FIRST VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF INDIAN DEITIES BY GREEK KING AGATHOCLES

 Agathocles of Bactria (r. 190–180 BCE), issued some fascinating Indian-standard square coins bearing the first known representations of Indian deities, which have been variously interpreted as Vishnu, Shiva, Vasudeva, Buddha or Balarama.

  Six of these Indian-standard silver drachmas minted for Agathocles were discovered at Ai-Khanoum in 1970.

 Some other coins by Agathocles are also thought to represent the Buddhist lion and the Indian goddess Lakshmi. The Indian coins of Agathocles are few; yet, they provide us with the first imagery of Indian deities.

Agathocles was willing to depict local deities on the coins he issued for the lands he had conquered. This could indicate both the willingness of the King to approach his subjects, and the tendency to approach different religions.The dedication of a Greek envoy to the cult of Garuda at the Heliodorus pillar in Besnagar is another sign of religious syncretism.