View source for Strato I

{{Short description|Indo-Greek king from 125/120 to 110 BCE}}
{{about|the Indo-Greek king|the airplane called Strato 1|Grob/E-Systems/AlliedSignal Egrett}}
{{Infobox monarch
| name            =Strato I
| succession      =[[Indo-Greek]] king
| image           = [[File:Strato I Old.jpg|150px]]
| caption         =Portrait of Strato I
| reign           =125–110 BCE
| coronation      =
| full name       =
| predecessor     =[[Agathokleia]]
| successor       =[[Menander II]](?)
| spouse          =
| issue           =* [[Menander II]]
| royal house     =
| dynasty         =[[Indo-Greek Kingdom|Yavana]]
| father          =[[Menander I]]
| mother          =[[Agathokleia]]
| birth_date   =138 BC
| birth_place  =[[Sagala]]
| death_date   =c.100 BC
| death_place  =
| date of burial  =
| place of burial =
|religion  =[[Greco-Buddhism]] 
|}} 
[[File:Strato I bareheaded.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|<small>Coin of Strato I. '''Obv.''' [[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ'' "of king the illustrious and saviour Strato". '''Rev.''' [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa tratarasa Dhramikasa Stratasa'' "Great saviour king Strato, follower of the [[Dharma]]"</small>]]
'''Strato I Dikaios''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: {{lang|grc|Στράτων Δίκαιος}} ''Strátо̄n Díkaios,'' “Strato the Just”) also known as '''Stratha''' in [[Sanskrit]], was a [[Indo-Greek Kingdom|Yavana]] King (reigned 125/120-110 BCE), the son and successor of [[Menander I|Menander]], Strato’s mother, [[Agathokleia|Agathoclea]] ruled as Queen Mother and [[regnant]] for Strato until 120 BCE, when he was of age to succeed his father. He was dynastically succeeded by his son, [[Menander II]].

==Date and genealogy==
[[File:Strato I and Agathokleia.jpg|thumb|300px|Coin of young Strato I and his mother [[Agathokleia]].<br>'''Obv:''' Conjugate busts of Strato and Agathokleia. Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΙΑΣ "Of Saviour King Strato, and Agathokleia".<br>'''Rev:''' [[Athena]] throwing thunderbolt. [[Kharoshthi]] legend: MAHARAJASA TRATASARA DHARMIKASA STRATASA "King Strato, Saviour and Just (="of the Dharma")".]]
Until recently, consensus was that he ruled between c. 130–110 BCE in Northern [[India]] and that his father was the great king [[Menander I]]. Menander ruled the entire Indo-Greek empire, but in this scenario, the western parts including [[Paropamisade]] and [[Arachosia]] gained independence after the death of [[Menander I]], pushing Strato and [[Agathokleia]] eastwards to [[Gandhara]] and [[Punjab]]. This view was introduced by [[William Woodthorpe Tarn|Tarn]] and defended as recently as 1998 by [[Bopearachchi]].

The modern view, embraced by R. C. Senior and probably more solid since it is founded on numismatical analyses, suggests that Strato I was a later king, perhaps ruling from 110–85&nbsp;BCE, though perhaps still a descendant of [[Agathokleia]]. In this case, [[Agathokleia]] was the widow of another king, possibly [[King Nicias|Nicias]] or [[Theophilos (king)|Theophilus]].

A third hypothesis was presented in 2007 by J. Jakobsson:<ref>Jakobsson, J. ''Relations between the Indo-Greek kings after Menander I, part 2'', Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society 193, 2007</ref> according to this, the coins of Strato in fact belong to two kings who both may have ruled around 105–80 BCE, though in different territories: 
* '''Strato Soter and Dikaios''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝ Ο ΣΩΤΗΡ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΣ'' "Strato the saviour and just/righteous"), was Agathokleia's son.
* '''Strato Epiphanes Soter''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝ Ο ΕΠΙΦΑΝΗΣ ΣΩΤΗΡ'' "Strato the illustrious, saviour"), was a middle-aged king who may have been Agathokleia's brother and ruled in western Punjab.
This theory was based on difference in titles, in monograms and coin types between the two.

==Events during his reign==
[[File:Coin of Strato I.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Coin of Strato I in the Indian square standard, ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ ("King Strato the Saviour").]]
Agathocleia's importance was gradually downplayed on the coins, so presumably her guardianship ended when Strato came of age. Strato I was also the only Indo-Greek king to appear bearded, probably to indicate that he was no longer an infant. Strato I, or the two Stratos, fought for hegemony in Punjab with the king [[Heliokles II]], who overstruck several of their coins. There were very likely wars with other kings as well. The middle-aged Strato, according to the third theory, was succeeded by his son Polyxenios, who ruled only for a short time. 
 
A hoard of Strato's coins was found in [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]] outside New Delhi, which may have been the easternmost outpost of the Indo-Greek territory.

==Coins==
[[File:Agathokleia drachm king Strato in uniform circa 100 BCE.jpg|thumb|Strato in combat gear, on a coin of [[Agathokleia]], making a blessing gesture, circa 100 BCE.]]
[[File:Strato I helmet.jpg|thumb|300px|Gold coin of young Strato I with helmet. Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ "King saviour Strato".]]
[[File:Strato I helmetted.jpg|thumb|300px|Coin of middle-aged Strato I. '''Obv.''' [[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ'' "of king the illustrious and saviour Strato". '''Rev.''' [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa tratarasa Dhramikasa Stratasa'' "Great saviour king Strato, follower of the Dharma".]]
[[File:Strato I old and bearded.jpg |thumb|300px|Strato I old and bearded. Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ "of king saviour and just/righteous Strato".]]
The coins of Strato show portraits aging from a youth to middle-aged. They have been divided into the following periods, where period 8 may belong to the second king. {{note|Coins}}

* Period 1 (Only Agathokleia):
'''Bronzes:''' [[Athena]] / seated [[Heracles]].<br>
Obverse - [[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ ΘΕΟΤΡΟΠΟΥ ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΙΑΣ'' "of queen Godlike Agathokleia"<br>
Reverse - [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa tratarasa dhramikasa Agathukriae'' "Queen Agathokleia, saviour and follower of the dharma" 
* Period 2:
'''Silver:''' Agathokleia's portrait / walking king forming benediction gesture.<br>
Obverse - [[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΗΣ ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΙΑΣ'' "of queen Agathokleia"<br>
Reverse - [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa tratarasa dhramikasa Stratasa'' "The Great king Strato, saviour and followers of the Dharma" 
* Period 3:
'''Silver:''' Bust of adolescent Strato / [[Athena]] holding [[Nike (mythology)|Nike]].<br>
Obverse - [[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ'' "of king saviour and just/righteous Strato"<br>
Reverse - [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa tratarasa Dhramikasa Stratasa'' "Great saviour king Strato, follower of the Dharma" 
* Period 4:
'''Silver:''' Adolescent Strato jointly with Agathokleia / [[Athena]] Alkidemos left.<br>
Obverse - [[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΙΑΣ'' "of king saviour Strato, and Agathokleia"<br>
Reverse - [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa tratarasa Stratasa/Agathukriae'' "Great saviour king Strato, and Agathokleia" 
* Period 5-7:
'''Silver:''' Strato alone, diademed, helmeted or spear-throwing, sometimes bearded / [[Athena]] Alkidemos (left, right or forward).<br>
'''Bronzes:''' [[Heracles]] / [[Nike (mythology)|Nike]]<br>
Obverse - (5-6) [[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ'' "of king saviour Strato"<br>
(7)   [[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΔΙΚΑΙΟΥ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ'' "of king saviour and Just/Righteous Strato"<br>
Reverse - (5)   [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa tratarasa Stratasa'' "Great saviour king Strato" <br>
(6)   [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa tratarasa dhramikasa Stratasa'' "Great saviour king Strato, follower of the dharma"<br>
(7)   [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa tratarasa dhramikasa Stratasa'' "Great saviour king Strato, follower of the dharma"
* Period 8:
'''Silver:''' Middle-aged Strato diademed or helmeted / [[Athena]] Alkidemos left.<br>
'''Bronzes:''' [[Apollo]] / [[Sacrificial tripod]]<br>
Obverse - [[Greek language|Greek]]: ''ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΣΤΡΑΤΩΝΟΣ'' "of king illustrious saviour Strato"<br>
Reverse - [[Pali]]: ''Maharajasa pracachasa tratarasa Stratasa'' "Great saviour king Strato, the illustrious"

{{Indo-Greek kings}}

==See also==
* [[Greco-Buddhism]]
* [[Indo-Scythians]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* ''The Greeks in Bactria and India'', W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press

==External links==
*[http://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?results=100&search=Strato+I+NOT+Agathokleia+NOT+Menander+NOT+Phoenicia+NOT+Agathocleia&Thumb=1 Coins of Strato I]
*[http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/baktria/kings/strato_I/t.html More coins of Strato I]

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Agathokleia]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Indo-Greek Kingdom|Indo-Greek]] ruler in [[Gandhara]] and [[Punjab region|Punjab]]|years=125–110 BCE}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Heliokles II]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Hellenistic rulers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strato 01}}
[[Category:Indo-Greek kings]]
[[Category:2nd-century BC monarchs in Asia]]
[[Category:Euthydemid dynasty]]