Back ديميتريوس الأول البختري Arabic ديميتريوس الاول من باكتريا ARZ Деметрий I (Бактрия) Bulgarian ব্যাক্ট্রিয়ার প্রথম দেমেত্রিওস Bengali/Bangla Demetri I de Bactriana Catalan Démétrios I. Baktrijský Czech Demetrios I. (Baktrien) German Δημήτριος Α΄ ο Ανίκητος Greek Demetrio la 1-a (Baktrio) Esperanto Demetrio I de Bactriana Spanish
| Demetrius I | |
|---|---|
| King of Kings,[1] Basileus | |
 Portrait of King Demetrius, wearing an elephant scalp and diadem, as shown on his silver coins | |
| King of Bactria | |
| Reign | c. 200 – c. 180 BC[2] |
| Predecessor | Euthydemus I |
| Successor | Euthydemus II |
| Indo-Greek king | |
| Reign | c. 200-180 BC |
| Predecessor | Position Established |
| Successor | Pantaleon |
| Born | c. 222 BC Bactria |
| Died | c. 180 BC India |
| Spouse | Daughter of Antiochus III |
| Issue | Agathocles of Bactria Euthydemus II Demetrius II (uncertain) Berenice of Bactria |
| Dynasty | Euthydemid |
| Father | Euthydemus I |
Demetrius I Anicetus (Ancient Greek: Δημήτριος Ἀνίκητος, romanized: Dēmḗtrios Aníkētos, "Demetrius the Unconquered"), also called Dimetriya in Indian sources,[3] was a Greco-Bactrian king and the founder of the Indo-Greek kingdom, who ruled areas from Bactria to ancient northwestern India. He was the son of the Greco-Bactrian ruler Euthydemus I and succeeded him around 200 BC, after which he conquered extensive areas in what is now southern Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwestern India.[4]
He was never defeated in battle and was posthumously referred to as "the Unconquered" (Ἀνίκητος, Aniketos) on the pedigree coins of his successor Agathocles of Bactria.[5] Demetrius I may have been the initiator of the Yavana era, starting in 186–185 BC, which was used for several centuries thereafter.
Demetrius was the name of at least two and probably three Bactrian Greek kings. The much debated Demetrius II was a possible relative, whereas Demetrius III (c. 100 BC), is known only from numismatic evidence.
- ^ A Comprehensive History Of Ancient India (3 Vol. Set). Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. 2003-12-01. p. 97. ISBN 978-81-207-2503-4.
Demetrius proceeded towards India and annexed the Kabul valley, Sindh and a part of Punjab. He came to be known as the "King of Kings".
- ^ Phang, Sara; Iain, Spence; Kelly, Douglas; Londey, Londey (2016). Conflict in Ancient Greece and Rome: The Definitive Political, Social, and Military Encyclopedia [3 volumes]: The Definitive Political, Social, and Military Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO. p. 239. ISBN 978-1-61069-020-1.
- ^ Wang H. and Bracey R., ed. (2023). Look at the Coins! Papers in Honour of Joe Cribb on his 75th Birthday. Archaeopress. pp. 115–118. ISBN 9781803276106.
- ^ Demetrius is said to have founded Taxila (archaeological excavations), and also Sagala in the Punjab, which he seemed to have called Euthydemia, after his father ("the city of Sagala, also called Euthydemia" (Ptolemy, Geographia, VII 1))
- ^ No undisputed coins of Demetrius I himself use this title, but it is employed on one of the pedigree coins issued by Agathocles, which bear on the reverse the classical profile of Demetrius crowned by the elephant scalp, with the legend DEMETRIOU ANIKETOU, and on the reverse Herakles crowning himself, with the legend "Of king Agathocles" (Boppearachchi, Pl 8). Coins of the supposed Demetrius III also use the title "Invincible", and therefore are attributed by some to the same Demetrius (Whitehead and al.)