EUCRATIDES

died c. 159 BC king of Bactria, who reigned from c. 170/165 to c. 159 BC. Little is known of his reign. According to some scholars, he was a cousin of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV and assumed power in Bactria as the result of an invasion. Others have assumed that he was a Bactrian official who raised a rebellion while King Demetrius was in India. Upon Demetrius' return from India, he besieged Eucratides and 300 followers for several months, until Eucratides broke the siege and seized the kingdom. Once in control of Bactria, Eucratides went to India to claim possession of Demetrius' territory there. During his absence the Parthians apparently annexed two Bactrian provinces. Returning from India to reconquer them, Eucratides is said to have been murdered by his son.