Editing Menander II

{{Infobox monarch
| name            =Menander II
| succession      =[[Indo-Greek]] king
| image           =Menander II portrait.jpg
| caption         =Portrait of Menander II.
| reign           =90–85 BC
| coronation      =
| full name       =
| predecessor     =
| successor       =
| spouse          =
| issue           =
| royal house     =
| dynasty         =
| father          =
| mother          =
| birth_date   =
| birth_place  = Sagala 
| death_date   =
| death_place  =
| date of burial  =
| place of burial =
| religion  = [[Ancient Greek religion|Greek Polytheism]]<br>[[Greco-Buddhism]]
|}}
[[File:Menander II with wheel.jpg|thumb|350x350px|Silver Drachm of Menander II. The obverse with the diademed king, wearing [[aegis]], and brandishing a spear. The Greek legend reads: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΥ, ''Basileōs Dikaiou Menandrou'', "Of King Menander the Just". The reverse shows [[Zeus|Zeus Nikephoros]], and the [[Dharmachakra|eight-spoked wheel of Dharma.]] The [[Kharoshthi]] legend reads: ''Maharajasa'' ''Dharmikasa'' ''Menadrasa'', "Of King Menander, the Follower of the [[Dharma]]".]]

'''Menander II Dikaios''' ([[Ancient Greek|Greek]]: {{lang|grc|Μένανδρος Β΄ ὁ Δίκαιος}}, ''Ménandros ho Díkaios,'' meaning "Menander the Just") may have been an [[Indo-Greek]] King who ruled in the areas of [[Arachosia]] and [[Gandhara]] in the north of modern [[Pakistan]]. However, since he is entirely known through his coins, this may have just been a separate set of coins issued by [[Menander I]] with a different epithet.

==Time of reign==
Bopearachchi has suggested that Menander II reigned c. 90–85 BC, whereas R. C. Senior has suggested c. 65 BC. In that case, Menander II ruled remaining Indo-Greek territories in Gandhara after the invasion of [[Maues]].

==Relations to other kings==
Menander II may have belonged to the dynasty of Menander I Soter, the greatest of the Indo-Greek kings. It was long believed that there was only one king named Menander (see discussion under [[Menander I]]) as their portraits were rather similar and Menander II seems to have been a devout [[Greco-Buddhism|Buddhist]], just as Menander I was, according to the ancient Buddhist scripture the [[Milindapanha]].

On the other hand, the name Menander could well have been popular in the Indo-Greek kingdom, and the coins of Menander II are not very like those of Menander I nor of those other kings (such as [[Strato I]]) who are believed to have belonged to his dynasty. R. C. Senior links Menander II with the Indo-Greek king Amyntas, with whom he shares several monograms and also facial features such as a pointed nose and receding chin. He also suggests a close relation to the semi-Scythian king [[Artemidoros|Artemidorus]], son of Maues, since their coins use similar types and are often found together.

There is a small possibility that Menander II, rather than [[Menander I]], is actually the Buddhist Greek king referred to in the [[Milinda Panha]]. This point is unsolved however, since Greek sources (Plutarch (Praec. reip. ger. 28, 6)) relate that the great conqueror Menander I is the one who received the honour of burial in what could be interpreted as Buddhist stupas.

More likely, Menander I may indeed have first supported Buddhism, like the other Indo-Greek kings, and was probably the protagonist of the Milindapanha, on account of his described fame, whereas Menander II, a minor king, may have wholeheartedly embraced Buddhism, as exemplified by his coins.

==Coins of Menander II==
[[File:Menander II with Nike.jpg|thumb|350x350px|Coin of Menander II. The obverse shows the King wearing a decorated helmet and diadem, with the Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΜΕΝΑΝΔΡΟΥ, ''Basileōs Dikaiou Menandrou'', "Of King Menander the Just". The reverse shows the winged goddess [[Nike (mythology)|Nike]] holding a wreath. The [[Kharoshthi]] legend reads ''Maharajasa'' ''Dharmikasa'' ''Menadrasa'', "Of King Menander, the Follower of the [[Dharma]]".]]
The coins of Menander II bear the mention "Menander the Just", and "King of the [[Dharma]]" in [[Kharoshti]], suggesting that he adopted the Buddhist faith. Menander II struck only Indian silver. These depict the king in diadem or helmet of the type of Menander I, with a number of reverses:
a king on horseback, Nike and a sitting Zeus of the type of [[Antialkidas]] and [[Amyntas Nikator]], but with an eight-spoked Buddhist wheel instead of the small elephant.

His bronzes feature Athena standing, with spear and palm-branch, shield at her feet, making a benediction gesture with the right hand, similar to the [[Buddhist]] ''vitarka'' [[mudra]].  Other varieties feature a king performing the same gesture.

On the reverse is a lion, symbol of [[Buddhism]], as also seen on the pillars of the [[Mauryan]] King [[Ashoka]]. In general, the coins of Menander II are quite few, which tends to indicate a rather small rule.

A contemporary king to represent the Buddhist lion on his coins is the [[Indo-Scythian]] king [[Maues]], around 85 BC.

== Gallery ==
<gallery widths="270" heights="140" perrow="4">
File:Menander II spearholder.jpg|Menander II as a spearholder.
File:Menander II with Nike and seated lion.jpg|Indian square coin of Menander II.
File:IndoGreekInfantry.jpg|Menander II equipped with a cuirass, [[lamellar armour]] for the thighs, and [[greave]]s, and making a blessing gesture. This is the obverse figure of an Indian-standard square coin of Menander II, with walking lion on the reverse.<ref>Bopearachchi Catalogue, Pl.49 Serie 7, Q</ref>
File:Menander II lion.jpg|The lion on Menander II's coins is similar to those on the [[Pillars of Ashoka]]: seated posture, protruding tongue, mane (detail of Indian-standard square coin of Menander II).
</gallery>
{{clear}}
{{Indo-Greek kings}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* ''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'', W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press.

==External links==
* [http://coinindia.com/galleries-menander2.html Coin India gallery]
* [http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Menander+II&Thumb=1 Coins of Menander II]
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Peukolaos]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Indo-Greek Kingdom|Indo-Greek]] ruler in [[Arachosia]] and [[Gandhara]]|years=90–85 BC}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Archebios]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Hellenistic rulers}}

[[Category:Indo-Greek kings]]
[[Category:1st-century BC monarchs in Asia]]
[[Category:Greek Buddhist monarchs]]
[[Category:Euthydemid dynasty]]