Apollophanes

Apollophanes is also a spider genus (Philodromidae).
Apollophanes
Indo-Greek king

Silver drachm of king Apollophanes (r. 35-25 BCE).
Obv: Helmeted bust of king. Greek legend: BASILEOS SOTIROS APOLLOPHANOU "Saviour king Apollophanes".
Rev: Pallas with aegis and thunderbolt. Kharoshthi legend: MAHARAJASA TRATARASA APALAVINASA "Saviour king Apollophanes".
Reign 35 - 25 BCE

Apollophanes Soter (reigned c. 35 - 25 BCE) was an Indo-Greek king in the area of eastern and central Punjab in modern India and Pakistan.

Contents

Rule

Little is known about him, except for some of his remaining coins. The dating is Osmund Bopearachchi's, but RC Senior suggests approximately the same dates. Earlier scholars, such as Professor Ahmed Hasan Dani, W.W. Tarn and A.K. Narain dated Apollophanes considerably earlier, but the style and finding places of his coins make it clear that he belonged to the last line of eastern Indo-Greek kings, not long before they were overcome completely by pressure from the Indo-Scythians.

He may have been a relative of Apollodotus II Soter since both kings share the epithet Soter (Saviour), have names related to Apollo and use Pallas Athene as their reverse.

Coins of Apollophanes

Apollophanes issued a few debased silver drachms of the type seen above, struck with a single monogram and of little artistic quality. He seems to have been an insignificant local ruler. Apollophanes wears what appears to be a Macedonian helmet of the type seen on the Alexander Mosaic which he was the last Indo-Greek ruler to use.


Preceded by:
Zoilos II
Indo-Greek Ruler
(Eastern Punjab)
(35 - 25 BCE)
Succeeded by:
Strato II and III
INDO-GREEK KINGS AND THEIR TERRITORIES
Based on Bopearachchi (1991)
Territories/
Dates
PAROPAMISADE
ARACHOSIA GANDHARA WESTERN PUNJAB EASTERN PUNJAB
200-190 BCE Demetrius I
190-180 BCE Agathocles Pantaleon
185-170 BCE Antimachus I
180-160 BCE Apollodotus I
175-170 BCE Demetrius II
160-155 BCE Antimachus II
170-145 BCE Eucratides
155-130 BCE Menander I
130-120 BCE Zoilos I Agathokleia
120-110 BCE Lysias Strato I
110-100 BCE Antialcidas Heliokles II
100 BCE Polyxenios Demetrius III
100-95 BCE Philoxenus
95-90 BCE Diomedes Amyntas Epander
90 BCE Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso
90-85 BCE Nicias Menander II Artemidoros
90-70 BCE Hermaeus Archebios
Yuezhi tribes Maues (Indo-Scythian)
75-70 BCE Telephos Apollodotus II
65-55 BCE Hippostratos Dionysios
55-35 BCE Azes I (Indo-Scythian) Zoilos II
55-35 BCE Apollophanes
25 BCE- 10 CE Strato II & III
Rajuvula (Indo-Scythian)

See also

References

Apollophanes the dramatist

Apollophanes was also the name of an Athenian writer of comedies who flourished in the 4th century BCE.