Aspavarma
Aspavarma | |
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Apracha King (Gāndhārī: Apacaraja) | |
Coin of Aspavarma Obv King mounted on a horse, holding a whip. Greek legend around ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ / ΑΖΟΥ. Rev Pallas Athena holding spear, and triratna symbol. Kharoshthi legend around Iṃdravarmaputrasa Aśpavarmasa strategasa jayatasa "Victorious general Aspavarma, son of Indravarma". | |
Reign | 1st century (c. 15 CE - c. 45 CE) |
Predecessor | Indravarma |
Successor | Sasan |
House | Apracharajas |
Dynasty | Apracha |
Father | Indravarma |
Religion | Buddhism |
Aspavarma or Aspa (Kharosthi: 𐨀𐨭𐨿𐨤𐨬𐨪𐨿𐨨 A-śpa-va-rma, Aśpavarma[1]) was an Apracha general who ruled in Gandhara. He was the son of the Apracharaja and general Indravarma who ruled in 50 CE.
Inscriptions
Asparvama was a son of Apraca king Indravarma, as known from an inscription discovered in Taxila,[2] who himself is known to be the son of Vispavarma according to Indravarma's Silver Reliquary.
Indravarma's Silver Reliquary, which is known for sure to be before the Bajaur casket, hence before 5-6 CE, and is therefore usually dated to the end of the 1st century BCE, describes Aspavarma's grandfather Vispavarma as a general, and not yet a king at that time. This tends to confirm that his grandson, Aspavarma, probably ruled quite some time later, in the middle of the 1st century CE.[3]
Aspavarma is also referenced in Gāndhārī texts, written in Kharoṣṭhī script, dating from the period.[4]
Coinage
The coinage shows the king on a horse, holding a whip in his right hand, in a style consistent with that of Azes II (who possibly is identical with Azes I). On the reverse, Athena makes a benediction gesture, and is flanked by a Buddhist triratna symbol.
According to Joe Cribb, from a coinage standpoint, Aspavarma was contemporary to Sasan and Mujatria, just before the rule of Kushan ruler Vima Takto.[3]
References
- ^ Cunningham, Alexander, COINS OF THE INDO-SCYTHIANS. The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Numismatic Society, Third Series, Vol. 8 (1888), pp. 199-248
- ^ On the Cusp of an Era: Art in the Pre-Kuṣāṇa World, Doris Srinivasan, BRILL, 2007, p.269-270 [1]
- ^ a b Joe Cribb, p.31 Dating and locating Mujatria and the two Kharahostes
- ^ The British Library Kharosthi Fragments, The British Library/University of Washington Early Buddhist Manuscripts Project.
Aspavarma | ||
Regnal titles | ||
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Preceded by | Apracharaja c. 15 CE - c. 45 CE | Succeeded by Sasan |
- v
- t
- e
Territories/ dates | Western India | Western Pakistan Balochistan | Paropamisadae Arachosia | Bajaur | Gandhara | Western Punjab | Eastern Punjab | Mathura | ||||
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INDO-GREEK KINGDOM | ||||||||||||
90–85 BCE | Nicias | Menander II | Artemidoros | |||||||||
90–70 BCE | Hermaeus | Archebius | ||||||||||
85-60 BCE | INDO-SCYTHIAN KINGDOM Maues | |||||||||||
75–70 BCE | Vonones Spalahores | Telephos | Apollodotus II | |||||||||
65–55 BCE | Spalirises Spalagadames | Hippostratos | Dionysios | |||||||||
55–35 BCE | Azes I | Zoilos II | ||||||||||
55–35 BCE | Azilises Azes II | Apollophanes | Indo-Scythian dynasty of the NORTHERN SATRAPS Hagamasha | |||||||||
25 BCE – 10 CE | Indo-Scythian dynasty of the APRACHARAJAS Vijayamitra (ruled 12 BCE - 15 CE)[n 1] | Liaka Kusulaka Patika Kusulaka Zeionises | Kharahostes (ruled 10 BCE– 10 CE)[n 2] Mujatria | Strato II and Strato III | Hagana | |||||||
10-20 CE | INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM Gondophares | Indravasu | INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM Gondophares | Rajuvula | ||||||||
20-30 CE | Ubouzanes Pakores | Vispavarma (ruled c.0-20 CE)[n 3] | Sarpedones | Bhadayasa | Sodasa | |||||||
30-40 CE | KUSHAN EMPIRE Kujula Kadphises | Indravarma | Abdagases | ... | ... | |||||||
40-45 CE | Aspavarma | Gadana | ... | ... | ||||||||
45-50 CE | Sasan | Sases | ... | ... | ||||||||
50-75 CE | ... | ... | ||||||||||
75-100 CE | Indo-Scythian dynasty of the WESTERN SATRAPS Chastana | Vima Takto | ... | ... | ||||||||
100-120 CE | Abhiraka | Vima Kadphises | ... | ... | ||||||||
120 CE | Bhumaka Nahapana | PARATARAJAS Yolamira | Kanishka I | Great Satrap Kharapallana and Satrap Vanaspara for Kanishka I | ||||||||
130-230 CE | Jayadaman
| Bagamira
| Vāsishka (c. 140 – c. 160)
| |||||||||
230-280 CE | Samghadaman | Miratakhma | INDO-SASANIANS | Kanishka II (c. 230 – 240)
| ||||||||
280-300 CE | Bhratadarman | Datayola II | Hormizd II, "Kushanshah" (c. 295 – 300) | Vasudeva II (c. 275 – 310) | ||||||||
300-320 CE | Peroz II, "Kushanshah" (c. 300 – 325) | Vasudeva III | ||||||||||
320-388 CE | Yasodaman II | Shapur II Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 325) | GUPTA EMPIRE
| |||||||||
388-395 CE | Rudrasimha III | Chandragupta II |
- ^ From the dated inscription on the Rukhana reliquary
- ^ An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman, Richard Salomon, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1996), pp. 442 [2]
- ^ A Kharosthī Reliquary Inscription of the Time of the Apraca Prince Visnuvarma, by Richard Salomon, South Asian Studies 11 1995, Pages 27-32, Published online: 09 Aug 2010 [3]