Strato II

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Coin of Strato II and Strato III.
Obv: Probable bust of Strato II. Greek legend: BASILEU SOTIROS STRATONOS KAI PHILOPAPTOR STRATONOS "Kings Strato the Savior and Strato the Father-loving".
Rev: Athena holding a thunderbolt. Kharoshthi legend: MAHARAJASA TRATARASA STRATASA, POTRASA CASA PRIYAPITA STRATASA "King Strato the Saviour, and his grandson Strato Philopator.

Strato II "Soter" (reigned circa 25 BCE to 10CE) was an Indo-Greek king.

He ruled in the eastern Punjab, probably retaining the capital of Sagala (modern Sialkot, Pakistan), or possibly to the city of Bucephala (Plutarch, p. 48 n. 5).

His territory was invaded by Rajuvula, Indo-Scythian king of Mathura, and he became the last of the Indo-Greek kings, together with his grandson and co-regent, Strato (III) Philopator (the coin is misspelt Philopaptor), who is included on some of his coins.

The chronology of the late Indo-Greek kingdom is decided by Bopearachchi from numismatical evidence alone. The coins deteriorated continuously, Strato's coins being the most debased and crude in style, a striking contrast to earlier kings who struck some of the most beautiful coins of antiquity.

The decay was due to the increasing pressure of the Indo-Scythian nomads on the remaining Greek pockets, as well as their long isolation from the rest of the hellenistic world. The imagery of the last kings also mirrors their plight; their goddess of choice was Pallas Athena, the protector of cities, and they all wore the epithet Soter (Saviour), a title connected with defense and protection. Subsequent Indo-Scythian rulers, such as Bhadayasa designed their coins in direct imitation of those of Strato II.

Preceded by:
Apollophanes

Indo-Greek Ruler
(Eastern Punjab)
(25 BCE - 10 CE)

Succeeded by:
Indo-Scythian king
Rajuvula

Territories/ Dates	PAROPAMISADAE	ARACHOSIA	GANDHARA	WESTERN PUNJAB	EASTERN PUNJAB
INDO-GREEK KINGS AND THEIR TERRITORIES Based on Bopearachchi (1991)
200-190 BCE	Demetrius I
190-180 BCE	Agathocles	Pantaleon
185-170 BCE	Antimachus I
180-160 BCE	Apollodotus I
175-170 BCE	Demetrius II
160-155 BCE	Antimachus II
170-145 BCE	Eucratides
155-130 BCE	Menander I
130-120 BCE	Zoilos I		Agathokleia
120-110 BCE	Lysias		Strato I
110-100 BCE	Antialcidas		Heliokles II
100 BCE	Polyxenios		Demetrius III
100-95 BCE	Philoxenus
95-90 BCE	Diomedes	Amyntas		Epander
90 BCE	Theophilos	Peukolaos		Thraso
90-85 BCE	Nicias	Menander II		Artemidoros
90-70 BCE	Hermaeus	Archebios
	Yuezhi tribes		Maues (Indo-Scythian)
75-70 BCE			Telephos	Apollodotus II
65-55 BCE				Hippostratos	Dionysios
55-35 BCE				Azes I (Indo-Scythian)	Zoilos II
55-35 BCE					Apollophanes
25 BCE- 10 CE					Strato II
					Rajuvula (Indo-Scythian)