EUTHYDEMUS  , a native of

Magnesia, who overturned the dynasty of Diodotus of Bactria, and became king of Bactria about 230 B.C . (Polyb. xi . 34; Strabo xi . 515 wrongly makes him the first king) . In 208 he was attacked by Antiochus the Great, whom he tried in vain to resist on the shores of the river Arius, the modern Herirud (Polyb. x . 49) . The war lasted three years, and was on the whole fortunate for Antiochus . But he saw that he was not able to subdue Bactria and Sogdiana, and so in 206 concluded a peace with Euthydemus, through the mediation of his son Demetrius, in which he recognized him as king (Polyb. xi . 34) . Soon afterwards Demetrius (q.v.) began the conquest of India . There exist many coins of Euthydemus; those on which he is called god are struck by the later king Agathocles . Other coins with the name Euthydemus, which show a youthful face, are presumably those of Euthydemus II., who cannot have ruled long and was probably a son of Demetrius .

- (ED .