Major Tod's Account of Greek, Parthian, and Hindu Medals. 323 



This passage would serve to furnish a comment on what little has been 

 handed down to us of the actions of Menander and Apollodotus. who 

 both followed the same track of conquest. But if Apollodotus belonged 

 to Bactria at all, he must precede Menander. 



Tiie claim, however, of Mevander to participate in the honours of 

 Indian sovereignty, has been questioned, and his career confined to the 

 states dependant on the " Mother of Cities;"* while the obscurity in which 

 the name of Apollodotus was enveloped, originated in an error of Trogus 

 Pompeius, which was adopted by Justin and Strabo. These writers con- 

 found the king Apollodotus with Apollodorus, the historian of Bactria. 

 The mistake would not have been cleared up, but for the incidental mention 

 of Apollodotus, by Arrian. 



To the learned Bayer the merit must be ascribed of having discovered 

 and rectified this error. He observes,t " The preface of Trogus Pompeius, 

 where reference is made to Eucratides, the Bactrian, thus says: To India 

 also are added the eiyloits carried on by the kings Apollodorus and 

 Mexander. Johannes Valens is offended with these words, remarking, 

 that it is a most erroneous passage, for Apollodorus was not a king of 

 the Bactrians, but an historian who had committed to writing, according to 

 Strabo, the exploits of the Parthians, Bactrians, and Indians." 



" Neither has Trogus (he continues) handed down, nor do we require it 

 to be granted, that Apollodorus "was king of the Bactrians ; but it is evident 

 that he teas king of India, or some other part ; and Strabo distinguishes the 

 Greek kings of India from the Bactrians, when he thus speaks : — " Apollo- 

 dorus, therefore, "who "wrote the Parthian History, making inention of' the 

 Greeks who caused the revolt of Bactria from the Syrian kings, says, they held 

 all the nations between the Hydaspes and Hypanis i?i subjection, to the number 

 of' nine ; and that they had five thousand cities, of which wowe was less tfuin 

 Cos, in Merope ;" and, immediately after, he brings forward the passage 

 already given, from the Periplus.t " Even to this day, ancient drachmae 

 make their appearance in Barugaza, inscribed with Grecian letters, the 

 legends of those who reigned after Alexander, viz. Apollodotus and 

 Menander." 



" But there must have been another besides, either before Apollodotus 



• Jialk'li, or Bactra. | Hist. licg. Giitc. Bact., sec. xxxiii. page 77. ^ Bayer, page 79. 

 Vol. I. 2 U 



