Bactria by Hugh George Rawlinson

Author:Hugh George Rawlinson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781594165733
Publisher: Westholme Publishing

AUTHORITIES.

Justin and Strabo, among ancient writers, are of the most importance. The works of Messrs. E. R. Bevan and Vincent Smith are the principal modern authorities. The writers on numismatics are, of course, invaluable, as much of Bactrian history is “deduced” from coins, which eke out our otherwise scanty information. For a further discussion of the coins of Eucratides see Appendix II.

* * *

1 He is thinking of the successful repulse of Antiochus; before this Bactria was only a kingdom “on sufferance.”

2 Justin, XVI. 5.

3 Ibid., “Postremum in societatem ejus admissus.”

4 Strabo, Geog., XI. 11, 1.

5 Polybius, XI. 34, and X. 49.

6 Close to a city called by Polybius Tαγουρίαν. Von Gutschmid emends to Τà Γαυρίανα. The ford was a little to the west of the town.

7 It was also a Parthian habit. The reason was that the Parthian and Bactrian troops were almost all mounted, and a sudden night attack upon a mounted force would cause horrible confusion. Hence they always withdrew to a safe distance from the enemy at night. A Parthian force, for similar reasons, never marched or attacked at night.

8 Von Gutschmid takes this for granted. This is scarcely justifiable.

9 I.e., Diodotus, and probably others of the family likely to be in the way. Perhaps “Antimachus Theos” (see appendix to preceding chapter) was one of them. These words seem to be very strongly in favour of the view that there were two kings of the name of Diodotus.

10 ἐκβαρβαρωθήσεσθαι τὴν Ελλάδα ὁμολογουμένως. Von Gutschmid makes a curious mistake here. Taking the passive voice, apparently, for a middle, he says, in his Encyclopædia article, that Euthydemus “threatened to call in the barbarians and overrun the country.”

11 Vide Rawlinson, Sixth Oriental Monarchy, p. 58 note.

12 For terms, vide Polybius, XI. 34, 9-10. For the whole campaign (except the siege, of which we have been spared no account except the doubtful reference, Book XXIX.) I have followed Polybius. See also Bevan, House of Seleucus, II. 23; and Rawlinson, loc. cit. Date of the treaty,? 208 B.C.

13 συμμαχία.

14 Was she the mother of the Laodicé of the coins of Eucratides? See Appendix II., p. 152.

15 First suggested by Lassen, Indische Alterthumskunde, I think.

16 Vide Smith, Early History of India, pp. 171 and 197, 198.

17 ? Circa 206 B.C.

18 See the illustration, Gardner, Plate II.

19 On the obverse we find either a horse (appropriate in the case of the Bactrian Zari-aspa, the “City of the Horse”) or the figure of Hercules.

20 Does this indicate that the Sacæ were kept well in hand in this reign?

21 “Apollodorus of Artemita says the Greeks (of Bactria) conquered Ariana.” If they did, it was probably in this reign or the next (Geog., XI. xi. 1).

22 Laodice said that Apollo was really the father of her son. See Justin, XV. 4 q.v.

23 Müller, Frag. Hist. Grœc., i. 344, and iv. 421.

24 Strabo, II. 1, 9.

25 Milinda-Pañha, Sacred Books of the East, XXXV. 3. Iron of a superior quality was also an important item in commerce with the Seres.

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