Indian Antiquary Vol 37

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 60

54
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(FEBRUARY, 1908.
successors. Most of these princes are known to us only through their coins. They are, as we bave seen, divisible into three classes - (a) The Scythians; (6) the later Greeks; and (c) the Parthians. It will be shown later on that it is impossible to place a Parthian dynasty ruling over Seistan and Gandhāra in the first century of the Christian era. There remain only the Greeks and the Beythians. The most important of the Greek princes were Menander and Apollodotos, who are mentioned by the classical historians as the conquerors of India.22 It is hardly possible to lay down the exact chronological sequence of the other Greek princes. The last of them is Hermaios, who probably ruled in the Kabul valley in the opening year of the Christian era and was to some extent the contemporary of Kiutsiu-kio or Kozoulo-Kadphases. There are some coins on which the Greek legend bears the name of Hermaios, while the Kharoşthi one bears that of Kadphises I. It may be that Kadphises I acknowledged the over-lordship of Hermaios before he united the five Yue-ebi principalities under his sway. It is certain that Kadphises I swept away the Greek rule from Afghanistan. The Scythian prinoes, who preceded Kanişka, are also know to us chiefly from their coins, but they have also left several inscriptions. The earliest of them, according to the numismatists, is Maues or Meas, but his coins are found only in the Panjab, and Mr. D. B. Bbēndārkar accordingly takes him to be the last of the Scythian princes. Vonones, whose coins are found in Kandahar, Ghazni, and Seistan, was probably the first prince of these early Seythian conquerors. He was succeeded by his nephew, Spalirises, who, with his father, Spalahores) and his brother, Spalagsdames, were his tributaries. After Spalirises, a prince named Azes or Aya seems to have ascended the throne. Azee was at first subordinate both to Vonones and Spalirises, Azes was succeeded by Azilises, after whom the dynasty seems to have been reduced to a subordinate position. According to the authority of Mr. Rapson, Vonones seems to have come to the throne at the beginning of the first centary B.O. His coins are fairly numerous, and we may safely assign to him a reign of 25 years. He seems to have lived in the West, probably in Seistan, while his deputies ruled Afghanistan and the Panjab in bis name.
On the above assumption the accession of his nephew, Spalirises, may be placed in the year 70 B. C. Both Azes and his nephew, Spalagadames, were the taibutaries of this priace. His coins are not so very aumerous, and a reign of 15 years is quite sufficient for him. After Spalirises this dynasty comes to an end, and Azes, who was a tributary prince both under Venones and Spakirises, makes himself independent in the Panjab. Afghanistan seems to have passed into the sway of the Yue-chi chieftains. The coins of Azes are not obtainable in Afghanistan, but they are fairly numerous in the Panjab, and a reign of 15 years may be allowed to him, as he is known to have reigned for a long time as subordinate to Vonones and Spalarises. He was succeeded by Azilises, whose exact relationship to Azes cannot be ascertained. At this time a prince of the Koei-Cbaouang or the Kufanas or Herüns, who is most probably the In-mo-fu of the Chinese historians, conquered Ki-pin (Kapiśā). The existence of Hermaios at the beginning of the Christian era shows, that a number of Greek principalities still remained in the hilly fastnesses of Afghanistan and the Western Panjab in a subordinate position to the Scythian monarchs. After the demise or overthrow of Acilises, the Scythian provincial governors made themselves independent. They were known by the Persian title satrap (Sanskrit Ksatrapa), and probably recognised the nominal supremacy of the descendants or successors of Azilises, such as Azes II, Maces, and others. But there is much difference of opinion as to the exact chronological position of the Scythian satraps. Two of these satrap dynasties are well known. These are the dynasties of Taxila or Takşasila and that of Mathari, while coins bearing the names of other straps are not wanting, such as Hagana and Bagāmänn, Zeionises or Jihadiā, son of Manigal, and others. The folowing are the different opinions expressed about the chronological positions of these satrape :
(1) Mr. V. A. Smith argues that the bemidrachms of Räjūvula imitate and are found with those of Strato II, who was the son of Strato I, who was a contemporary of Heliokjes, the last Greek king who raled north of the Hindu Kush. Heliokles is certainly the son and successor of Eukratides
Trogas, p. 41.