Greek - SELEUCID KINGDOM - King Antiochos II, Theos
Bronze 10mm (1.5 grams) Struck 261-246 B.C.
Reference: Sear 6892 (£16) -
Diademed head of Antiochos II right.
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ANTIOXOY either side of Apollo standing left, right foot on
omphalos, holding arrow and bow; monogram in field to left.
Son of Antiochos I, thew new king was of weak character, addicted to
alcohol and under influence of favorites. His kingdom was at war with Ptolemaic
Egypt for much of his reign, and Parthia and Baktria both asserted their
independence at this time.
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Antiochus II Theos (Greek:
Αντίοχος Β' Θεός, 286 BC–246 BC), was a king of the
Hellenistic
Seleucid Kingdom who reigned 261 BC–246 BC). He succeeded his father
Antiochus I Soter in the winter of 262-61 BC. He was the younger son of
Antiochus I and princess
Stratonice, the daughter of
Demetrius Poliorcetes.
He inherited a state of war with
Egypt, the "Second
Syrian War", which was fought along the coasts of
Asia Minor, and the constant intrigues of petty despots and restless
city-states in Asia Minor. Antiochus also made some attempt to get a footing in
Thrace. During
the war he was given the title Theos (Greek:
Θεός, "God"), being such to the Milesians in slaying the tyrant
Timarchus.[1]
During the time Antiochus was occupied with the war against
Egypt,
Andragoras, his satrap in
Parthia,
proclaimed independence. According to
Justin's
epitome of
Pompeius Trogus, in
Bactria, his
satrap
Diodotus also revolted in 255 BC, and founded the
Greco-Bactrian kingdom, which further expanded in India in 180 BC to form
the
Greco-Indian kingdom (180 BC–1 BC). Then about 238 BC,
Arsaces led a revolt of the
Parthians
against Andragoras, leading to the foundation of the
Parthian Empire. These events would have cut off communications with India.
About this time, Antiochus made peace with
Ptolemy II of Egypt, ending the Second Syrian War. Antiochus repudiated his
wife Laodice
and exiled her to
Ephesus. To seal the treaty, he married Ptolemy's daughter
Berenice and received an enormous dowry.
During her stay in Ephesus, Laodice continued numerous
intrigues to become queen again. By 246 BC Antiochus had left Berenice and her
infant son in
Antioch to live again with Laodice in Asia Minor. Laodice took the occasion
to poison Antiochus while her partisans at Antioch murdered Berenice and her
infant son.
She then proclaimed her own son
Seleucus II Callinicus king. Antiochus II and Laodice were also the parents
of
Laodice, the wife of
Mithridates II.
Phylarchus[2]
relays current scandals regarding his drunken banquets and liaisons with
unsuitable young men.
Relations with India
Antiochus is mentioned[3]
in the
Edicts of Ashoka, as one of the recipients of the Indian Emperor
Ashoka's
Buddhist proselytizing, although no Western historical record of this event
remains:
-
"And even this conquest [preaching Buddhism] has been won
by the Beloved of the Gods here and in all the borderlands, as far as six
hundred yojanas
(5,400-9,600 km) away, where Antiochos, king of the Yavanas [Westerners]
rules, and beyond this Antiochus four kings named
Ptolemy,
Antigonos,
Magas and
Alexander rule,"[4].
Ashoka also claims that he encouraged the development of
herbal medicine, for men and animals, in the territories of the Hellenistic
kings:
-
"Everywhere within Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi's [Ashoka's]
domain, and among the people beyond the borders, the
Cholas, the
Pandyas, the Satiyaputras, the Keralaputras, as far as
Tamraparni and where the Greek king Antiochos rules, and among the kings
who are neighbors of Antiochos, everywhere has Beloved-of-the-Gods, King
Piyadasi, made provision for two types of medical treatment: medical
treatment for humans and medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical
herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them
imported and grown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I
have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees
planted for the benefit of humans and animals."[5]
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