Editing Heliocles I

{{Short description|Greco-Bactrian king}}
[[File:Baktria_-_king_Heliokles_I_-_145-130_BC_-_silver_tetradrachm_-_bust_of_Heliokles_I_-_Zeus_-_München_SMS_01_Crop.jpg|thumb|250px|Portrait of Heliocles I on the obverse of one of his silver coins, showing the king wearing a [[Diadem|royal diadem]] and a [[chlamys]] cloak.]]
'''Heliocles I''' ({{langx|grc|Ἡλιοκλῆς|Hēlioklês}}, meaning "glory of [[Helios]]"; reigned c. 145–120 BC) was a [[Greco-Bactrian]] king, a son and successor of [[Eucratides|Eucratides the Great]],{{cn|date=March 2025}} and considered the last Greek king to reign over the [[Bactria|Bactrian country]]. His reign was a troubled one; according to Roman historian [[Justin (historian)|Justin]], Eucratides was murdered crossing the [[Hindu Kush]] by one of his sons, although this is highly disputed and Justin fails to name the perpetrator. Eucratides’ death led to instability, even civil war, which caused the Indian parts of the empire to be lost to Indo-Greek king [[Menander I]] and southern [[Bactria]] to be lost to the [[Yuezhi]].

==Yuezhi invasion==
From 130 BC a [[nomadic]] people, the [[Yuezhi]], started to invade [[Bactria]] from the north and we could assume that Heliocles was likely killed in battle during this invasion. Details from Chinese sources seem to indicate that the nomad invasion did not end civilisation in Bactria entirely. Hellenised cities continued to exist for some time, and the well-organised agricultural systems were not demolished.

The Yuezhi would copy and adapt the coin types of Heliocles I for a long time after the latter's death.

Heliocles I used the Greek epithet [[Dikaios]] ("the Just") on his coins. There is evidence that Heliocles I ruled around the same time as [[Eucratides II]], as a silver coin has been discovered showing both rulers sharing the coin in a joint issue.

== Gallery ==
<gallery widths="270" heights="140" perrow="4">
File:Heliocles I helmetted.jpg|Tetradrachm of Heliocles I, showing the king helmetted and in uniform. Reverse shows seated [[Zeus]] and [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ ''Basileōs Dikaiou Hēliokleous,'' "Of King Heliocles the Just".
Image: Heliocles I delta.jpg|Tetradrachm of Heliocles I. The Reverse shows standing [[Zeus]], and [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΗΛΙΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ, ''Basileōs Dikaiou Hēliokleous,'' "Of King Heliocles the Just".
File:Yuezhi copy of Heliocles I coin.jpg|[[Yuezhi]] copy of a coin of king Heliocles I. The Yuezhi are thought to have invaded his territory and taken over his coinage as a consequence.
</gallery>

==References==
* ''[[The Shape of Ancient Thought|The Shape of Ancient Thought. Comparative studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies]]'' by Thomas McEvilley (Allworth Press and the School of Visual Arts, 2002) {{ISBN|1-58115-203-5}}
* ''Buddhism in Central Asia'' by B. N. Puri (Motilal Banarsidass Pub, January 1, 2000) {{ISBN|81-208-0372-8}} 
* ''The Greeks in Bactria and India'', [[William Woodthorpe Tarn|W. W. Tarn]], Cambridge University Press.

==External links==
*[http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Heliokles+and+I&Thumb=1 Coins of Heliocles]
*[http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/heliokles_I/t.html More coins of Heliocles]
*[http://coinindia.com/galleries-heliocles1.html Catalogue of the Coins of Heliocles I and Scythian Imitations]

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Eucratides]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Greco-Bactrian Kingdom|Greco-Bactrian King]]<br/>(in Eastern [[Bactria]])|years=145 – 130 BCE}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Zoilos I]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Indo-Greek kings}}
{{Hellenistic rulers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Heliocles 01}}
[[Category:Greco-Bactrian kings]]
[[Category:2nd-century BC monarchs in Asia]]
[[Category:Greek Buddhist monarchs]]