Menander II

Indo-Greek king

Menander II

Portrait of Menander II.

Indo-Greek king
Reign| 90–85 BC

Born| Sagala
Religion| Greek Polytheism
Greco-Buddhism
Silver Drachm of Menander II. The obverse with the diademed king, wearing aegis, and brandishing a spear. The Greek legend reads: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Basileōs Dikaiou Menandrou, "Of King Menander the Just". The reverse shows Zeus Nikephoros, and the eight-spoked wheel of Dharma. The Kharoshthi legend reads: Maharajasa Dharmikasa Menadrasa, "Of King Menander, the Follower of the Dharma".

Menander II Dikaios (Greek: Μένανδρος Β΄ ὁ Δίκαιος, Ménandros ho Díkaios, meaning "Menander the Just") may have been an Indo-Greek King who ruled in the areas of Arachosia and Gandhara in the north of modern Pakistan. However, since he is entirely known through his coins, this may have just been a separate set of coins issued by Menander I with a different epithet.

## Time of reign

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Bopearachchi has suggested that Menander II reigned c. 90–85 BC, whereas R. C. Senior has suggested c. 65 BC. In that case, Menander II ruled remaining Indo-Greek territories in Gandhara after the invasion of Maues.

## Relations to other kings

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Menander II may have belonged to the dynasty of Menander I Soter, the greatest of the Indo-Greek kings. It was long believed that there was only one king named Menander (see discussion under Menander I) as their portraits were rather similar and Menander II seems to have been a devout Buddhist, just as Menander I was, according to the ancient Buddhist scripture the Milindapanha.

On the other hand, the name Menander could well have been popular in the Indo-Greek kingdom, and the coins of Menander II are not very like those of Menander I nor of those other kings (such as Strato I) who are believed to have belonged to his dynasty. R. C. Senior links Menander II with the Indo-Greek king Amyntas, with whom he shares several monograms and also facial features such as a pointed nose and receding chin. He also suggests a close relation to the semi-Scythian king Artemidorus, son of Maues, since their coins use similar types and are often found together.

There is a small possibility that Menander II, rather than Menander I, is actually the Buddhist Greek king referred to in the Milinda Panha. This point is unsolved however, since Greek sources (Plutarch (Praec. reip. ger. 28, 6)) relate that the great conqueror Menander I is the one who received the honour of burial in what could be interpreted as Buddhist stupas.

More likely, Menander I may indeed have first supported Buddhism, like the other Indo-Greek kings, and was probably the protagonist of the Milindapanha, on account of his described fame, whereas Menander II, a minor king, may have wholeheartedly embraced Buddhism, as exemplified by his coins.

## Coins of Menander II

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Coin of Menander II. The obverse shows the King wearing a decorated helmet and diadem, with the Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΥ, Basileōs Dikaiou Menandrou, "Of King Menander the Just". The reverse shows the winged goddess Nike holding a wreath. The Kharoshthi legend reads Maharajasa Dharmikasa Menadrasa, "Of King Menander, the Follower of the Dharma".

The coins of Menander II bear the mention "Menander the Just", and "King of the Dharma" in Kharoshti, suggesting that he adopted the Buddhist faith. Menander II struck only Indian silver. These depict the king in diadem or helmet of the type of Menander I, with a number of reverses: a king on horseback, Nike and a sitting Zeus of the type of Antialkidas and Amyntas Nikator, but with an eight-spoked Buddhist wheel instead of the small elephant.

His bronzes feature Athena standing, with spear and palm-branch, shield at her feet, making a benediction gesture with the right hand, similar to the Buddhist vitarka mudra. Other varieties feature a king performing the same gesture.

On the reverse is a lion, symbol of Buddhism, as also seen on the pillars of the Mauryan King Ashoka. In general, the coins of Menander II are quite few, which tends to indicate a rather small rule.

A contemporary king to represent the Buddhist lion on his coins is the Indo-Scythian king Maues, around 85 BC.

## Gallery

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* Menander II as a spearholder.

* Indian square coin of Menander II.

* Menander II equipped with a cuirass, lamellar armour for the thighs, and greaves, and making a blessing gesture. This is the obverse figure of an Indian-standard square coin of Menander II, with walking lion on the reverse.[1]

* The lion on Menander II's coins is similar to those on the Pillars of Ashoka: seated posture, protruding tongue, mane (detail of Indian-standard square coin of Menander II).

* v
* t
* e

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

[edit]

1. ^ Bopearachchi Catalogue, Pl.49 Serie 7, Q

## Further reading

[edit]

* 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, W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press.

## External links

[edit]

* Coin India gallery
* Coins of Menander II

Preceded by

Peukolaos

|  Indo-Greek ruler in Arachosia and Gandhara
90–85 BC  | Succeeded by

Archebios

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