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The Greco-Bactrians were a dynasty of Greek kings who controlled Bactria and Sogdiana, an area comprising today's northern Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, the easternmost area of the Hellenistic world, from 250 to 125 BCE. Their expansion into northern India established the Indo-Greek Kingdom, which was to last until around 1 BCE.
The founder of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom, Diodotus ca. 250 BCE. The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom was founded by the Seleucid military governor of Bactria Diodotus around 250 BCE when he wrestled independence for his territory from the Seleucid Empire.
At about the same time in the West, the Parthian dynasty of the Arsacides was rising, therefore cutting the Greco-Bactrians from direct contacts with the Greek world. Overland trade continued at a reduced rate, while sea trade between Greek Egypt and Bactria developed.
Diodotus was succeeded by his son Diodotus II.
Euthydemus is famous for having repulsed a reconquest effort by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III around 205 BCE. He successfully resisted a two-year siege in the fortified city of Bactra, before Antiochus finally decided to recognize the new ruler, and to offer one of his daughters to Euthydemus's son Demetrius. Classical accounts also relate that Euthydemus negociated peace with Antiochus III by suggesting that he deserved credit for overthrowing the original rebel Diodotus, and that he was protecting Central Asia from nomadic invasions thanks to his defensive efforts (Polybius 11.34).
Probable Greek soldier, woollen wall hanging, 3rd- 2nd century BCE, Sampul, Urumqi Xinjiang Museum. There are indications that from Alexandria Eschate the Greco-Bactrians may have led expeditions as far as Kashgar and Urumqi in Chinese Turkestan, leading to the first known contacts between China and the West around 200 BCE. The Greek historian Strabo too writes that "they extended their empire even as far as the Seres (Chinese) and the Phryni" (Strabo XI.XI.I). Several statuettes and representations of Greek soldiers have been found north of the Tien Shan, on the doorstep to China, and are today on display in the Xinjiang museum at Urumqi (Boardman).
Numismatics suggest that some technology exchanges may have occurred on these occasions: the Greco-Bactrians were the first in the world to issue copper-nickel (75/25 ratio) coins 1 , an alloy technology only known by the Chinese at the time (some weapons from the Warring States Period were in copper-nickel alloy 2 ). Kings Agathocles and Pantaleon made these coin issues around 170 BCE. Copper-nickel would not be used again in coinage until the 19th century.These contacts were reciprocated by the Han Dynasty embassies of Zhang Qian to Central Asia, as far as Bactria, from 130 BCE, triggering the development of the Silk Road from the 2nd century BCE. According to Han Chronicles, the Chinese emperor Wu-Ti was informed of the level of sophistication of the urban civilizations of Ferghana, Bactria and Parthia, and became interested in developing commercial relationship them: "The Son of Heaven on hearing all this reasoned thus: Ferghana ( Ta-Yuan) and the possessions of Bactria and Parthia are large countries, full of rare things, with a population living in fixed abodes and given to occupations somewhat identical with those of the Chinese people, but with weak armies, and placing great value on the rich produce of China" ( Han Shu , Former Han History).
