Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Auction 117 19-20 May 2021
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BAKTRIA, Indo-Greek Kingdom. Agathokleia & Strato I Soter. Circa 105-85/0 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25.5mm, 9.66 g, 12h). Diademed and draped bust of Strato I and draped bust of Agathokleia conjoined right / Athena Alkidemos advancing left, brandishing thunderbolt and aegis; monogram to lower left . Bopearachchi 6A; Haughton, Silver, pp. 135-6 and pl. VIII, 2; Bopearachchi & Rahman 418; HGC 12, 314; SNG ANS 987. Slightly uneven strike, isolated areas of light roughness. Good VF. Rare.
The numismatic evidence suggests that Strato and Agathokleia co-ruled a portion of the Indo-Greek Kingdom, likely encompassing western Ghandara and parts of the Punjab, sometime in the later second century BC, but their possible connection with the other Indo-Greek dynasts remains entirely conjectural. The early consensus was that Agathokleia was the wife or sister of Menander I Soter (circa 155-130 BC), and that Strato was their son, for whom she served as regent in the early part of the reign. Further studies indicated that a gap of at least 20 years came between the reign of Menander and that of Agathokleia and Strato, precluding a direct succession. Agathokleia's name suggests she may be a descendant of the earlier Greco-Baktrian king Agathokles. Her prominence is indicated by a small coinage with her portrait alone on the obverse, making her the only female to appear by herself on a coin of the series. After an apparently brief regency or joint reign, she disappears from the coinage and Strato continues alone.
The numismatic evidence suggests that Strato and Agathokleia co-ruled a portion of the Indo-Greek Kingdom, likely encompassing western Ghandara and parts of the Punjab, sometime in the later second century BC, but their possible connection with the other Indo-Greek dynasts remains entirely conjectural. The early consensus was that Agathokleia was the wife or sister of Menander I Soter (circa 155-130 BC), and that Strato was their son, for whom she served as regent in the early part of the reign. Further studies indicated that a gap of at least 20 years came between the reign of Menander and that of Agathokleia and Strato, precluding a direct succession. Agathokleia's name suggests she may be a descendant of the earlier Greco-Baktrian king Agathokles. Her prominence is indicated by a small coinage with her portrait alone on the obverse, making her the only female to appear by herself on a coin of the series. After an apparently brief regency or joint reign, she disappears from the coinage and Strato continues alone.