Archebius

Indo-Greek king

Archebius Dikaios Nikephoros ("The Just and Victorious")

Portrait of Archebios on one of his tetradrachms

Indo-Greek king
Reign| 90–80 BCE

Tetradrachm of Archebios.
Obv: Helmetted king Archebius. Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ ΑΡΧΕΒΙΟΥ "Of King Archebius the Just and Victorious"
Rev: Zeus, with Kharoshthi legend: MAHARAJASA DHRAMIKASA JAYADHARASA ARKHEBIYASA "Archebios, the victorious king of the Dharma. Coin of Archebius.
Obv: Bareheaded king Archebius. With Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ ΑΡΧΕΒΙΟΥ "Of King Archebius the Just and Victorious"
Rev: Zeus, with Kharoshthi legend: MAHARAJASA DHRAMIKASA JAYADHARASA ARKHEBIYASA "Archebios, the victorious king of the Dharma. Coin of Archebius.
Obv: Helmetted king Archebius holding a spear. With Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΝΙΚΗΦΟΡΟΥ ΑΡΧΕΒΙΟΥ "Of King Archebius the Just and Victorious"
Rev: Zeus, with Kharoshthi legend: MAHARAJASA DHRAMIKASA JAYADHARASA ARKHEBIYASA "Archebios, the victorious king of the Dharma. Archebios coin with elephant and owl.

Archebius Dikaios Nikephoros (Greek: Ἀρχέβιος ὁ Δίκαιος, ὁ Νικηφόρος; epithets mean respectively, "the Just", "the Victorious"; formerly read as "Archelius"[1][2]) was an Indo-Greek king who ruled in the area of Taxila. Osmund Bopearachchi dates him to c. 90–80 BCE, and R. C. Senior to about the same period. He was probably one of the last Indo-Greek kings before the Saka king Maues conquered Taxila, and a contemporary of Hermaeus in the west. He may have been a relative of Heliokles II, who used a similar reverse and also the title Dikaios.[citation needed]

## Coin types

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Archebius' name means "ruler of life" deriving from ἄρχω (“to rule”) and βίος ("life”).[citation needed] He issued silver with diademed or helmeted king, sometimes in spear-throwing pose. On the reverse is Zeus standing facing, holding a thunderbolt or on some issues an aegis.

Archebius also struck a rare series of Attic tetradrachms, found in Bactria.

He also issued bronzes with Nike on one side and an owl on the other.

## Overstrikes

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Archebius overstruck two coins of Peukolaos.

* King thrusting javelin, with Zeus holding thunderbolt.

* Bust of Zeus, and caps of the Dioscuri with palms.

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Greco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek kings, territories and chronology

Based on Bopearachchi (1991)[t 1]

|  | Greco-Bactrian kings  | Indo-Greek kings

|
|

Territories/
dates | West Bactria | East Bactria | Paropamisade
| Arachosia | Gandhara | Western Punjab | Eastern Punjab | Mathura[t 2]
326-325 BCE  | Campaigns of Alexander the Great in India | Nanda Empire
312 BCE  | Creation of the Seleucid Empire | Creation of the Maurya Empire
305 BCE  | Seleucid Empire after Mauryan war | Maurya Empire
280 BCE  | Foundation of Ai-Khanoum |
255–239 BCE  | Independence of the
Greco-Bactrian kingdom
Diodotus I | Emperor Ashoka (268-232 BCE)
239–223 BCE  | Diodotus II |
230–200 BCE  | Euthydemus I |
200–190 BCE  | Demetrius I | Sunga Empire
190-185 BCE  | Euthydemus II |
190–180 BCE  | Agathocles | Pantaleon |
185–170 BCE  | Antimachus I |
180–160 BCE  |  | Apollodotus I |
175–170 BCE  | Demetrius II |
160–155 BCE  |  | Antimachus II |
170–145 BCE  | Eucratides I |
155–130 BCE  | Yuezhi occupation,
loss of Ai-Khanoum | Eucratides II
Plato
Heliocles I | Menander I
130–120 BCE  | Yuezhi occupation | Zoilus I | Agathoclea |  | Yavanarajya
inscription
120–110 BCE  |  | Lysias | Strato I
110–100 BCE  |  | Antialcidas | Heliocles II
100 BCE  |  | Polyxenus | Demetrius III
100–95 BCE  |  | Philoxenus
95–90 BCE  |  | Diomedes | Amyntas | Epander
90 BCE  |  | Theophilus | Peucolaus | Thraso
90–85 BCE  |  | Nicias | Menander II | Artemidorus
90–70 BCE  |  | Hermaeus | Archebius
|  | Yuezhi occupation | Maues (Indo-Scythian) |
75–70 BCE  |  |  | Vonones | Telephus | Apollodotus II |
65–55 BCE  |  |  | Spalirises | Hippostratus | Dionysius |
55–35 BCE  |  |  | Azes I (Indo-Scythians) | Zoilus II |
55–35 BCE  |  |  | Vijayamitra/ Azilises | Apollophanes |
25 BCE – 10 CE  |  |  | Gondophares | Zeionises | Kharahostes | Strato II
Strato III |
|  |  | Gondophares (Indo-Parthian) | Rajuvula (Indo-Scythian)
|  | Kujula Kadphises (Kushan Empire) | Bhadayasa
(Indo-Scythian) | Sodasa
(Indo-Scythian)

1. ^ O. Bopearachchi, "Monnaies gréco-bactriennes et indo-grecques, Catalogue raisonné", Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, 1991, p.453
2. ^ Quintanilla, Sonya Rhie (2 April 2019). "History of Early Stone Sculpture at Mathura: Ca. 150 BCE - 100 CE". BRILL – via Google Books.

## References

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1. ^ "In the Masson collection of 1836 were found Archebius ( read at the time as 'Archelius')" in Imam, Abu (1966). Sir Alexander Cunningham and the Beginnings of Indian Archaeology. Asiatic Society of Pakistan. p. 134.
2. ^ Prinsep, James. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol V 1836. pp. 548–549.

* The Shape of Ancient Thought. Comparative studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies by Thomas McEvilley (Allworth Press and the School of Visual Arts, 2002) ISBN 1-58115-203-5
* Buddhism in Central Asia by B. N. Puri (Motilal Banarsidass Pub, January 1, 2000) ISBN 81-208-0372-8
* The Greeks in Bactria and India by W. W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press.

## External links

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* Coins of Archebius
* More Coins of Archebios

Preceded by

Menander II

as ruler in Arachosia and Gandhara  |  Indo-Greek ruler in Arachosia, Gandhara and Punjab
90–80 BCE  | Succeeded by

Maues

as Indo-Scythian king

|
|

Preceded by

Artemidoros

as ruler in Punjab

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Hellenistic rulers

Argeads|

* Philip II
* Alexander III the Great
* Philip III Arrhidaeus
* Alexander IV

Antipatrids|

* Cassander
* Philip IV
* Alexander V
* Antipater II
* Antipater Etesias
* Sosthenes

Antigonids|

* Antigonus I Monophthalmus
* Demetrius I Poliorcetes
* Antigonus II Gonatas
* Demetrius II Aetolicus
* Antigonus III Doson
* Philip V
* Perseus
* Philip VI (pretender)

Ptolemies|

* Ptolemy I Soter
* Ptolemy Keraunos
* Ptolemy II Philadelphus
* Ptolemy III Euergetes
* Ptolemy IV Philopator
* Ptolemy V Epiphanes
* Cleopatra I Syra (regent)
* Ptolemy VI Philometor
* Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator
* Cleopatra II Philometor Soter
* Ptolemy VIII Physcon
* Cleopatra III
* Ptolemy IX Lathyros
* Ptolemy X Alexander
* Berenice III
* Ptolemy XI Alexander
* Ptolemy XII Auletes
* Cleopatra VI Tryphaena
* Berenice IV Epiphanea
* Ptolemy XIII
* Ptolemy XIV
* Cleopatra VII Philopator
* Ptolemy XV Caesarion

Monarchs of Cyrene|

* Magas
* Berenice II
* Demetrius the Fair
* Ptolemy VIII Physcon
* Ptolemy Apion
* Cleopatra Selene II

Seleucids|

* Seleucus I Nicator
* Antiochus I Soter
* Antiochus II Theos
* Seleucus II Callinicus
* Seleucus III Ceraunus
* Antiochus III the Great
* Seleucus IV Philopator
* Antiochus IV Epiphanes
* Antiochus V Eupator
* Demetrius I Soter
* Alexander I Balas
* Demetrius II Nicator
* Antiochus VI Dionysus
* Diodotus Tryphon
* Antiochus VII Sidetes
* Alexander II Zabinas
* Cleopatra Thea
* Seleucus V Philometor
* Antiochus VIII Grypus
* Antiochus IX Cyzicenus
* Seleucus VI Epiphanes
* Antiochus X Eusebes
* Antiochus XI Epiphanes
* Demetrius III Eucaerus
* Philip I Philadelphus
* Antiochus XII Dionysus
* Cleopatra Selene I
* Antiochus XIII Asiaticus
* Philip II Philoromaeus

Lysimachids|

* Lysimachus
* Ptolemy Epigonos

Attalids|

* Philetaerus
* Eumenes I
* Attalus I
* Eumenes II
* Attalus II
* Attalus III
* Eumenes III

Greco-Bactrians|

* Diodotus I
* Diodotus II
* Euthydemus I
* Demetrius I
* Euthydemus II
* Antimachus I
* Pantaleon
* Agathocles
* Demetrius II
* Eucratides I
* Plato
* Eucratides II
* Heliocles I

Indo-Greeks|

* Demetrius I
* Antimachus I
* Pantaleon
* Agathocles
* Apollodotus I
* Demetrius II
* Antimachus II
* Menander I
* Zoilos I
* Agathokleia
* Lysias
* Strato I
* Antialcidas
* Heliokles II
* Polyxenos
* Demetrius III
* Philoxenus
* Diomedes
* Amyntas
* Epander
* Theophilos
* Peukolaos
* Thraso
* Nicias
* Menander II
* Artemidoros
* Hermaeus
* Archebius
* Telephos
* Apollodotus II
* Hippostratos
* Dionysios
* Zoilos II
* Apollophanes
* Strato II
* Strato III

Monarchs of Bithynia|

* Boteiras
* Bas
* Zipoetes I
* Nicomedes I
* Zipoetes II
* Etazeta (regent)
* Ziaelas
* Prusias I
* Prusias II
* Nicomedes II
* Nicomedes III
* Nicomedes IV
* Socrates Chrestus

Monarchs of Pontus|

* Mithridates I Ctistes
* Ariobarzanes
* Mithridates II
* Mithridates III
* Pharnaces I
* Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos with Laodice
* Mithridates V Euergetes
* Mithridates VI Eupator
* Pharnaces II
* Darius
* Arsaces
* Polemon I
* Pythodorida
* Polemon II

Monarchs of Commagene|

* Ptolemaeus
* Sames II
* Mithridates I
* Antiochus I
* Mithridates II
* Antiochus II
* Mithridates III
* Antiochus III
* Antiochus IV

Monarchs of Cappadocia|

* Ariarathes I
* Ariarathes II
* Ariamnes II
* Ariarathes III
* Ariarathes IV
* Ariarathes V
* Orophernes
* Ariarathes VI
* Ariarathes VII
* Ariarathes VIII
* Ariarathes IX
* Ariobarzanes I
* Ariobarzanes II
* Ariobarzanes III
* Ariarathes X
* Archelaus

Monarchs of the
Cimmerian Bosporus|

* Paerisades I
* Satyros II
* Prytanis
* Eumelos
* Spartokos III
* Hygiainon (regent)
* Paerisades II
* Spartokos IV
* Leukon II
* Spartokos V [ru]
* Kamasarye
* Paerisades III
* Paerisades IV
* Paerisades V
* Mithridates I
* Pharnaces
* Asander with Dynamis
* Mithridates II
* Asander with Dynamis
* Scribonius's attempted rule with Dynamis
* Dynamis with Polemon
* Polemon
* Aspurgus
* Gepaepyris
* Mithridates III
* Cotys I

Monarchs of Epirus|

* Admetus
* Tharrhypas
* Alcetas I
* Neoptolemus I
* Arybbas
* Alexander I
* Aeacides
* Neoptolemus II
* Alcetas II
* Pyrrhus I
* Alexander II
* Olympias II (regent)
* Pyrrhus II
* Ptolemy
* Pyrrhus III
* Deidamia

Hellenistic rulers were preceded by Hellenistic satraps in most of their territories.
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