Nicias (Indo-Greek king)


Nicias was an Indo-Greek king who ruled in the Paropamisade. Most of his relatively few coins have been found in northern Pakistan, indicating that he ruled a smaller principate around the lower Kabul valley. He was possibly a relative of Menander I.

Time of reign

Bopearachchi suggests that Nicias ruled c. 90–85 BC. This late date is supported by the absence of Attic coins.
R. C. Senior on the other hand places him as a successor of Menander, c. 135–125 BC, according to his interpretation of hoard findings.
Regardless of which period is correct, the fact that Nicias ages visibly on his coins seems to indicate some longevity to his rule.

The coinage of Nicias

Nicias struck Indian silver drachms of diademed or helmeted king with three reverses:
  • A standing king in armour making a blessing gesture, found on several drachms.
  • An en face version of Menander's Athena with thunderbolt is found on a unique tetradrachm.
  • The third reverse is the type king on a prancing horse, as used by Antimachus II found on a single drachm.
His bronzes feature Zeus/dolphin or portrait / king on prancing horse. Some varieties are crude with lunate sigmas and square omicrons. Even though Nikias ruled in the western parts of the Indo-Greek realm, no Attic coins have been found.His monograms generally match those of the kings Theophilus and Philoxenus, though one is shared with Thraso, the short-lived son of Menander I.