Diodotus was the Seleucid satrap of Bactria who rebelled against the Seleucid Empire around 255 BC and established the Greco-Bactrian kingdom. He seems to have controlled neighboring provinces as well. Diodotus was a contemporary of Andragoras, the satrap of Parthia, who also declared independence from the Seleucids around the same time. The document then discusses whether Diodotus was a Greek king or the Mauryan emperor Ashoka, presenting arguments that they were the same person based on their contemporaneous reigns and territories that encompassed areas of Bactria, Parthia and Arachosia.

1. Diodotus, Seleucid satrap of Bactria, rebelled
against Antiochus II (about 255 BC) and became
the founder of the Graeco-Bactrian kingdom
(Trogus, Prol. 41; Justin xli. 4, 5, where he is
called Theodotus; Strabo xi. 515). His power
seems to have extended over the neighbouring
provinces. Diodotus was a contemporary, a
neighbour, and probably an ally of Andragoras,
the satrap of Parthia, who at about the same
time also proclaimed independence from the
Seleucid Empire.
Now let us find out who is Diodotus, Is he a
Greek King or Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.
Diodotus according to Greeks
..........
Diodotus, the governor of the thousand cities of
Bactria (Latin: "Theodotus, mille urbium
Bactrianarum praefectus"), defected and
proclaimed himself king; all the other people of
the Orient followed his example and seceded
from the Macedonians. (Justin, XLI,4 )

2. Arsaces, the chieftain of the nomadic (Dahan)
tribe of the Parni(east Parthia), fled before him
into Parthia and there eliminated Andragoras,
the former satrap and self-proclaimed king of
Parthia, and became the founder of the Parthian
Empire (Strabo l.c.).
"Soon after, relieved by the death of Diodotus I,
Arsaces made peace and concluded an alliance
with his son, also by the name of Diodotus;
some time later he fought against Seleucos who
came to punish the rebels, but he prevailed: the
Parthians celebrated this day as the one that
marked the beginning of their freedom" (Justin,
XLI,4).
Coinage
Diodotus I Issued Gold and bronze coins, some
of which are struck in the name of Antiochos.
Diodotus Soter appears also on coins struck in
his memory by the later Graeco-Bactrian kings
Agathocles and Antimachus.

3. Ashoka is Diodotus
 We can see both are same by the following
points
 Same Era -Both lived in the same era. Both
died at the same date.
 While we have no inscriptions for Diodotus ,
we have no coins from Ashoka.
 Being Neibhours both don't acknowledge
each other.
 Both called themselves the Emperor's of the
orient.
 Ashoka started as the governer of some
provinces of his father
Bindusara(Amitrochates or Allitrochades),
 Who was friendly with Antiochus I and
entertained by ambassadors from Syria and
Egypt.
 During Bindusara period, there was revolt in
Taxila(same place of Arsaces), was put down
by Bindusara and subsequently another revolt
was putdown by Asoka after he ascended the

4. Mauryan throne.
 In The Nittur Edict Ashoka Calls Himself The
Ruler Of Parthavi(Parthia)Lion is as much
Royal symbol of Macedonians as Mauryans
 Stupa's are similar to West Asian Stupas
 The Kandahar Edict clearly shows Ashoka as
the master of Arachosia, whereas the
numerous coins of Diodotus-I found from this
area indicate that Diodotus was the sovereign
of this region.
 Ashoka has many names,
Priyadarsin(Piodasses),Devanapriya,
Devadutta, the last term should be seen as
Diodotus to greco-Romans, like Sandracuttas
(chandragupta Maruya)
 Ashoka mentions his nearby kingdoms in
Girinar inscription as coda, pida,
satyaputo(Mysore Jains), ketaleputo,
Tambapanni(ceylon), Antiyoka(seleucid-
syria), , ptolemy(Egypt),

5. Gongakenos(Gonatus-Macedone),
Magas(cyrene-libya),Alexander II(Epirus-
Alabania,Greece). So his Empire extended
into West Asia. In short he acknowledges
kingdoms all west Asia ,but not Diodotus
So Ashoka is Diodotus and Diodotus is Ashoka ,
the emphasis on the name priyadarsin after the
conquests has made him different ruler to the
contemproary historians. Maybe the western
historians dont want to acknowledge that an
Indian Empire stretched to Greece.
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