Diodotus I

Lived from 300 BCE to 235 BCE

Diodotus I Soter, was the first Greek king of Bactria. Diodotus became independent of the Seleucid empire around 255 or 245 BC, and established the Diodotid Bactrian Kingdom, which endured in various forms until the beginning of the first century AD. In around 250 BC Diodotus repelled a Parthian invasion of Bactria by Arsaces, but little is known about this war, except that it resulted in a peace treaty, favourable to Diodotus, and a possible alliance was formed. He also minted an extensive coinage and administered a powerful and prosperous new kingdom. He died around 235 BC of likely natural causes and was succeeded by his son, Diodotus II. 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. Thus, most details of Diodotus' life and career have to be reconstructed from numismatics and brief mentions by ancient writers such as Justin.

Subject ID: 133416

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Lived from 300 BCE to 235 BCE

Diodotus I Soter, was the first Greek king of Bactria. Diodotus became independent of the Seleucid empire around 255 or 245 BC, and established the Diodotid Bactrian Kingdom, which endured in various forms until the beginning of the first century AD. In around 250 BC Diodotus repelled a Parthian invasion of Bactria by Arsaces, but little is known about this war, except that it resulted in a peace treaty, favourable to Diodotus, and a possible alliance was formed. He also minted an extensive coinage and administered a powerful and prosperous new kingdom. He died around 235 BC of likely natural causes and was succeeded by his son, Diodotus II. 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. Thus, most details of Diodotus' life and career have to be reconstructed from numismatics and brief mentions by ancient writers such as Justin.

Subject ID: 133416

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