The Greeks in Bactria and India c10.s6.52

c10.s6.52

It was the discovery of the great Bajaur hoard² which has added to the list of kings the second Zoilus.³ This hoard consisted of nearly new coins of three early kings, Apollodotus I, Menander, and Antimachus II, with a single coin of Zoilus which had obviously belonged to the man who actually buried the hoard. A hoard like this was probably buried during some invasion, and there is a choice of two dates, Heliocles’ invasion of Gandhāra between 150 and 140 B.C., or the Saca conquest of Gandhāra round about 70 B.C.; without doubt the earlier date is the right one. There was then a Zoilus connected with Gandhāra just after Menander’s death. It had been pointed out before the discovery of this hoard that Zoilus had two distinct currencies, clearly distinguished in style, legends, types, and monograms, one of which suggested the eastern Punjab while the affinities of the other were with Gandhāra;⁴ and the two currencies show different titles, Soter and Dikaios. It has been seen that Zoilus Soter belonged to the eastern group of kings connected with Strato; and Zoilus Dikaios, who is connected with Gandhāra, must be earlier, perhaps one of the missing sub-kings of Menander, whom he evidently survived. Had he been merely driven across the Jhelum by Heliocles into Strato’s sphere, his monograms and the style of his coins would naturally have changed, but no reason is apparent why he should have changed his types, still less his title; and it must I think be supposed that there were two kings of the name,¹ Soter being a descendant—presumably grandson—of Dikaios.