the inscription names Straton I of Punjab

Agathokleia Greek  Αγαθοκλεία was an Indo-Greek queen. Their classification and position are controversial in research. It is only known from coins on which Straton I appears.

Some coins show them alone on one side and name Straton I. on the other side without him being depicted. His name is written in Kharoshthi while its legends are Greek. Here it bears the title BASILISSES THEOTROPOU AGATHOKLEIAS ("the godlike Queen Agathokleia"). These coins are not very numerous, so it can be assumed that she did not rule for long. On other coins, however, her image appears in profile together with that of Straton I.

Tarn saw in her the wife of Menandros I , who after his death around 135 to 125 BC. BC ruled when his legal successor Straton was still a minor. When her son came of age, he took over the business of government alone. Narain takes the same interpretation of the evidence. Other interpretations assume that she later ruled and was the wife of another ruler, after all, it was even argued that Straton I was her husband and not her son.

Some of their coins were overstruck by Heliocles II , who probably regarded their rule as illegitimate.

literature

  • Abodh K. Narain: The Indo-Greeks. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1957, pp. 110-111.
  • William W. Tarn: The Greeks in Bactria and India. 2nd Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 1951, pp. 225-226.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Tarn: The Greeks in India and Bactria. 1951, p. 226.
  2. ↑ Narain: The Indo-Greeks. 1957, pp. 110-111.
  3. ^ Vincent A. Smith : The early history of India. From 600 BC to the Muhammadan conquest including the invasion of Alexander the Great. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1904, p. 242 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Agathokleia
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Indian king
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH around 125 BC Chr.