Listed 10 sub titles with search on: Biographies for wider area of: "AFGHANISTAN Country SOUTH ASIAN SUBCONTINENT" .
VAKTRIA (Ancient city) AFGHANISTAN
(Bessos). A satrap of Bactria under Darius III., who, after
the defeat of Darius by Alexander the Great at Arbela (B.C. 331), seized him with
the intention of carrying him as a prisoner to his own satrapy. Being hotly pursued
by the Macedonians, he murdered his royal captive and made his own escape. He
was subsequently delivered into the hands of Alexander, and that monarch, according
to one account (Justin, xii. 5), gave him up for punishment to the brother of
Darius. Plutarch, however, states that Alexander himself punished the offender
in the following manner: He caused two straight trees to be bent, and one of his
legs to be made fast to each; then suffering the trees to return to their former
posture, his body was torn asunder by the violence of the recoil. Arrian makes
Alexander to have caused his nostrils to be slit, the tips of his ears to be cut
off, and the offender, after this, to have been sent to Ecbatana, and put to death
in the sight of all the inhabitants of the capital of Media.
This text is from: Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Cited Nov 2002 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Bessus (Bessos), was satrap of Bactria in the time of Dareius III. (Codomannus), who saw reason to suspect him of treachery soon after the battle of Issus, and summoned him accordingly from his satrapy to Babylon, where he was collecting forces for the continuance of the war. (Curt. iv. 6.1.) At the battle of Arbela, B. C. 331, Bessus commanded the left wing of the Persian army, and was thus directly opposed to Alexander himself. (Curt. iv. 12.6; Arr. Anab. iii.e.) After this battle, when the fortunes of Dareius seemed hopelessly ruined, Bessus formed a plot with Nabarzanes and others to seize the king, and either to put him to death and make themselves masters of the emlpire, or to deliver him up to Alexander, according to circumstances. Soon after the flight of Dareius from Ecbatana (where, after the battle of Arbela, he had taken refuge), the conspirators, who had the Bactrian troops at their command, succeeded in possessing themselves of the king's person, and placed him in chains. But, being closely pressed in pursuit by Alexander, and having in vain urged Dareius to mount a horse and continue his flight with them, they filled up by his murder the measure of their treason, B. C. 330. (Curt. v. 9-13; Arr. Anab. iii.; Diod. xvii. 73; Plut. Alex. 42.) After this deed Bessus fled into Bactria, where he collected a considerable force, and assumed the name and insignia of royalty, with the title of Artaxerxes. (Curt. vi. 6.13; Arr. Anab. iii, d.) On the approach of Alexander, he fled from him beyond the Oxus, but was at length betrayed by two of his followers, and fell into the hands of Ptolemy, whom Alexander had sent forward to receive him. (Curt. vii. 5; Arr. Anab. iii.; comp. Strab. xi.) He was brought naked before the conqueror, and, having been scourged, was sent to Zariaspa, the capital of Bactria (Strab. xi.) : here, a council being afterwards held upon him, he was sentenced to suffer mutilation of his nose and ears, and was delivered for execution to Oxathres, the brother of Dareius, who put him to a cruel death. The mode of it is variously related, and Plutarch even makes Alexander himself the author of the shocking barbarity which he describes. (Curt. vii. 5, 10; Arr. Anab. iv., d.; Ptolem. and Aristobul. ap. Arr. Anab. iii. ad fin.; Diod. xvii. 83; Plut. Alex. 43; Just. xii. 5.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Sep 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
VAKTRIANI (Ancient country) SOUTH ASIAN SUBCONTINENT
343 - 310
Roxane (Bactrian Roshanak): Bactrian princess, official wife of Alexander the
Great.
Roxane -her name Roshanak means 'little star'- was the daughter of
a Sogdian nobleman named Oxyartes (Vaxsuvadarva), who defended a mountain fortress
against the invading army of the Macedonian king Alexander the Great (327). When
the fortress was captured, the sixteen year old woman, was among the prisoners
of war.
At that stage of his campaign in the Achaemenid empire, it had become
obvious that Alexander could not control his conquests without doing concessions
to the native population. He had to show respect to their customs if he wanted
their respect. In the years 330-327, we see Alexander appointing Persians in important
functions, dress himself like an Iranian nobleman, introduce the oriental court
ritual (proskynesis). Marrying a local princess was a logical step.
The obvious candidate was Barsine, who had been Alexander's concubine
since the battle of Issus in November 333. But this woman, who had already given
birth to a son, was ignored. It is not known why, but she may have been unacceptable
to the Iranian population, because she had spend a great deal of her life in Europe.
Barsine may have been too Greek; an extra argument for this hypothesis is that
later, she settled herself in Greece. Another explanation may be that Alexander
had simply fallen in love with Roxane.
The marriage was concluded according to the local customs (click here
for a description), and Roxane followed her husband when he invaded India (326)
and returned to Babylonia (325-324). On June 11, 323, her husband died. She was
pregnant.
In the next years, the era of the Diadochi, she had a very difficult
position. One of the commanders, Perdiccas, was chosen as regent for Alexander's
mentally deficient brother Philip Arridaeus and his posthumous son, Alexander.
Together, Perdiccas and Roxane executed Alexander's second wife, Statira, who
could become a rival. However, Perdiccas died soon after, and the Macedonian commanders
came together to discuss the future. During this meeting at Triparadisus, they
decided to divide the empire. A new but weak regent, the old Antipater, was appointed.
He ordered Roxane, Philip and the baby to go to Macedonia. For a woman who had
grown up in Sogdiana, had seen India, had lived in the palaces of Persia and Babylonia,
it must have been a strange experience to live in barbarous Europe.
For several years, she and her son were safe, but one of the rival
commanders, Cassander, captured them in 316. Five years later, Cassander and the
other Diadochi concluded a peace treaty in which they agreed that they would remain
in charge of the empire until Roxane's son would become king (in 305). This was
of course an incentive to execute the boy king and his mother, who were executed
immediately (311/310).
Jona Lendering, ed.
This text is cited July 2003 from the Livius Ancient History Website URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks.
Wife of Alexander the Great, who lived in the 4th century BC. Alexander
fell in love with Roxane after he had conquered her father's castle in Bactria
(today's Afghanistan). The
wedding ceremony was held according to Iranian customs in 327 BC.
After Alexander had died in 323 BC, Roxane gave birth to his son,
Alexander IV. She also had his other wife, Stateira, murdered.
In 320 BC she and her son were taken to Macedonia
by Antipater as symbols of the empire of Alexander. When Antipater died in 319
BC she fled with her son to her mother-in-law Olympias in Epirus.
In 316 BC Kassander captured her and murdered Olympias.
After a truce was instigated between the diadochs Kassander was king
to Macedonia until Alexander
IV would come of age. He changed his mind, though, and had both Alexander and
Roxane killed.
According to ancient sources Roxane was just as tough as Olympias.
This text is cited Sept 2003 from the In2Greece URL below.
VAKTRIA (Ancient city) AFGHANISTAN
Diodiotus, (Diodotos) I., King of Bactria, and founder of the Bactrian monarchy,
which continued to subsist under a Greek dynasty for above one hundred and fifty
years. This prince as well as his successor is called by Justin, Theodotus, but
the form Diodotus, which occurs in Strabo (xi.) seems to have been that used by
Trogus Pompeius (Prol. Trogi Pompeii, lib. xli.), is confirmed by the evidence
of an unique gold coin now in the museum at Paris. (See Wilson, Ariana.)
Both the period and circumstances of the establishment of his power
in Bactria are very uncertain. It seems clear, however, that he was at first satrap
or governor of that province, under the Syrian monarchy, and that he took advantage
of his sovereign's being engaged in wars in distant parts of his dominions to
declare himself independent The remote and secluded position of his territories,
and the revolt of the Parthians under Arsaces, almost immediately afterwards,
appear to have prevented any attempt on the part of the Syrian monarch to reduce
him again to subjection. At a later period, when Seleucus Callinicus undertook
his expedition against Parthia, he appears to have entered into alliance with
Diodotus, and may perhaps have confirmed him in the possession of his sovereignty,
to secure his co-operation against Tiridates. Diodotus, however, died apparently
just about this time. (Justin. xli. 4; Strab. xi.; compare Wilson's Ariana; Droysen's
Hellenismus, ii.; Raoul Rochette Journ. des Sauans, Oct. 1835.)
With regard to the date of the revolt of Diodotus, it appears from
Strabo and Justin to have preceded that of Arsaces in Parthia, and may therefore
be referred with much probability to the latter part of the reign of Antiochus
II. in Syria. B. C. 261-246. The date usually received is 256 B. C., but any such
precise determination rests only on mere conjecture.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Diodiotus II., the son and successor of the preceding, is called by Justin Theodotus,
as well as his father. According to that author, he abandoned his father's policy,
and concluded a treaty with the king of Parthia, Tiridates, by which he joined
him against Seleucus Callinicus. (Justin. xli. 4.) The total defeat of the Syrian
king probably secured the independence of Bactria, as well as that of Parthia;
but we know nothing more of the history of Diodotus. The commencement of his reign
may be dated somewhere about 240 B. C. (Wilson's Ariana.)
Demetrius, (Demetrios), king of Bactria, son of Euthydemus. Polybius mentions (xi. 34), that when Antiochus the Great invaded the territories of Euthydemus, the latter sent his son Demetrius, then quite a youth, to negotiate with the Syrian king; and that Antiochus was so much pleased with the young man's appearance and manners, that he confirmed Euthydemus in his sovereignty, and promised one of his own daughters in marriage to Demetrius. The other notices we possess of this prince are scanty and confused; but it seems certain (notwithstanding the opinion to the contrary advanced by Bayer, Hist. Regni Graecorum Bactriani, p. 83), that Demetrius succeeded his father in the sovereignty of Bactria, where he reigned at least ten years. Strabo particularly mentions him as among those Bactrian kings who made extensive conquests in northern India (Strab. xi. 11.1), though the limit of his acquisitions cannot be ascertained. Justin, on the con trary, calls him "rex Indorum" (xli. 6), and speaks of him as making war on and besieging Eucratides, king of Bactria. Mionnet (Suppl. vol. viii.) has suggested that there were two Demetrii, one the son of Euthydemus, the other a king of northern India; but it does not seem necessary to have recourse to this hypothesis. The most probable view of the matter is, that Eucratides revolted from Demetrius, while the latter was engaged in his wars in India, and established his power in Bacteria proper, or the provinces north of the Hindoo Koosh, while Demetrius retained the countries south of that barrier. Both princes may thus have ruled contemporaneously for a considerable space of time. (Comp. Wilson's Ariana; Lassen, Gesch. der Bactr. Konige, p. 230; Raoul Rochette, Journ. des Savans, for 1835.) It is probably to this Demetrius that we are to ascribe the foundation of the city of Demetrias in Arachosia, mentioned by Isidore of Charax. The chronology of his reign, like that of all the Bactrian kings, is extremely uncertain: his accession is placed by M. R. Rochette in B. C. 190 (Journ. des Savans, Oct. 1835), by Lassen in 185 (Gesch. der Bactr. Konige), and it seems probable that he reigned about 20 or 25 years. (Wilson's Ariana.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Eucratides, (Eukratides), king of Bactria, was contemporary with Mithridates I.
(Arsaces VI.), king of Parthia, and appears to have been one of the most powerful
of the Bactritan kings, and to have greatly extended his dominions; but all the
events of his reign are involved in the greatest obscurity and confusion. It seems
probable that he established his power in Bactria proper, while Demetrius, the
son of Euthydemus, still reigned in the Indian provinces south of the Paropamisus;
and, in tlhe course of the wars that lie carried on against that prince, he was
at one time besieged by him with very superior forces for a space of near five
months, and with difficulty escaped. (Justin, xli. 6.) At a subsequent period,
and probably after the death of Demetrius. he made great conquests in northern
India, so that he was said to have been lord of a thousand cities. (Strab.xv.)
Yet in the later years of his reign he appears to have suffered heavy losses in
his wars against Mithridates, king of Parthia, who wrested from him several of
his provinces (Strab. xi.), though it seems impossible to admit the statement
of Justin (xli. 6), that the Parthian king conquered all the dominions of Eucratides,
even as fair as India. It appears certain at least, from the same anthor, that
Euecratides retained possession of his. Indian dominions up to the time of his
death, and that it was on his return from thence to Bactria that he was assassinated
by his son, whom he had associated with himself in the sovereignty. (Justiin,
xli. 16.) The statements of ancient authors concerning the power and greatness
of Eucratides are confirmed by the number of his coins that have been found on
both sides of the Paropamisus : on these he bears the title of " the Great."
(Wilson's Ariana) The date suggested for the commencement of his reign by Bayer,
and adopted by Wilson, is 181 B. C.; but authorities differ widely as to its termination,
which is placed by Lassen in 160 B. C., while it is extended by Bayer and Wilson
to 147 B. C.
Bayer (Hist. Regn. Graec. Bactriani) has inferred the existence of
a second Eucratides, the son of the preceding, to whom he ascribes the murder
of his father, and this view has been adopted by M. Raoul Rochette (Journal des
Sav. 1835); but it does not seem to be established on any sufficient grounds.
Wilson and Mionnet conceive Heliocles to have been the successor of Eucratides.
(Wilson's Ariana; Mionnet, Suppl. t. 8)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Euthydemus, (Euthudemos), king of Bactria, was a native of Magnesia. (Polyb. xi. 34.) We know nothing of the circumstances attending his elevation to the sovereignty of Bactria, but he seems to have taken advantage of dissensions among the descendants of those who had first established the independenceof that country, and to have wrested the sovereign power either from Diodotus II. or some of his family. He then extended his power over the neighbouring provinces, so as to become the founder of the greatness of the Bactrian monarchy, though not the actual founder of the kingdom, as has been erroneously inferred from a passage in Strabo. (Strab. xi.; Polyb. xi. 34; Wilson's Ariana.) Antiochus the Great, after his expedition against Parthia in B. C. 212, proceeded to invade the territories of the Bactrian king. Euthydemus met him on the banks of the Arius, but was defeated and compelled to fall back upon Zariaspa, the capital of Bactria. (Polyb. x. 49.) From hence he entered into negotiations with Antiochus, who appears to have despaired of effecting his subjugation by force, as he was readily induced to come to terms, by which he confirmed Euthydemus in the regal dignity, and gave one of his own daughters in marriage to his son Demetrius. In return for this, Euthydemus lent him his support in his Indian expedition. (Polyb. xi. 34.) The commencement of the reign of Euthydemus may be referred with mach probability to about B. C. 220. (Wilson's Ariana) Silver coins of this prince, of Greek style of workmanship and bearing Greek inscriptions, have been found in considerable numbers at Bokhara, Balkh, and other places within the limits of Bactria, thus attesting the exteat to which Greek civilization had been introduced into those remote regions.
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Oct 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
Heliocles, (Heliokles), a king of Bactria, or of the Indo-Bactrian provinces south of the Paropamisus, known only from his coins. Many of these are bilingual, having Greek inscriptions on the one side, and Arian characters on the reverse : whence it is inferred that he must have flourished in the interval between the death of Eucratides and the destruction of the Greek kingdom of Bactria, B. C. 127. It appears probable also, from one of his coins, that he must have reigned at one time conjointly with, or subordinate to Eucratides : and lassen, Mionnet, and Wilson, conceive him to be the son of Eucratides, who is mentioned by Justin as being at first associated with his father in the sovereign power, and who afterwards put him to death. (Justin. xli. 6; Lasen, Gesch. der Bactr. Konige ; Wilson's Ariana, p. 262.)
This text is from: A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, 1873 (ed. William Smith). Cited Nov 2005 from The Perseus Project URL below, which contains interesting hyperlinks
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