The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s1.24

c10.s1.24

In 246, then, Diodotus was still a Seleucid satrap. His son Diodotus II, who took the royal title, was on the throne in 228 or 227,² so Diodotus’ death cannot be put later than about 230; he had been satrap under Antiochus I³ and was not young. His coins show Diodotus II as a young man,⁴ but the dates make it almost certain that he was not a son of the Seleucid princess; he must have been Diodotus’ son by a former marriage. He reversed his father’s policy and allied himself with Tiridates of Parthia,⁵ the enemy of the Seleucids, who was then at war with Seleucus II; with Seleucus’ sister at Diodotus’ Court as his father’s widow the situation must have followed well-known lines. The queen-widow married her own daughter to Euthydemus, presumably one of Diodotus’ satraps,⁶ and Euthydemus killed Diodotus II,⁷ probably with popular support (for the alliance with Parthia cannot have been popular with the Greeks), and took the crown. At the moment he may have appeared to be acting in the Seleucid interest; he told Antiochus III later that he was no rebel, but that he had killed the son of a rebel.⁸