The Indo-Greek Kingdom was spread across from the north and north-west part of the Indian subcontinent. The Greeks of Bactria were formerly satraps or subordinate rulers in the Seleucid Empire of West Asia. The Seleucid Empire in turn was founded by Seleucus Nicator who was one of the four Generals under Alexander the Great. After the Death of Alexander, his four generals divided his kingdom into 4 parts and Seleucus ruled over the Eastern provinces which in part comprised of Bactria. Diodotus is believed to be a satrap in the Seleucid Empire.

Things changed when Diodotus I in the 3rd century CE was successful in proclaiming independence from the Seleucid Empire and establishing the Bactrian Greek Kingdom. They extended their empire to the south of the Hindu Kush in the 2nd century BC BCE. By 145 BC BCE, the Indo-Greeks lost Bactria but still ruled the north-western part of the subcontinent for many decades.

Coins of the Indo-Greeks were made of gold, silver, copper and nickel. The coins feature portraits of the Ruler on the obverse and Greek deities on the reverse side. Motifs on the reverse side also carried Indian religious symbols. Each coin was made by following the attic weight standard method. Rulers like Menander issued coins in both the attic weight standard as well as the Indian weight standard. Circular and Square was one of their common shapes. They had bilingual inscriptions in Kharoshthi and Greek. Very few have been found with Brahmi inscriptions.

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