The Greeks in Bactria and India c24.24

c24.24

³ The name Βελλαῖος in Egypt, second century B.C., *BGU* II no. 601 l. 20; the form Βελλεῖος both in Egypt (Preisigke, *Namenbuch* s.v.) and in Macedonia (*SEG* III 499-501); the form Βελλέ(ου), query Βελλε(ίου), at Doura, *SEG* VII 452. The name Βιλλαῖος (Nonnus XXVI, 217) is merely that of the river Billaios (Ap. Rhod. II, 793) or Billis (Pliny VI, 4) in Asia Minor and can hardly be connected with Βελλαῖος; it is more probably the same as the Ionian Βιλλᾶς, on which see L.Robert, *BCH* LVII, 1933, p. 476 n. 4. There was in Illyria, probably c. 167-153 B.C., a princelet named Βαλλαῖος who coined (Head² p. 317); but he cannot be connected with Βελλαῖος, for, beside the different spelling, he had nothing to do with the Seleucids. Could his name be connected with the Illyrian town Βύλλις, on which see Robert, *BCH* LII, 1928, p. 433?