Strato I

Drachm of Agathokleia and Strato I.
Obv: Diademed bust of Agathokleia, with drapery and necklace. Greek legend BASILISSES THEOTROPOU AGATHOKLEIAS "Godlike Queen Agathokleia".
Rev: King in military outfit, diademed, holding spear, bow, arrow and shield in his left hand, and extenting his right hand in a benediction gesture. Kharoshthi legend "Maharajasa tratarasa dhramikasa Stratasa", "King Strato, saviour and follower of the dharma".

Strato I was an Indo-Greek king who ruled between c. 125-110 BCE in Northern India. He was the son of the great king Menander I and his queen Agathokleia, who acted as regent during his early years. The western parts of the Indo-Greek empire, including Paropamisadae and Arachosia, gained independence after the death of Menander I.

Territorial losses

Strato's territory extended from the mid-Punjab at the Jhelum River in the West to Mathura in the East, retaining the capital of his father in Sagala (modern Sialkot) in the northern Punjab, or possibly to the city of Bucephala (Plutarch, p. 48 n. 5). The area of Gandhara, west of river Jhelum, also belonged to the kingdom but seems to have been lost during the latter part of Strato's reign, perhaps to the Western king Antialcidas. According to archaeological evidence, Strato I was apparently the last Greek king to hold Mathura, which seems to have been lost to Indian kingdoms around 100 BCE. During the life of Strato I, various types of coins were minted, some of them bearing the mention "Dharmika" ("Of the "Dharma") ^[1]. Strato I was also the only Indo-Greek king to appear bearded, probably to indicate that he was no longer an infant.

Notes

1. ^  Legends on the coins of Agathokliea and Strato:

• Period 1: Coins where Agathokleia is alone on the obverse, and has a seated Herakles on the reverse:

Obverse: Greek BASILISSIS TEOTROPOU AGATOKLEIAS "Queen Agathokleia, Godlike" Reverse: Pali "Maharajasa tratarasa dharmikasa Agathukriae" "Queen Agathokleia, saviour and follower of the dharma"

• Period 2: Coins where only Agathokleia is shown, as regent, with king on the reverse forming the Vitarka Mudra:

Obverse: Greek BASILISSIS AGATOKLEIAS ("Queen Agathokleia") Reverse: Pali "Maharajasa tratarasa dharmikasa Stratasa" ("The Great king Strato, saviour and followers of the Dharma")

• Period 3: Coins with Strato as an adolescent, accompanied by Athena peacefully holding Nike

Obverse: Greek BASILEOS SOTIROS KAI DIKAIOU STRATONOS "Saviour king Strato, the Just" Reverse: Pali "Maharajasa tratarasa Dhramikasa Stratasa "Great saviour king Strato, follower of the Dharma"

• Period 4: Coins where Strato as an adolescent appears jointly with Agatokleia

Obverse: Greek BASILEOS SOTIROS STRATONOS KAI AGATHOKLEIA "Saviour king Strato, and Agathokleia" Reverse: Pali "Maharajasa tratarasa Stratasa/ Agathukriae" "Great saviour king Strato, and Agathokleia"

• Period 5: King Strato alone, with Athena Alkidemos

Obverse: Greek BASILEOS SOTIROS STRATONOS "Saviour king Strato" Reverse: Pali "Maharajasa tratarasa Stratasa" "Great saviour king Strato"

• Period 6: King Strato alone, with Athena Alkidemos

Obverse: Greek BASILEOS SOTIROS STRATONOS "Saviour king Strato" Reverse: Pali "Maharajasa tratarasa dhramikasa Stratasa" "Great saviour king Strato, follower of the dharma"

• Period 7: King Strato alone, with Athena Alkidemos

Obverse: Greek BASILEOS SOTIROS DIKAIOU STRATONOS "Saviour and just king Strato" Reverse: Pali "Maharajasa tratarasa dhramikasa Stratasa" "Great saviour king Strato, follower of the dharma"

• Period 8: King Strato alone, with Athena Alkidemos

Obverse: Greek BASILEOS EPIPHANOUS SOTIROS STRATONOS "Saviour and divine king Strato" Reverse: Pali "Maharajasa pracachasa tratarasa Stratasa" "Great saviour king Strato, epiphane"

See also

• Indo-Greek Kingdom
• Greco-Buddhism
• Indo-Scythians

References

• "The Greeks in Bactria and India" W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press

See also

• Coins of Strato I
• More coins of Strato I