The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s3.84

c10.s3.84

³ Justin XLI, 6, 3: ‘Bactriani...Sogdianorum et Arachotorum et Drangarum et Areorum Indorumque bellis fatigati ad postremum ab invalidioribus Parthis... oppressi sunt.’ ‘Sogdianorum’ shows that the reference cannot be to the campaigns of Demetrius in Iran; moreover his wars did not end in his being conquered by the Parthians. The reference is therefore to the campaigns of Eucratides, because there is nothing else that it can refer to, and ‘Bactriani’ therefore means Eucratides’ following and in a sense Eucratides himself. Indeed the next sentence proves it: ‘Multa tamen Eucratides bella magna virtute gessit’; that is equivalent to saying: ‘His end was to be conquered by the Parthians; however, he fought well first.’ This will be important later.