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THE BACTRIAN GREEKS - 379 and another place called Madhyamikāl when Patañjali wrote this. It is, however, possible that the instances cited by the great grammarian are stock illustrations ( mūrdhābhishikta udāharana ) which are simply quoted by him from earlier authorities. But a war with Greeks in the days of Pushyamitra is vouched for by Kālidāsa. In his Malavikāgnimitram the poet refers to a conflict between prince Vasumitra, grandson and general of Pushyamitra, and a Yavana on the southern (or right) bank of the Sindhu. Unfortunately the name of the leader of the invaders is not given either in the Mahābhāshya or in the Malavikāgnimitram. There is considerable divergence of opinion with regard to his identity. But all agree that he was a Bactrian Greek.
The Bactrian Greeks were originally subjects of the Seleukidan Empire of Syria (and Western Asia). We learn from Strabo, Trogus and Justin that "about the middle of the third century B. C. when the Seleukid rulers were pre-occupied in the west” Diodotos, "Governor of the thousand cities of Bactria” (Balkh region to the south of the Oxus), revolted and assumed the title of king. He was succeeded, according to Justin, by his son Diodotos II who entered into an alliance with Arsakes who about this time (c. 247 B.C.) tore Parthia in Northern Irān from the Seleukidan Empire.
The successor of Diodotos H, was Euthydemos. We learn from Strabo 3 that Euthydemos and his party occasioned the revolt of all the country near the province of Bactriana. We are told by Polybius that Antiochos III (223187 B.C:) of Syria made an attempt to recover the lost provinces but afterwards made peace with Euthydemos.
1 Nāgari near Chitor; cf. Mbh., 11. 32.8 ; Ind. Ant., VII, 267.
2 The Indus or possibly a stream of the same name in Central India (Cf. IHQ, 1925,215).
3 H. & F.'s Tr., Vol. II. p. 251.
