PLATO
Sub-king under Heliocles
https://youtu.be/JfXh19XWsFc
#Plato of Bactria was a Greco-Bactrian king, who reigned under the regnal name of #Diodotus III for a short time in southern Bactria during the mid 2nd century BCE Plato’s type #Helios in quadriga cannot be located with certainty, But the absence of #Kharoshti #legend on
his coins clearly points to a territory north of the Hindu Koh.
Dr. A. K, Narain believes that Plato was the parricide son of Eukratides and that tbe quadriga on his coins commemorates the act of driving his chariot over the corpse of his father. But such an act, whatever its justification at the moment, hardly deserves commemoration.
Had he been the assassin he would certainly have ruled for some time over the entire kingdom of Eukratides, But
none of his types can be connected with any town south of the Hindu Koh. And we have no evidence to show that
he was at all a son of Eukratides.
Dr. Narain finds in their coin-portraits some resemblance between the heads of Plato and Eukratides and between the features of Plato and Heliokles I. On this basis, he has built up the former’s relationship with the
other two. I feel uncertain about this resemblance. But at this date a #Graeco-Bactrian prince could not, but belong to the house of Eukratides. He may have been a #sub-king under heliokles. The #monogram MH on some of his coins cannot be accepted as date. Plato and Eukratides, whose bactrian unilingual coins háve come down to us, appear to have been Heliokles contemporary. However the style of Plato’s coins resembles that of the coins minted by #Eucratides.
The small areas with which their coin-types connect them, as also the scarcity of their types, indicate that they were only subordinate rulers.
Their suzerain at this period could only be Heliokles.
Reference:-
Indo Greek Coins by Dr Mehta Vasishtha Dev Mohan Page 195 Plate VI,3
Observation:
Within continuous circular border draped and helmeted bust of Plato
Reverse: Helics radiate in quadrige, galloping r.
