Diodotus I

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Diodotus of Bactria
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Diodotus I
Basileus
Gold coin of Diodotus c. 245 BC. The reverse legend reads: "ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΟΔΟΤΟΥ" – "(of) King Diodotos". Cabinet des Medailles, Paris.
King of Bactria
Reignc. 256 or 245 BCE – c. 235 BCE
PredecessorPosition Established
SuccessorDiodotus II
Bornc. 300 BC
Bactria
Died235 BC
Balkh, Bactria
Issue
DynastyDiodotid
FatherDiodotus

Diodotus I Soter (Greek: Διόδοτος Σωτήρ, Diódotos Sōtḗr; c. 315/300 BCE – c. 235 BCE) was the first Hellenistic king of Bactria. Diodotus was initially satrap of Bactria, but became independent of the Seleucid empire around 255 or 245 BCE, establishing the Diodotid Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, which endured in various forms until the beginning of the first century CE. In about 250 BCE, Diodotus repelled a Parthian invasion of Bactria by Arsaces. He also minted an extensive coinage and administered a powerful and prosperous new kingdom. He died around 235 BCE and was succeeded by his son Diodotus II.[1][2]

His rule was recounted by Apollodorus of Artemita in the Parthian History, but this text is lost, and surviving literary sources only mention him in passing.[3] Thus, most details of Diodotus' life have to be reconstructed from numismatics and brief references by Justin.[4] and other historians.

Background and satrapy

The

Antiochus II who remained in this position until he in turn succeeded to the throne in 261 BCE.[5]

Diodotus became Seleucid

First Syrian War.[6] This satrap may have been Diodotus, or a predecessor.[7] Archaeological evidence for the period comes largely from excavations of the city of Ai-Khanoum, where this period saw the expansion of irrigation networks, the construction and expansion of civic buildings, and some military activity, probably raiding by nomads from the Central Asian steppe. As satrap, Diodotus was probably involved in these matters, though the specifics are not recoverable.[8]

Secession from the Seleucid realm

Hisor District, Tajikistan. National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan
.

At some point, Diodotus seceded from the Seleucid empire, establishing his realm as an independent kingdom, known in modern scholarship as the Graeco-Bactrian kingdom. The event is mentioned briefly by the Roman historian Justin:

Diodotus,

Justin Epitome of Pompeius Trogus 41.4

The date of this event is unclear. The literary evidence is as follows:

Different scholars have argued for a 'High Chronology' which places Diodotus' independence around 255 BCE in the reign of Antiochus II, or a 'Low Chronology' which dates the secession around 245 BCE at the beginning of the reign of Seleucus II.

Ptolemy III had conquered the Seleucid core territories of Syria and Mesopotamia.[18]

The limited archaeological evidence reveals no signs of discontinuity or destruction in this period. The transition from Seleucid rule to independence thus seems to have been accomplished peacefully.

Ai Khanoum, which might indicate that Bactria shifted out of the Seleucid orbit early in Antiochus II's reign, or that Antiochus I's coinage continued to be minted posthumously.[19][20]

Possible Bactrian satrapal capitals
Bactra

Whether gradual or quick, the culmination of the process was apparently Diodotus' proclamation of himself as king. He divided the territories under his control into a number of satrapies, each with its own satrap. Two of these satrapies,

Bactra.[22]

The literary sources stress the prosperity of the new kingdom. Justin calls it "the extremely prosperous empire of the thousand cities of Bactria.",[23] while the geographer Strabo says:

The Greeks who caused Bactria to revolt grew so powerful on account of the fertility of the country that they became masters, not only of Ariana, but also of India, as Apollodorus of Artemita says: and more tribes were subdued by them than by Alexander... Their cities were Bactra (also called Zariaspa, through which flows a river bearing the same name and emptying into the Oxus), and Darapsa, and several others.

— Strabo Geography 11.11.1

Diodotus continued to be hostile to the Parthians for the rest of his reign. Justin emphasises Arsaces' precarious position, opposed by the Seleucids to his west and Diodotus to the east—he is unclear about whether this opposition was co-ordinated.[10] Before archaeological evidence became available, it was generally assumed that the Parni conquest of Parthia had decisively cut Bactria off from contact with Seleucid authority and Greek culture.However, archaeological evidence makes clear that goods and people continued to move between Bactria and the Seleucid realm.[citation needed]

Diodotus died during the reign of Seleucus II, sometime around 235 BCE, probably of natural causes. He was succeeded by his son Diodotus II.[24] The new king concluded a peace with the Parthians and supported Arsaces when Seleucus II attacked him around 228 BCE.[10] Diodotus II was subsequently killed by an usurper, Euthydemus, who founded the Euthydemid dynasty.[25][26]

Coinage

Ancient Greek
: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ('Of King Antiochus')

Before Diodotus came to power, there was already a mint in Bactria based at Ai-Khanoum

drachms, and hemidrachms, and some bronze coins. None of them seem to have been issued in great quantity.[29]

On Frank Holt's interpretation, Diodotus introduced a new coinage while still satrap, which consisted of a large number of silver tetradrachms and, later, a small number of gold staters. These coins have the head of a male figure on the obverse, presumably Diodotus himself, shown wearing the

Ancient Greek: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ ('Of King Antiochus'). The coinage thus clearly proclaimed Diodotus' authority, but retained some ambiguity about the extent of his independence from the Seleucids.[29] An alternative interpretation advanced by Jens Jakobsson is that this is the coinage of a separate king Antiochus Nicator, whom he interprets as a younger son of grandson of Diodotus, and whose rule he would place around the 220s BCE.[18]

Towards the end of this series, a small wreath appears on the reverse to the left of Zeus. The wreath was a Greek symbol of victory. Frank Holt suggests that it commemorated a victory over the Parthians and that this victory was also the source of Diodotus' epithet soter (savour). Other Hellenistic kings, such as

Pergamum took this title to commemorate victories over existential barbarian threats. Diodotus may have done the same. This may further have been the occasion of Diodotus I's assumption of the royal title of king (basileus)—as a similar victory was for Attalus I.[29]

The date at which this coinage began is not clear. Frank Holt suggests it was around 250 BCE. The coinage seems to have been minted simultaneously at two mints—one with a more aged portrait ('Series A') and the other with a younger portrait ('Series C and E'). The mint of 'Series A & C' is generally identified with the Ai-Khanoum/Bactra mint, that of 'Series E' has not been localised. Holt proposes that the younger portrait depicts Diodotus II, perhaps junior co-regent with Diodotus I. After a break, both mints produce coins with the younger portrait and with the legend now reading

Ancient Greek: ΔΙΟΔΟΤΟΥ ('Of Diodotus', Series D and F). Holt suggests that this break marks the death of Diodotus I and accession of Diodotus II.[29]

A few tetradrachm coins depicting Diodotus I in a more 'idealising' guise were issued late in Diodotus II's reign ('Series B'). Diodotus appears also on coins struck in his memory by the later Graeco-Bactrian kings

Ancient Greek: ΔΙΟΔΟΤΟΥ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ('Of Diodotus Soter').[29]

Diodotus also issued a bronze coinage ('Series G'). This coinage consisted of two denominations: a 'double' (c. 8.4 grammes, 20-24 millimetres in diameter) and a 'single' (4.2 g, 14–18 mm)—possibly worth 1/48 of a silver drachm.

Ancient Greek: ΔΙΟΔΟΤΟΥ ('Of Diodotus', 'Series H'). These bronze coins were found in very large numbers in the excavations of Ai-Khanoum.[31]

Issue

The only attested relative of Diodotus I is his son and successor, Diodotus II. William Woodthorpe Tarn interpreted later Bactrian coinage as indicating that Diodotos had a daughter who married Euthydemus, was involved in the assassination of Diodotus and usurpation of the throne, and then became Queen regent until her son, Demetrius I ascended to the throne.[32] There is no explicit evidence for this daughter's existence and the speculative nature of Tarn's genealogical reconstructions has been criticised in subsequent scholarship.[33][34]

References

  1. ^ "Strabo, Geography, Book 11, chapter 11, section 1". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
  2. ^ Justin XLI.1
  3. ^ Holt 1999, pp. 55–57
  4. ^ Justin XLI.4
  5. ^ Holt 1999, pp. 24–29 & 37–47
  6. Astronomical Diaries
    I, p. 345, No. –273B ‘Rev. 30’- 32’
  7. ^ First proposed by MacDonald, George (1922). "The Hellenistic Kingdoms of Syria, Bactira, and Parthia". In Rapson, E. J. (ed.). The Cambridge History of India: Volume I. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 393.. Holt 1999, p. 51 expresses great scepticism.
  8. ^ Holt 1999, pp. 54–55
  9. ^ Justin's text actually reads 'Theodotus'
  10. ^ a b c Justin, Epitome of Pompeius Trogus 41.4
  11. ^ Strabo 11.9.3
  12. ^ Ammianus Marcellinus 23.6.2-3
  13. FGrH
    F30a
  14. ^ Appian Syriaca 65
  15. ^ a b Holt 1999, pp. 58–60
  16. ^ Musti 1986
  17. ^ Holt 1999, pp. 63–64
  18. ^ a b Jakobsson 2021.
  19. ^ Kritt 2001, pp. 23–26.
  20. ^ Jakobsson 2021, pp. 502–503.
  21. ^ Strabo 11.11.2
  22. ^ Bactra: Bopearachchi 2005
  23. ^ Justin, 41.1
  24. ^ Holt 1999, p. 62
  25. ^ Polybius 11.34.2
  26. ^ Holt 1999, p. 64
  27. ^ Kritt, Brian (1996). Seleucid Coins of Bactria. Lancaster: CNG.
  28. ^ Bopearachchi 2005.
  29. ^ a b c d e Holt 1999, pp. 87–101
  30. ^ 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)
  31. ^ Holt 1999, pp. 107–125
  32. ISBN 9781108009416
    .
  33. ^ Lerner 1999, pp. 56–59.
  34. ^ Holt 1999, pp. 68–69

Bibliography

External links
Preceded by Greco-Bactrian Ruler
c. 255 or 245 – c. 235 BCE 		Succeeded by
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