BAKTRIA. Greco-Baktrian Kingdom. Eukratides I Megas. Circa 170-145 B.C. AR tetradrachm. 16.81 gm. 29 mm. His diademed and draped bust right, wearing crested helmet adorned with bull's horn and ear / The Dioskouroi on horses rearing right, holding palms and spears; monogram to left. Bopearachchi 6W. HGC 12, 131. Very Fine; well centered and lighty toned.

Purchased from Jonathan K. Kern (tag).

Eukratides was one of the last but most important Greco-Baktrian kings, responsible for the overthrow of the Euthydemid dynasty and for waging numerous campaigns against the Indo-Greek kings, temporarily holding territory as far east as the Indus. He was murdered on his way home from India, apparently by his son who hated his father so much that he "ran with his chariot over the blood of his father, and ordered the corpse to be left without a sepulture" (Justin XLI, 6). The subsequent civil war between rival members of the dynasty, combined with external pressures from the Indo-Greeks, Sogdians, and Parthians led to the ultimate collapse of the Greco-Baktrian Kingdom a mere fifteen years later, when it was conquered by the Parthians under Mithradates.