Diomedes Soter

Diomedes
Indo-Greek king

Coin of Diomedes.
Obv: Helmetted king Diomedes. Greek legend: BASILEOS SOTEROS DIOMEDOY "Of King Diomedes, The Saviour".
Rev: Dioscuri. Kharoshti translation of legend.
Reign 95–90 BCE

Diomedes Soter (Greek: Διομήδης ὁ Σωτήρ; epithet means "the Saviour") was an Indo-Greek king. The places where his coins have been found seem to indicate that his rule was based in the area of the Paropamisadae, possibly with temporary dominions further east. Judging from their similar portraits and many overlapping monograms, the young Diomedes seems to have been the heir (and probably a relative) of Philoxenus, the last king to rule before the kingdom of Menander I finally fragmented.

Time of reign

Bopearachchi dates Diomedes to c. 95–90 BCE and R. C. Senior dates him to c. 115–105 BCE.

Coins of Diomedes

Diomedes depicted the Dioscurion his coins, either on horseback or standing; both types were previously used by Eucratides I. It is however uncertain how the two were related, since Eucratides I died long before Diomedes.

Diomedes minted both Attic-type coins (Greco-Bactrian style, with Greek legend only), and bilingual coins (with Greek and Kharoshthi), indicating that he was ruling in the western part of the Indo-Greek territory.

One overstrike is known, of a coin of Strato and Agathokleia over a coin of Diomedes.[1] This overstrike could indicate that Diomedes fought over the central areas of the Indo-Greek territories with Strato and Agathokleia.

INDO-GREEK KINGS AND THEIR TERRITORIES
Based on Bopearachchi (1991)
Territories/
Dates
PAROPAMISADE
ARACHOSIA GANDHARA WESTERN PUNJAB EASTERN PUNJAB
200–190 BCE Demetrius I
190–180 BCE Agathocles Pantaleon
185–170 BCE Antimachus I
180–160 BCE Apollodotus I
175–170 BCE Demetrius II
170–145 BCE Eucratides
160–155 BCE Antimachus II
155–130 BCE Menander I
130–120 BCE Zoilos I Agathokleia
120–110 BCE Lysias Strato I
110–100 BCE Antialcidas Heliokles II
100 BCE Polyxenos Demetrius III
100–95 BCE Philoxenus
95–90 BCE Diomedes Amyntas Epander
90 BCE Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso
90–85 BCE Nicias Menander II Artemidoros
90–70 BCE Hermaeus Archebios
Yuezhi tribes Maues (Indo-Scythian)
75–70 BCE Telephos Apollodotus II
65–55 BCE Hippostratos Dionysios
55–35 BCE Azes I (Indo-Scythian) Zoilos II
55–35 BCE Apollophanes
25 BCE – 10 CE Strato II & III
Rajuvula (Indo-Scythian)

See also

References

  1. Bopearachchi, De l'Indus à l'Oxus, p. 129

External links

Preceded by
Philoxenus
Indo-Greek ruler in Paropamisadae
95–90 BCE
Succeeded by
Theophilos
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