Hippostratus

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Hippostratos
)
Hippostratus
Indo-Greek
king
Reign65–55 BCE
Kharoshthi
legend: MAHARAJASA TRATASA MAHATASA JAYAMTASA HIPUSTRATASA "King Hippostratus, the Great Saviour and Conqueror.
Kharoshthi
legend: MAHARAJASA TRATASA MAHATASA JAYAMTASA HIPUSTRATASA "King Hippostratus, the Great Saviour and Conqueror.
Hippostratus with Triton holding dolphin and rudder and Tyche.

Hippostratus (

Punjab and Pushkalavati
. Bopearachchi dates Hippostratus to 65 to 55 BCE whereas R. C. Senior suggests 60 to 50 BCE.

Rule

In Bopearachchi's reconstruction Hippostratus came to power as the successor to Apollodotus II, in the western part of his kingdom, while the weak Dionysius ascended to the throne in the eastern part. Senior assumes that the reigns of Apollodotus II and Hippostratos overlapped somewhat; in that case Hippostratus first ruled a kingdom situated to the west of Apollodotus' dominions.

Just like Apollodotus II, Hippostratus calls himself Soter, "Saviour", on all his coins, and on some coins he also assumes the title Basileos Megas, "Great King", which he inherited from Apollodotus II. This may support Senior's scenario that Hippostratus extended his kingdom after Apollodotus' death. The relationship between these two kings remains uncertain due to lack of sources. Hippostratos did not, however, use the symbol of standing Athena Alkidemos, which was common to all other kings thought to be related to Apollodotus II. The two kings share only one monogram.

The quantity and quality of the coinage of Hippostratus indicate a quite powerful king. Hippostratus seems to have fought rather successfully against the

Indo-Scythian invaders, led by the Scythian king Azes I
, but was ultimately defeated and became the last western Indo-Greek king.

Coinage

Hippostratus issued silver coins with a diademed portrait on the obverse, and three reverses. The first is the image of a king on prancing horse, a common type which was most frequently used by the earlier kings

Philoxenus. The second reverse also portrays a king on horseback, but the horse is walking and the king making a benediction gesture - this type resembles a rare type of Apollodotus II. The third is a standing goddess, perhaps Tyche
.

Hippostratus struck several bronzes of types used by several kings:

  • Hippostratus bareheaded with Tyche with Greek legend BΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣΤΡΑΤΟΥ "Of King Saviour Hippostratus".
    Hippostratus bareheaded with Tyche with Greek legend BΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣΤΡΑΤΟΥ "Of King Saviour Hippostratus".
  • Hippostratus with standing Apollo and tripod with Greek legend BΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣΤΡΑΤΟΥ "Of King Saviour Hippostratus".
    Hippostratus with standing Apollo and tripod with Greek legend BΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣΤΡΑΤΟΥ "Of King Saviour Hippostratus".
  • Hippostratus with Zeus-Mitra and horse with Greek legend BΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣΤΡΑΤΟΥ "Of King Saviour Hippostratus".
    Hippostratus with Zeus-Mitra and horse with Greek legend BΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΙΠΠΟΣΤΡΑΤΟΥ "Of King Saviour Hippostratus".

Overstrikes

Azes I overstruck several of Hippostratus' coins.

See also

References

  • The Greeks in Bactria and India, W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press

External links

Preceded by
Western Punjab
)

65 – 55 BCE
Succeeded by
Indo-Scythian
King)