King Philoxenus

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Silver tetradrachm of king Philoxenus(100-95 BCE), Attic standard.
Obv: Helmetted, diademed and draped bust of Philoxenus.
Rev: King on prancing horse in military dress. Greek legend BASILEOS ANIKETOU PHILOXENOU "Invincible King Pholoxenus".

Silver tetradrachm of king Philoxenus(100-95 BCE).
Obv: Helmetted, diademed and draped bust of Philoxenus. Greek legend BASILEOS ANIKETOU PHILOXENOU "Invincible King Pholoxenus"
Rev: King on prancing horse in military dress. Kharoshti legend MAHARAJASA APADIHATASA PHILASINASA "Invincible King Philoxenus".

Philoxenus (100-95 BCE) was an Indo-Greek king who ruled in the region spanning the Paropamisadae to Western Punjab. Philoxenus seems to have been quite an important king who might briefly have ruled both the "Eastern" and "Western" Indo-Greek kingdoms.

Historians have not yet connected Philoxenus with any dynasty: his coins use an obverse with a mounted king, previously used only by Antimachus II sixty years earlier. Possibly, the horseman hints at an alliance with nomadic tribes, who exercised a waxing influence over the Indo-Greeks during their twilight years.

Several later kings use this obverse as well, but their relationship to Philoxenus remains opaque.

Preceded by:
(In the Paropamisadae, Arachosia and Gandhara)
Antialcidas

(In Punjab)
Demetrios III or Polyxenios

Indo-Greek Ruler
(Paropamisadae, Arachosia, Gandhara and Punjab)
(100-95 BCE)

Succeeded by:
(In the Paropamisadae)
Diomedes

(In Arachosia and Gandhara)
Amyntas

(In Punjab)
Epander

[edit] External links

Coins of Philoxenus

[edit] See also

[edit] References

"The Greeks in Bactria and India", W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press.

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