The siege of Eucratideia was a five-month-long siege of the city that occurred in around 169 BC. Demetrius II, a descendant of Euthydemus, besieged the usurper Eucratides although being repelled various times.

Siege and aftermath

The year before, Eucratides had usurped the power in Greco-Bactria while one of its rulers, Demetrius II, was conquering parts of northern India. Demetrius then made his way back into Bactria and besieged Eucratides^[1] at the site of Eucratideia. Demetrius had an army supposedly numbering 60,000 troops,^[2] although this is unlikely. Eucratides however, against overwhelming odds, managed to repel various times the Indo-Greek forces with a small garrison of 300 men.^[3] After the siege had endured five months, he managed to escape into India and subjugated most of the northwestern parts.^[4]