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Avgust, 1881.]
DATES OF ANCIENT INDIAN INSCRIPTIONS AND COINS.
213
ON THE DATES OF ANCIENT INDIAN INSCRIPTIONS AND COINS.
BY DR. H. OLDENBERG, BERLIN. TRYING to find our way through Indian lity addressed to his subjects, are read on rocks
chronology during the first centuries of and pillars, from the frontier of Afghanistan to the Christian era, is a task resembling in some Kathiâwâd and Orissa : these names denote the sense that of the mathematician who has to first period of Indian antiquity of which, owing solve equations with several unknown quan- principally to the contact between India and tities. Neither inscriptions nor coins are Greece, something like a real chronology can be wanting in dates, but the era to which these attained. After the time of Asoka, there follow dates are referred, is seldom indicated, and again three centaries which are shrouded in it is only evident at first sight that a number darkness. They extend to the rule of a monarch of different chronological systems were si- whom the Buddhists regarded like another multaneously in use. There is no lack of Asoka : a second great protector of their faith, hypotheses which have referred every date the Indo-Skythian king Kanishka. mentioned successively to almost every known The question of the date of Kanishka-a era, and occasionally also to such as are un question which in our opinion, with Professor known. It is not our intention to angment von Sallet's numismatical researches now before the number of these hypotheses, but to inquire us, is rather a simple one-is the starting point systematically into the chronological inter
from which the chronological problems with dependence of the different groups of dates, which we are to grapple, must be approached. and thus to eliminate the unknown quantities The inscriptions of the time of Kanishka one after the other. I believe that the number and his successors, found partly in Kabulistan of given equations is sufficient to furnish and the Punjab, partly at Mathura, are dated a result in all parts of our inquiry. This in an era which begins most probably at the regult will perhaps not be an entirely new accession to the throne, or rather the abhisheka one, even in any of its constituent parts; but of Kanishka.' The most ancient date our inquiry will not be quite useless, even if given in connection with the name of Kait attain to nothing but to connect true hypo- nishka, is contained in the inscription of theses with each other, alongside of which which General Cunningham has given a copy stood incorrect solutions, seemingly equally in his Archeological Reports, vol. III, plate acceptable and equally accepted ; and, by estab- xiii, 4 : mahárdjasya Kanishkasya rajye sasivatlishing such a connection, to arrive at probabi- sare navame," in the reign of the great king lities, and perhaps even at something that is Kanishka, in the year nine." There are also not very unlike to certainty.
several inscriptions dating from the year 5, In the midst of the clouds that veil ancient but these do not contain the name of KaIndian history and chronology, lies before our nishka. Then follow dated inscriptions of eyes, like an island on which the rays of a kings whose close connection with Kanishka clearer light fall, the period of ancient Bad. is shown also by their coins : Huvishka, in dhism. Buddha himself died about 480 B.C., the years 33, 39, 50, 51, etc.; Vâs ndeva, afterwards Chandragupta (ZadpÓKUNTOS), who 83, 87, 89°; next follow a Mathura inscription united the empire of India and defended it suc- dated from the year 135, evidently of the same cessfully against the Makedonian attack, and era, and another the date of which is stated to then Chandragupta's famons grandson, Asoka, be 281, both inscriptions without any mention (about 260 B.C.), whose official lectures on mora- of a king's name.
1 This article is a translation of a paper published in the tical with the Vasudeva that reigned towards the end of the eighth volume of von Sallet's Zeitschrit für Numis. first century of that ers. The date of 44 would fall in the matik. (Berlin : 1891.)
middle of Havishka's reign. If Cunningham's facsimile is These dates are collected by Thomas, The Gupta
correct, one would be inclined rather to look for shorter Dynasty, p. 16, or Archæol. Surv. of Western India, vol. II, Dame than Vasudeva. P. 81; Ancient Indian Weights, p. 46 seq. Compare von Cunningham l. c. pl. xvi, 23. I think the date might Ballet, Nachfolger Alexanders, p. 64; Growse, in the possibly be 181.-Other dated inscription, the connexion Indian Antiquary, vol. VI, (1877) p. 918 neq.
of which with this series I prefer to leave undecided, are I do not know if the name of V Asu[deva) has been to be found in the Journal is. Soc. Bengal. vol. XXXII, correctly restored in the Mathurd inscription of the year 44 pp. 140, 144 seq., etc. (Cunningham I. c., plate xv, 8), and if this Vlaudeva is iden
As. Soc. Bengal. vol. xxxing
Vleradeva ia iden.
Pp. 140, 144 seq., etc.
