# Apollodotus II

Apollodotus II (Greek: Ἀπολλόδοτος Β΄) was an Indo-Greek king who ruled in the western and eastern parts of Punjab. Bopearachchi dates him to c. 80–65 BC, and R. C. Senior to c. 85–65 BC. Apollodotos II was an important ruler who seems to have re-established the Indo-Greek kingdom to some extent of its former glory. Taxila in western Punjab was reconquered from nomad Scythian rule.

## Rule

Apollodotus II seems to have been a member of the dynasty of Menander I, since he used their typical deity Athena Alkidemos on most of his silver, and also Menander's title Soter (Greek: Σωτήρ, "the Saviour"), on all his coins. On some coins, he also calls himself Philopator (Greek: Φιλοπάτωρ, "the father-loving"), which proves that his father had been king before him. R C Senior guesses that Amyntas or Epander could have been his father.
Apollodotus' reign possibly began in the Punjab, when the Scythian king Maues ruled in Gandhara and its capital Taxila. What probably happened is that Apollodotus II took over Taxila after the death of Maues, though it is uncertain whether he defeated Maues or his descendants, or was allied or related to the dynasty of Maues. The late Indo-Greeks may have been rather mixed with both Indians and Scythians. R C Senior suggests that Apollodotus had struck an alliance with another Scythian king, Azes I.
The Scythian hold on Gandhara loosened after the death of Maues, and petty kings of mixed or uncertain origin, like Artemidorus the son of Maues, Telephus and perhaps Menander II emerged in the area. These kings posed no threat to Apollodotus II, who on some of his coins assumed the title Basileus Megas (Greek: Βασιλεὺς Μέγας, "Great King"), in echo of Maues' boastful title "Great King of Kings".
After the death of Apollodotus II, the Indo-Greek kingdom fragmented once more.

## Coins of Apollodotus II

Apollodotus II issued a large number of coins. He struck silver with a diademed portrait on the obverse and a reverse of Athena Alkidemos, and also a unique coin with the reverse of a king, possibly Alexander the Great, sitting on a horned horse similar to Alexander's Bucephalus and holding his hand in a benediction gesture.
He struck bronzes with Apollo/tripod, a type introduced by his namesake Apollodotus I.
The coins of Apollodotus II are of different qualities. Some still have the realistic portraits characteristic of the earlier Indo-Greek coins, and Bopearachchi attributes these series to the western part of his kingdom. Others are badly struck and/or have clumsy and distorted portraits, and these Bopearachchi interprets as belonging to newly opened mints in eastern Punjab, presumably struck by Indian celators with little knowledge of Greek engraving skills.
On some of his coins there are both extra monograms in shape of Kharosthi letters. These monograms are interpreted, which was suggested already by W.W. Tarn, to have belonged to officials with Indian names. The coins therefore indicate that Apollodotus II relied more on his Indian subjects than earlier kings, and also opened new mints in eastern Punjab where Greek presence was scarce.

## Overstrikes

Apollodotus II overstruck a bronze of Maues. Zoilos II overstruck some of the coins of Apollodotus II, as did Azes I.
vteGreco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kings, territories and chronology :
Based on Bopearachchi (1991) :
Greco-Bactrian kings
Indo-Greek kings
Territories/ datesWest BactriaEast BactriaParopamisade ArachosiaGandharaWestern PunjabEastern PunjabMathura
326-325 BCE
Campaigns of Alexander the Great in India
Nanda Empire
312 BCE
Creation of the Seleucid Empire
Creation of the Maurya Empire
305 BCE
Seleucid Empire after Mauryan war
Maurya Empire
280 BCE
Foundation of Ai-Khanoum
255–239 BCE
Independence of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom Diodotus I
Emperor Ashoka (268-232 BCE)
239–223 BCE
Diodotus II
230–200 BCE
Euthydemus I
200–190 BCE
Demetrius I
Sunga Empire
190-185 BCE
Euthydemus II
190–180 BCE
Agathocles
Pantaleon
185–170 BCE
Antimachus I
180–160 BCE
Apollodotus I
175–170 BCE
Demetrius II
160–155 BCE
Antimachus II
170–145 BCE
Eucratides I
155–130 BCE
Yuezhi occupation, loss of Ai-Khanoum
Eucratides II Plato Heliocles I
Menander I
130–120 BCE
Yuezhi occupation
Zoilus I
Agathoclea
Yavanarajya inscription
120–110 BCE
Lysias
Strato I
110–100 BCE
Antialcidas
Heliocles II
100 BCE
Polyxenus
Demetrius III
100–95 BCE
Philoxenus
95–90 BCE
Diomedes
Amyntas
Epander
90 BCE
Theophilus
Peucolaus
Thraso
90–85 BCE
Nicias
Menander II
Artemidorus
90–70 BCE
Hermaeus
Archebius
Yuezhi occupation
Maues (Indo-Scythian)
75–70 BCE
Vonones
Telephus
Apollodotus II
65–55 BCE
Spalirises
Hippostratus
Dionysius
55–35 BCE
Azes I (Indo-Scythians)
Zoilus II
55–35 BCE
Vijayamitra/ Azilises
Apollophanes
25 BCE – 10 CE
Gondophares
Zeionises
Kharahostes
Strato II Strato III
Gondophares (Indo-Parthian)
Rajuvula (Indo-Scythian)
Kujula Kadphises (Kushan Empire)
Bhadayasa (Indo-Scythian)
Sodasa (Indo-Scythian)
↑ O. Bopearachchi, "Monnaies gréco-bactriennes et indo-grecques, Catalogue raisonné", Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, 1991, p.453
↑ Quintanilla, Sonya Rhie (2 April 2019). "History of Early Stone Sculpture at Mathura: Ca. 150 BCE - 100 CE". BRILL – via Google Books. :