Diodotus II

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Coin of Diodotus II

Diodotus II (Greek: Διόδοτος Β΄; c. 252 BC – c. 223 BC) was a Greco-Bactrian king from c. 239 BC, son of Diodotus I. He is known for concluding a peace treaty with the Parthian king Arsaces, in order to forestall the Seleucid reconquest of both Parthia and Bactria:

"Soon after, relieved by the death of Diodotus I, Arsaces made peace and concluded an alliance with his son, also by the name of Diodotus; some time later he fought against Seleucos who came to punish the rebels, but he prevailed: the Parthians celebrated this day as the one that marked the beginning of their freedom" (Justin, XLI,4 [1])

Around 230 or 223 BC, Diodotus was killed by an usurper, his brother-in-law Euthydemus I, founder of the Greco-Bactrian Euthydemid dynasty:

For Euthydemus himself was a native of Magnesia, and he now, in defending himself to Teleas, said that Antiochus was not justified in attempting to deprive him of his kingdom, as he himself had never revolted against the king, but after others had revolted he had possessed himself of the throne of Bactria by destroying their descendants.... (Polybius, 11.34, 2 [1])

Notes

Preceded by:
Diodotus I
Greco-Bactrian Ruler Succeeded by:
Antiochus Nikator or Euthydemus I
Greco-Bactrian kings
Dates Dynastic lineage
Bactrian domain
Expansion
into India
280 BCE Foundation of the Hellenistic city of Ai-Khanoum in Bactria (280 BCE)
255 BCE Independence of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom from the Seleucid Empire (255 BCE)
255–239 BCE House of Diodotus Diodotus I
239–223 BCE Diodotus II
230–200 BCE House of Euthydemus Euthydemus I
200–180 BCE Demetrius I Pantaleon
180 BCE Euthydemus II Agathokles
180–170 BCE Antimachus I Apollodotus I
170–145 BCE House of Eucratides Eucratides I Demetrius II
145 BCE Destruction of Ai-Khanoum by the Yuezhi in 145 BCE ... Succession
of Indo-Greek
kings to the
1st century CE ...
145–140 BCE House of Eucratides Plato Eucratides II
140–130 BCE Heliocles I
130 BCE Complete occupation of Bactria by the Yuezhi