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Heliocles I

Heliocles I was the last king of the Greco-Bactrian realm, reigning over Bactrian territories circa 145–130 BCE following the assassination of Eucratides I.^[1]^[2] Primarily attested through numismatic evidence, his silver tetradrachms and drachmae depict a diademed or helmeted bust on the obverse and Zeus enthroned or standing with thunderbolt and scepter on the reverse, accompanied by the Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ ("of King Heliocles the Just").^[3]^[4] These coins adhere to the Attic weight standard, confirming minting in Bactria proper north of the Hindu Kush.^[2] Heliocles' rule marked the terminal phase of Hellenistic kingship in Bactria, as Yuezhi nomads invaded the region around 145 BCE, destroying key sites like Ai Khanum and progressively eroding Greek authority; by circa 130 BCE, control was confined to southern and southwestern areas before the kingdom's collapse.^[1] The Yuezhi subsequently imitated Heliocles' coinage, incorporating nomadic motifs such as tamghas and horses, signaling the transition to non-Hellenistic dominance in Central Asia.^[2]^[1] No literary records detail his achievements or defeats, underscoring reliance on archaeological and monetary artifacts for reconstructing his era.^[1]

Origins and Ascension

Relation to Predecessors

Heliocles I succeeded Eucratides I (r. ca. 170–145 BCE) as the ruler of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom, marking a direct dynastic continuity amid the kingdom's territorial contraction. Eucratides I, known for expansive campaigns into India and the minting of exceptionally large gold coins, was assassinated around 145 BCE, an event corroborated by the Roman historian Justin's epitome of Pompeius Trogus, who attributes the killing to one of Eucratides' sons.^[5] Numismatic evidence supports Heliocles' immediate succession, as his silver tetradrachms and drachms stylistically follow Eucratides' issues without interruption, often sharing mints in Bactria and Arachosia, though lacking explicit paternal attributions.^[1] While literary sources do not name Heliocles explicitly as Eucratides' son, scholarly consensus infers a close familial relation—typically as son or brother—based on the absence of rival claimants in coin records and the brevity of Eucratides II's apparent co-rule. Some analyses propose Heliocles earned his epithet Dikaios ("the Just") by avenging his father's murder, potentially against a fratricidal sibling like Plato, though this remains speculative and contrasts with minority views portraying Heliocles as the perpetrator.^[5] This kinship positioned Heliocles as heir to Eucratides' non-hereditary ascent, which likely involved a coup against the preceding Euthydemid dynasty (ca. 200–170 BCE), founded by Euthydemus I and exemplified by Demetrius I's eastern expansions.^[5] The Eucratid line thus represented a rupture from earlier Greco-Bactrian rulers, who traced descent from Seleucid satraps like Diodotus I (r. ca. 250–235 BCE), emphasizing military prowess over bloodlines in a region prone to usurpations. Heliocles' reign, confined increasingly to southern Bactria amid Yuezhi pressures, underscores the fragility of this succession, with no evidence of broader alliances or adoptions linking back to pre-Eucratid kings.^[1]

Ascension to Power

Heliocles I ascended to the throne of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom circa 145 BCE, succeeding Eucratides I amid dynastic turmoil following the latter's assassination.^[1] Eucratides I, who had usurped power from the Euthydemid dynasty and expanded into India, was murdered by one of his sons—likely a co-ruler—while dividing spoils from eastern campaigns, as recounted in Justin's epitome of Pompeius Trogus; the parricide openly trampled his father's body under chariot wheels to forestall remorse.^[6] This violent end, dated around 145 BCE based on numismatic and archaeological correlations such as the destruction of Ai Khanum, precipitated a brief period of instability marked by the short reigns of Eucratides II and Plato, attested solely by their rare coin issues.^[7] Numismatic evidence forms the primary basis for reconstructing Heliocles' rise, with his monolingual Greek tetradrachms and drachms portraying a diademed bust and the epithet Dikaios ("the Just"), signaling legitimate rule over core Bactrian territories.^[1] Scholars interpret Dikaios as possibly alluding to Heliocles avenging his father's murder by eliminating the guilty brother, thereby restoring familial and royal order, though direct attribution remains speculative absent explicit contemporary records.^[8] Alternatively, Heliocles himself may have been the assassin, with the title emphasizing self-justification amid fraternal rivalry; the scarcity of literary sources beyond Justin's second-hand account underscores the evidentiary limitations, reliant on coin hoards from sites like Qunduz for chronological anchoring.^[6] His ascension consolidated Greco-Bactrian authority in the Oxus valley heartland, even as peripheral Indo-Greek domains fragmented under pressure from local rulers and nomads, setting the stage for the kingdom's terminal Yuezhi incursions by circa 130 BCE.^[1] The absence of bilingual coinage in Heliocles' issues, unlike predecessors, reflects a retreat to Bactrian-centric governance, prioritizing defense over expansion.^[1]

Territorial Extent and Governance

Control over Bactria and Peripheries

Heliocles I acceded to the throne around 145 BCE following the assassination of his father, Eucratides I, initially maintaining Greek control over Bactria north of the Hindu Kush, centered around key sites like Balkh.^[1] ^[9] However, nomadic incursions by the Yuezhi rapidly eroded this authority; the destruction of the Hellenistic city of Ai Khanum on the Oxus River circa 145 BCE, evidenced by archaeological layers of burning and abandonment, marked an early loss in northern Bactria.^[1] Coin hoards from Ai Khanum and Qunduz containing Heliocles' monolingual tetradrachms indicate his regime persisted briefly in these areas before Yuezhi overrunning, with the invaders later producing posthumous imitations of his coinage.^[1] By the latter part of his reign (circa 140–130 BCE), Heliocles' power contracted to the southern and southwestern territories of Bactria, south of the Hindu Kush, amid a two-stage Yuezhi advance: initial conquests north of the Oxus in Sogdiana, followed by deeper incursions reported by Chinese envoy Zhang Qian around 129–128 BCE.^[1] Western peripheral provinces, including Margiana and Areia, succumbed to Parthian expansions during this period, further fragmenting the kingdom's extent.^[9] Southern peripheries such as Arachosia and Paropamisadae (modern Kabul region) remained under nominal Greek influence but grew increasingly autonomous, transitioning toward independent Indo-Greek polities as Bactrian central authority waned; no direct coinage or inscriptions of Heliocles attest firm control there, underscoring the peripheral detachment.^[9] ^[1] This territorial constriction reflected broader pressures from nomadic migrations and internal fragmentation, culminating in the Yuezhi seizure of Bactria proper by 130 BCE, after which Heliocles is regarded as the final Greco-Bactrian ruler north of the Hindu Kush.^[1]^[9]

Administrative and Economic Structures

The administrative framework under Heliocles I (c. 145–130 BCE) perpetuated the Greco-Bactrian kingdom's Hellenistic model, characterized by a centralized monarchy overseeing satrapies adapted from Achaemenid and Seleucid precedents.^[8] Regional satraps and strategoi managed provinces, particularly in the retained southwestern Bactrian territories south of the Hindu Kush, where Greek settlers and local elites collaborated in governance amid pressures from nomadic invasions.^[1]^[8] Major urban centers, such as Bactra, served as hubs for administration, taxation, and military coordination, with evidence from contemporary sites indicating oversight by officials including nomophylakes and logeutes.^[8] Bactria's economy during Heliocles' reign centered on irrigated agriculture in fertile river valleys, yielding grains, orchards, vineyards, rice, and pistachios, which underpinned the kingdom's prosperity and supported trade networks.^[8] A monetized system facilitated commerce, exemplified by Heliocles' extensive silver tetradrachms and drachms minted to the Attic standard, bearing royal portraits and the epithet "the Just" to assert legitimacy and circulate as currency along emerging Silk Road precursors linking Central Asia to India and China.^[10] Treasury operations in administrative cities handled revenues from land taxes and temple dues, while the Yuezhi's subsequent imitation of Heliocles' coin types underscores the resilience and regional acceptance of this economic apparatus even after Greek rule's collapse.^[1]^[8]

Military Engagements

Conflicts with Nomadic Groups

Heliocles I (r. c. 145–130 BC) presided over a Greco-Bactrian kingdom increasingly vulnerable to incursions by nomadic Scythian tribes, chief among them the Sakas, who migrated southward from the steppes into eastern Bactria and adjacent regions. These conflicts arose as the Sakas, displaced by advancing Yuezhi confederations, raided Greek-held territories, targeting fertile oases and trade corridors along the Oxus River valley. Defensive campaigns by Heliocles' forces aimed to repel these mounted warriors, whose hit-and-run tactics and archery prowess exploited the kingdom's extended frontiers, though specific battles remain undocumented in surviving texts. Numismatic finds, including drachmae bearing Heliocles' portrait distributed in residual Greek enclaves, indicate sustained military efforts to hold core Bactrian districts against such threats.^[11] Classical geographers like Strabo describe how Scythian nomads, including Sakas, overran weakened Hellenistic realms in Bactria following internal strife and prior losses under Eucratides I, eroding control over satrapies east of the Hindu Kush by circa 140 BC. These engagements strained Bactrian resources, fostering alliances or tribute payments to nomadic chieftains in peripheral areas, yet failed to halt the progressive fragmentation of the kingdom's nomadic frontier. The cumulative impact of Saka raids, combined with broader steppe migrations, diminished agricultural output and urban security, setting the stage for further disruptions.^[1]

The Yuezhi Incursion

The Yuezhi, a confederation of nomadic pastoralists originally from the Gansu region in northwest China, were displaced westward by Xiongnu incursions around 176–160 BCE, initiating their migration into Central Asia.^[12] By the mid-2nd century BCE, these tribes had reached the Ili Valley and Ferghana, establishing vassal principalities before advancing southward toward Bactria.^[12] This movement positioned them to exploit the fragmentation of Greco-Bactrian authority following the civil wars after Eucratides I's usurpation circa 170 BCE.^[1] The incursion into Bactria proper commenced around 130 BCE, coinciding with Heliocles I's reign over the kingdom's core territories east of the Hindu Kush.^[1] Chinese envoy Zhang Qian, reporting circa 129 BCE, described Bactria (Daxia) as recently subjugated by the Da Yuezhi, who had overrun its cities, killed or enslaved much of the population, and imposed nomadic control without fully dismantling urban structures.^[13] The Yuezhi's militarized tribal forces, leveraging superior mobility and numbers, overwhelmed Greco-Bactrian defenses, which were strained by prior conflicts with Saka groups and internal divisions.^[12] Heliocles I's attested control of Balkh and surrounding areas places him at the forefront of this collapse, though direct battle accounts are absent; his likely death in combat during these events is inferred from the abrupt cessation of authentic coinage in Bactrian mints.^[1] Numismatic evidence from hoards like Qunduz substantiates the conquest's rapidity and the Yuezhi's adoption of local monetary systems. Posthumous tetradrachms bearing Heliocles' portrait and legends—such as ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ ("Of King Heliocles the Just")—exhibit degraded styles and irregular strikes indicative of Yuezhi overstriking or imitation, signaling their seizure of mints without immediate replacement by native types.^[1] These copies persisted into the early Kushan period, reflecting pragmatic continuity rather than cultural reverence, as the Yuezhi integrated into sedentary economies while maintaining tribal hierarchies.^[1] Archaeological sites in northern Afghanistan show layers of destruction and abandonment datable to this era, correlating with the incursion's disruption of Hellenistic urbanism.^[12] The Yuezhi takeover fragmented remaining Greco-Bactrian holdings, confining any survivors to peripheral regions like the Indus Valley, while establishing the groundwork for their division into five principalities (yabgus) that later coalesced into the Kushan Empire.^[13] This event exemplifies nomadic conquest of agrarian states, driven by ecological pressures and opportunistic expansion, rather than ideological motives, with Chinese annals providing the primary textual corroboration amid sparse Western sources.^[12]

Numismatic Evidence

Coin Typology and Production

Heliocles I's coinage consisted primarily of silver tetradrachms and drachmae, with some bronze issues, all struck on the Attic weight standard typical of Greco-Bactrian kings.^[4] Silver tetradrachms weighed approximately 16-17 grams, featuring on the obverse a diademed and draped bust of the king facing right, occasionally helmetted and depicted in military attire to emphasize his defensive role against invasions.^[14] The reverse depicted Zeus enthroned or standing left, holding a thunderbolt in his right hand and a scepter or spear in his left, accompanied by the Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ ("Of King Heliocles the Just"), underscoring claims of legitimacy and justice.^[15] Monograms or control marks, such as HPAK or delta symbols, appear in the inner fields, likely indicating mint workshops or specific issues.^[16] Production occurred mainly at the Baktra mint in Bactria during his reign circa 145-130 BCE, with evidence from die linkages suggesting a centralized operation amid territorial pressures.^[2] Silver drachmae followed similar iconography but at one-quarter the weight of tetradrachms, around 4 grams, serving as fractional currency for local transactions.^[17] Bronze drachmae, rarer and dated to the late second or early first century BCE, replicated the silver types in baser metal for everyday use, indicating efforts to maintain economic stability despite the kingdom's contraction.^[18] Numismatic analyses, including die studies, reveal a relatively limited output compared to predecessors like Eucratides I, consistent with the geopolitical turmoil of nomadic incursions that curtailed minting capacity.^[10] Coins were manufactured through hammering blanks between engraved dies, a Hellenistic technique yielding high-relief portraits that facilitated identification and propaganda.^[19] The typology reflects continuity with earlier Greco-Bactrian issues, adapting Zeus iconography from Seleucid models to assert divine kingship, while the absence of Kharosthi script distinguishes these from later Indo-Greek coins.^[1] Post-reign imitations by the Yuezhi, crudely copying Heliocles' designs, attest to the enduring circulation and perceived value of his silver coinage in Central Asia following the fall of Bactrian control.^[20]

Bilingual Inscriptions and Cultural Implications

Coins attributed to Heliocles I include silver drachms featuring bilingual inscriptions, with Greek script on the obverse and Kharoshthi on the reverse. The Greek legend reads ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ (Basileōs Dikaiou Hēliokleous), translating to "Of King Heliocles the Just," while the Kharoshthi renders the equivalent in Gandhari Prakrit, adapting the title for local linguistic contexts.^[21] These issues, struck on reduced-weight standards approximating 8-9 grams for drachms, contrast with the heavier Attic-standard tetradrachms (approximately 16 grams) that bear monolingual Greek legends, suggesting production in peripheral territories influenced by Indian metrology.^[1] The adoption of Kharoshthi, an Aramaic-derived script prevalent in the northwest Indian subcontinent for Prakrit dialects, underscores Heliocles I's administrative reach into regions like Gandhara and possibly Punjab, circa 145-130 BCE. This bilingual format enabled effective fiscal policy and trade integration with indigenous populations, as the script conveyed royal authority in a familiar medium, distinct from the Greek-only coins of core Bactrian mints. Numismatists note such adaptations as pragmatic responses to governing diverse ethnic groups, evidenced by the script's use on over 200 Indo-Greek issues overall, though attributions for Heliocles specifically remain debated, with some distinguishing a separate "Heliocles II" for Indian-standard types.^[22]^[23] Culturally, these inscriptions reflect a strategic syncretism in Greco-Bactrian rule, where Hellenistic kings retained Greek titulature and iconography—such as Zeus enthroned or helmeted busts—while incorporating local scripts to legitimize power without abandoning core identity. This approach facilitated economic continuity amid territorial fragmentation, as bilingual coinage bridged Hellenistic prestige with regional utility, predating fuller Indo-Scythian imitations. Unlike purely Greek Bactrian emissions, the Kharoshthi elements signal causal pressures from expanding nomadic threats and local administrative needs, prioritizing functional governance over cultural purity. The scarcity of these types, relative to monolingual counterparts, implies limited minting during Heliocles I's declining phase, highlighting the kingdom's shift toward hybrid forms before Yuezhi disruptions.^[24]

Decline and Possible Survival

Fall of Bactrian Core

The fall of the Bactrian core occurred during the reign of Heliocles I (ca. 145–130 BCE), marking the end of Greek control over the region's heartland north of the Hindu Kush. This collapse was driven by invasions from the Yuezhi, a nomadic confederation displaced westward by the Xiongnu, who launched a two-stage assault: initial incursions into Sogdiana and areas north of the Oxus River, followed by penetration into Bactria proper. Archaeological evidence from Ai Khanum, a major Greco-Bactrian city and likely administrative center, reveals destruction layers dated to ca. 145 BCE, shortly after the assassination of Heliocles' predecessor Eucratides I; the palace was burned, and Greek settlers did not return, indicating a decisive nomadic raid attributed to the Yuezhi.^[1] Heliocles' authority appears to have been confined to southern and southwestern Bactria amid these pressures, as no coins bearing his name have been found in northern sites like Ai Khanum post-destruction. Chinese historical records, including Zhang Qian's report from his mission (ca. 129–128 BCE) in the Shiji and Han Shu, confirm the Yuezhi had recently conquered Da Xia (Bactria), establishing control by ca. 130 BCE and overpowering the weakened Greco-Bactrian state. Numismatic hoards, such as the Qunduz treasure, contain posthumous imitations of Eucratides I and Heliocles I's tetradrachms struck by the Yuezhi, evidencing their seizure of minting facilities and territorial dominance in the core regions.^[1]^[13] While some archaeological interpretations suggest possible Saka involvement in early raids on peripheral sites, the scale and timing of the Bactrian core's fall align with Yuezhi expansion, as corroborated by the absence of subsequent Greek rulers or coinage in Bactria proper. Heliocles is regarded as the final Greco-Bactrian king in the region, with his death likely occurring amid the invasions ca. 130 BCE, after which Yuezhi hegemony supplanted Greek institutions.^[1]^[25]

Retreat to Western Territories

Following the Yuezhi invasion of Bactria around 130 BCE, Heliocles I's authority contracted significantly, becoming confined to the southern and southwestern territories of the Greco-Bactrian domain, while the northern provinces fell to the nomads.^[1] This limitation marked a retreat from the expansive holdings of his predecessors, such as Eucratides I, who had controlled areas north of the Hindu Kush including Sogdiana.^[1] The Yuezhi conquest proceeded in stages, destroying key sites like Ai Khanum circa 145 BCE and completing their dominance over core Bactria by 129-128 BCE, as reported by the Han envoy Zhang Qian, forcing Heliocles to abandon the northern heartland.^[1] Numismatic evidence supports this territorial contraction, with Heliocles' monolingual Greek coins—primarily silver tetradrachms and drachms on the Attic standard—circulating in reduced volumes indicative of a shrunken realm focused southward and westward, away from the Yuezhi onslaught.^[1] Posthumous imitations of his bronze coinage by the Yuezhi, found in hoards like Qunduz, suggest that Greek economic and artistic influence persisted briefly in peripheral zones before full nomadic assimilation, though these copies reflect Yuezhi appropriation rather than ongoing royal control.^[1] No contemporary textual accounts detail the precise boundaries of these western holdings, but the shift aligns with the loss of Bactria proper, positioning Heliocles as the final Greco-Bactrian ruler north of the Hindu Kush before Indo-Greek successors maintained fragments south of the mountains.^[1] This retreat underscored the vulnerability of Hellenistic polities to steppe migrations, with Heliocles likely perishing amid the campaigns against the Yuezhi, as no records attest to his survival beyond circa 130 BCE.^[1] The southwestern enclaves, potentially encompassing fringes of Arachosia or Paropamisadae, represented a defensive consolidation but proved insufficient to halt the erosion of Greek power in Central Asia.^[1]

Legacy and Historical Evaluation

Archaeological and Textual Sources

The principal archaeological evidence for Heliocles I derives from his numismatic output, consisting of monolingual Greek silver tetradrachms, drachms, and bronze coins struck circa 145–130 BCE. These feature the king's diademed or helmeted bust on the obverse and deities such as Zeus enthroned or standing on the reverse, accompanied by the legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ ("Of King Heliocles the Just").^[1] Discoveries in hoards, including the Qunduz treasure in northern Afghanistan, reveal both authentic issues and posthumous imitations, attesting to the persistence of his types amid territorial losses.^[1] No coins of Heliocles appear in the Ai Khanum assemblages, aligning with the site's destruction around 145 BCE, likely by invading nomads.^[1] Beyond numismatics, archaeological attestation remains scant, with no identified inscriptions, papyri, or monumental constructions ascribable to Heliocles I. Late Greco-Bactrian material culture is underrepresented due to the era's disruptions, including Yuezhi incursions, and challenges in excavating conflict zones.^[1] Hoard distributions suggest minting in Bactrian heartlands and possibly Arachosia, but overstriking on prior rulers' flans indicates economic continuity under strain.^[10] Direct textual references to Heliocles I are absent from extant Greco-Roman, Indian, or Persian records. His identification as Eucratides I's successor stems from numismatic linkage to the dynastic line, supplemented by Justin's epitome of Pompeius Trogus (second century BCE), which recounts Eucratides' murder by his son after Indian campaigns, without naming the regicide—scholars correlate this with Heliocles via coin typology and chronology.^[8] Chinese annals offer contextual illumination: the Shiji and Hanshu relay Zhang Qian's mid-second-century BCE embassy reports of Yuezhi migrations displacing the Xiongnu eastward, culminating in the subjugation of Bactria (Da Xia) by circa 130 BCE, contemporaneous with Heliocles' inferred end.^[1] This nomadic pressure, unmentioned in Western sources, underscores the evidentiary primacy of coins for reconstructing his era, as textual voids necessitate reliance on indirect synchronisms.^[26]

Role in Hellenistic Decline

Heliocles I, reigning circa 145–130 BCE as the last Greco-Bactrian king to control Bactria proper, presided over the kingdom's terminal phase amid escalating nomadic pressures that exemplified the vulnerabilities of Hellenistic successor states in Central Asia.^[1] Inheriting a fragmented realm from his father Eucratides I, whose aggressive expansions had overextended resources, Heliocles faced compounded threats from Sakas and the encroaching Yuezhi, whose migrations displaced prior nomads and targeted sedentary Hellenistic polities for their wealth and infrastructure.^[1] His monolingual Greek coinage, emphasizing epithets like "the Just," reflects efforts to assert legitimacy amid instability, yet the scarcity of non-numismatic evidence underscores the rapid erosion of centralized authority.^[1] The Yuezhi incursion during Heliocles' rule decisively accelerated Bactria's fall, with these nomadic confederations overrunning the region by approximately 130 BCE, likely resulting in the king's death in combat.^[25] This conquest exploited Hellenistic military doctrines ill-suited to steppe warfare, where Greek phalanxes and fortified cities yielded to mounted archers' mobility and attrition tactics, as evidenced by the Yuezhi's subsequent production of imitation coins in Heliocles' name, signaling appropriation rather than mere tribute.^[12] The loss of Bactria's fertile oases and trade hubs severed a key conduit for Hellenistic cultural diffusion eastward, contributing to the isolation of remnant Indo-Greek polities in India.^[1] In the wider arc of Hellenistic decline, Heliocles' defeat highlighted systemic factors: internal dynastic strife since Euthydemus I's era had dissipated the cohesion forged under Diodotus I, while Parthian ascendance to the west diverted Seleucid attention, leaving Bactria exposed.^[27] Nomadic incursions thus acted as catalysts, not sole causes, exposing the unsustainability of Greek urbanism and taxation models against low-density pastoral economies capable of sustained raiding.^[12] Archaeological hoards of his tetradrachms, often found in disturbed contexts, attest to economic disruption without recovery, marking Bactria's transition to Kushan precursors and the effective terminus of organized Hellenistic rule in the heartland. This endpoint underscored the Hellenistic experiment's limits beyond the Indus, where cultural legacies persisted in art and coinage but political sovereignty evaporated under demographic and military disequilibria.^[1]

References

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coin | British Museum
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[26]
The Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek world
Nov 21, 2021 · If we went by textual sources alone, we could count the number of identifiable Hellenistic monarchs in Bactria and India on one hand (with a ...
[27]
The Fall of Bactria, the Rise of Parthia
... kings since the invasion of Alexander in 326.91 Yet by the middle 180s, the ... invasions of the Saka and Yuezhi.232 In particular the wealthy and ...