| Antimachus II Nikephoros "The Victorious" | |
|---|---|
Antimachus II on horseback | |
| Indo-Greek king | |
| Reign | 174–165 BCE |
| Predecessor | Antimachus I |
| Successor | Menander I |
| Dynasty | Euthydemid dynasty |
| Father | Antimachus I orDemetrius II |
Antimachus II Nikephoros (Greek:Ἀντίμαχος Β΄ ὁ Νικηφόρος; theepithet means "the Victorious") was anIndo-Greek king. He ruled a vast territory from theHindu-Kush to thePunjab around 170 BCE. He was almost certainly the eponymous son ofAntimachus I, who is known from a unique preserved tax receipt.[1]Osmund Bopearachchi dated Antimachus II to 160–155 BCE on numismatical grounds, but changed this to 174–165 BCE after the tax receipt was revealed to synchronise his reign with that of Antimachus I.[2] R. C. Senior has not dated Antimachus II but thinks that his coins were possibly Indian issues ofAntimachus I, despite their different epithets and coin types.
In both of Boperachchi's reconstructions, Antimachus II was succeeded byMenander I who inherited three of his four monograms. Antimachus II probably fought against the Greco-Bactrian kingEucratides I, who had dethroned his father in Bactria.


Antimachus II did not strike a portrait on his coins, likely since this was not custom in India. Neither did the early kings strike tetradrachms. Antimachus II struck a large number of bilingual drachms on the same lighter Indian standard as Apollodotus I, though round in shape. On the obverse isNike, and on the reverse a king on horseback.
He also issued bilingual bronzes withaegis /laurel wreath and palm. Both these and the goddess Nike seem to allude to his epithet"the Victorious".
| Preceded by Apollodotus I (possibly) | Greco-bactrian King (inParopamisadae,Arachosia,Gandhara, Punjab) 172 – 167 BCE | Succeeded by |