| Menander II | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Menander II. | |
| Indo-Greek king | |
| Reign | 90–85 BC |
| Born | Sagala |
| Religion | Greek Polytheism Greco-Buddhism |
Menander II Dikaios (Greek:Μένανδρος Β΄ ὁ Δίκαιος,Ménandros ho Díkaios, meaning "Menander the Just") may have been anIndo-Greek King who ruled in the areas ofArachosia andGandhara in the north of modernPakistan. However, since he is entirely known through his coins, this may have just been a separate set of coins issued byMenander I with a different epithet.
Bopearachchi has suggested that Menander II reigned c. 90–85 BC, where as R. C. Senior has suggested c. 65 BC. In that case, Menander II ruled remaining Indo-Greek territories in Gandhara after the invasion and establishment of the Indo-Scythian king maues, who initiated a major shift in politicial power in the region.
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 underMenander I) as their portraits were rather similar and Menander II seems to have been a devoutBuddhist, just as Menander I was, according to the ancient Buddhist scripture theMilindapanha.
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 asStrato 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 kingArtemidorus, son of Maues, since their coins use similar types and are often found together.
There is a small possibility that Menander II, rather thanMenander I, is actually the Buddhist Greek king referred to in theMilinda 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.
The coins of Menander II bear the mention "Menander the Just", and "King of theDharma" inKharoshti, 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 ofAntialkidas andAmyntas 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 theBuddhistvitarkamudra. Other varieties feature a king performing the same gesture.
On the reverse is a lion, symbol ofBuddhism, as also seen on the pillars of theMauryan KingAshoka. 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 theIndo-Scythian kingMaues, around 85 BC.
![Menander II equipped with a cuirass, lamellar armour for the thighs, and greaves, 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.[1]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aIndoGreekInfantry.jpg)
| Preceded by | Indo-Greek ruler inArachosia andGandhara 90–85 BC | Succeeded by |