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
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| Demetrius I | |
|---|---|
| King of Kings,[1] Basileus | |
 | |
| 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. 167 BC India |
| Spouse | Daughter of Antiochus III |
| Issue | |
| Dynasty | Euthydemid |
| Father | Euthydemus I |
Demetrius I Anicetus (Ancient Greek: Δημήτριος Ἀνίκητος, romanized: Dēmētrios Anikētos, "Demetrius the unconquered"), also called Damaytra was a Greco-Bactrian and later Indo-Greek king (Yona in Pali language, "Yavana" in Sanskrit) (reigned c. 200–167 BC), who ruled areas from Bactria to ancient northwestern India. He was the son of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom's ruler Euthydemus I and succeeded him around 200 BC, after which he conquered extensive areas in what is now southern Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan and India.[3]
He was never defeated in battle and was posthumously referred to as "the Unconquered" (Aniketos) on the pedigree coins of his successor Agathocles.[4] 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 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.
- ^ 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.)