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CHAPTER IX. SCYTHIAN RULE IN SOUTHERN AND WESTERN INDIA
SECTION I. THE KSHAHARĀTAS.
We have seen that in the second and first centuries B.C., the Scythians possessed Ki-pin (Kāpiśā-Gandhāra) and Sakasthana (Seistan) and soon extended their sway over a large part of Northern India. The principal Scythic dynasties continued to rule in the north. But a Satrapal family, the Kshaharatas, extended their power to Western India and the Deccan, and wrested parts of Maharashtra from the Satavahanas. The Satavahana king apparently retired to the southern part of his dominions, probably to the Janapada of the Bellary District which came to be known as Satavahanihāra, and was at one time under the direct administration of a military governor (mahāsenapati) named Skanda-nāga.1 The waning power of the indigenous rulers of the Deccan and the waxing strength of the invaders seem to be hinted at in the following lines of the Periplus:
"The city of Calliena (Kalyana) in the time of the elder Saraganus (probably Satakarni I) became a lawful market town; but since it came into the possession of Sandanes (possibly Sunandana Satakarni) the port is much obstructed, and Greek ships landing there may chance to be taken to Barygaza (Broach) under guard."
1 Ep. Ind. XIV, 155.
2 Wilson in JASB, 1904. 272; Smith ZDMG Sept 1903; IHQ, 1932, 234 JBORS, 1932, 7f. The adjective 'elder' becomes pointless unless thes passage mentions a younger Saraganus, and this person can only refer to Sandane from whom the elder king is distinguished.
