The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s6.123

c10.s6.123

Unquestionably the vanquished were the Sacas. Maues had struck a coin with well-known types of both Eucratides and Demetrius,¹ showing that he claimed to be the successor of both kings; but he never used Menander’s characteristic Athena Alkis, and therefore never ruled any part of Menander’s home kingdom east of the Jhelum. Whether it was his fleet which was defeated, or whether he was already dead, cannot be said; it might suit best to suppose that his fleet was defeated in an attempt to open a way up the Jhelum to Bucephala as it had opened a way up the Indus to Taxila, and that he died soon after. For the victory, as will be seen, was certainly followed, though not necessarily at once, by a period of peace, or rather perhaps cessation of hostilities, between Greek and Saca; and as this cannot have been due to one reverse—the Sacas were too strong for that—it may imply Maues’ death. It will be suggested later that his death was in 58 B.C.