The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s2.85

c10.s2.85

Menander’s advance to the south-east is attested both from the Greek and the Indian side. Some writers indeed, with no clear idea of the two lines of advance, have ascribed all the Indian conquests to Menander, a thing which time, space, and Trogus’ mention of Apollodotus alike forbid. It is a proof of Cunningham’s penetration that he saw something of the truth as long ago as 1870,¹ when he said that the campaigns of Apollodotus and Menander were contemporary but distinct, that of Apollodotus being directed from Sind against Rajputana; but nothing came of his illuminating suggestion, because he put both kings much too late and numismatists subsequently saw that Apollodotus, who still coined on the Attic standard and some of whose coins were overstruck by Eucratides, must be a very early king. The first thing is to consider exactly what Apollodorus does say, before coming to the Indian account.