The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s3.82

c10.s3.82

Eucratides had the choice of two routes eastward from Babylonia; the northern road by Ecbatana and Hekatompylos to Bactria which Antiochus III had taken, or the southern road through Susiana to Seistan. In 169 the Parthians were across the northern road, with their capital at Hekatompylos and a firm hold on the strong pass of Sirdarra, the ‘Caspian Gates’; he could no doubt have fought his way through, but with much loss of time and perhaps of men, and it is fairly certain that he took the southern route to Seistan and from that province advanced northward by the great road from Seistan by Herat to Merv and Bactria, the route subsequently taken by the colleague of Mithridates II of Parthia in liquidating the Saca invasion.² His conquests included Seistan, Arachosia, Aria, Bactria, and Sogdiana; Justin gives the list, though not in chronological or geographical order.³ It is unfortunate that the chapter in Justin which deals with Eucratides is Justin at his very worst, for he is trying to summarise an unfamiliar piece of history which he did not understand and which he considered of no importance;⁴ but there was ultimately a good and understanding source behind him (p. 50), and one has to try to restore the real sense. If the above view of Eucratides’ operations be correct, then the two sub-kings who had to bear the first shock of the invasion were Agathocles in Seistan and Arachosia (or rather his provincial governors, for his own seat was Alexandria-Kapisa, p. 158) and Antimachus in Herat and Merv; and as these are the two sub-kings whose propaganda is known, my view probably is correct.