Antimachus I

Anthimachus I was one of the Greco-Bactrian kings from around 171 to 160 BC.

Antimachus was a member the Euthydemid dynasty and was probably a son of Euthydemus and a brother of Demetrius. He was king of an area covering parts of Bactria, the lower Kabul Valley and parts of northern Pakistan. He apparently was defeated during his resistance to the usurper Eucratides.

On his coinage, Antimachus called himself "God-King", a first in the Hellenistic world. On some of his coins, he also sometimes labeled his father Euthydemus "The God", indicating that he might have been the object of a state cult (see coin description: [1]).

handing out the wreath of victory. Greek legend BASILEOS ANTIMACHOU "King Antimachus".
Anthimachus I also issued coins depicting an elephant on the front, within the bead and reel contour, a position reserved to Kings. The back of the coints show the Greek goddess of victory Nike holding out a wreath (to the elephant on the other side). The elephant is one of the symbols of Buddhism and Gautama Buddha, and the coins probably illustrate the victory of Buddhism brought about by the conquests of the Indo-Greek Kings. These coins are reminescent of those of Demetrius I, as well as Apollodotus I.

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