Sometime around 130 B.C.E. another nomadic people known as the Yueh Chi were driven
     out of Kansu in China by a Turkish tribe called the Wu Sun.This movement set in motion
     the various steppe nomads displacing them into other lands.
     The Sacaraucae confederation was pushed West of the Jaxartes river into Sogdiana and
     Bactria.According to Chinese annals part of the Sacaraucae went South into Khotan.
     It is probable that Khotan had already long been occupied by Sakas.
     Much of our information about the Saka kingdoms in India comes from their coins.
     The chronology and genealogy have long been in debate and this continues today.
     The work of R.C. Senior and others is challenging the old ideas of who were Greek Kings
     and who were Sakas.The Senior collection of Indo-Scythian coinage numbered more than
     3000 pieces.Many of the coins are unique.This collection now resides in the Ashmolean
     Museum.A catalog of the collection is in production.
     Among the enlightening coins in this collection is a coin of the king Artemidoros which
     proclaims him as the son of the Saka Maues.Artemidoros has traditionally been listed as
     a Greek king.

     The Sakas established several kingdoms in India.One of the first was the kingdom
      founded by Vonones in what is today parts of Afghanistan and Northern Pakistan.
     Vonones associated his brother, Spalahores, as Viceroy and struck coins bearing both
     of their names.Spalagadames followed his father Spalahores as Viceroy on the latters death.
     Later Vonones associated his other brother Spalarises as heir apparent.Spalarises ascended
     the throne on Vonones death.

   Vonones with Spalagadames                           Spalarises as king
             90-65 B.C.E.                                                 65-40 B.C.E.
    O: King on horseback with spear                                        O: King R. carring ankus
    Greek legend naming Vonones as king                      Greek legend naming Spalarises as king
    BASILEWS BASILEWN MEGALOU ONWNOU                                BASILEWS MEGALOU PPALIRISOU
     R: Zeus holding thunderbolt and scepter                                 R: Zeus enthroned 
                Kharosthi legend naming                                            Kharosthi legend naming
                Spalagadames as Viceroy                                                 Spalarises as king
 
     Shortly after the founding of Vonones' kingdom, another Saka, named Maues, founded a
     kingdom to the south of Vonones.Maues successor,Azes the Great, absorbed the
     neighboring kingdom ruled by Spalarises.There was a brief joint coinage bearing the
     names of both Azes and Spalarises and then Azes became sole ruler.Azes ascended the
     throne in 58 B.C.E. and ruled for many years.His successor was Azilises.There is a series
     of joint Azes/Azilises coinage which preceeds the coinage in Azilises name alone.
     Traditionally the successor to Azilises has been considered to be another king named
     Azes but, this view has lately been challenged by R.C. Senior who believes that all of the
     coinage in the name of Azes was struck by one king by that name.
     The silver coinage in the name of Azes occurs in two main types.The first attributed to
     Azes I depicts the king on horseback with spear.The second attributed to Azes II depicts
     the king on horseback holding a whip.

      Azes on horseback with spear            Azes on horseback with whip
                 AR Drachm                                        AR Tetradrachm

         AE hexachalkon of Azes                   AR Tetradrachm of Azilises
            O: Elephant R., Greek legend                                O: king on horseback with spear
            R: Bull R., Kharosthi legend                                 R: City goddess L., Kharosthi legend

        Most of the coins of those who came after Azilises are all quite scarce and rarely
        offered for sale.The exception are the coins previously classified as posthumous
        coinage in the name of Azes.These coins usually have corrupt Greek legends and poor
        style.The later ones are very debased billon.The Kharosthi legends remain readable
        and name Azes as king.In ONS newsletter #156 R.C. Senior proposes that these coins
        were stuck by the early Apracharajas and demonstrates how the series leads to the
        coinage bearing the names of the later Apracharajas.
        The first Apracharaja,Vijayamitra, probably ruled from 20 B.C.E. to 19/20 C.E. .
        This very long reign of Vijayamitra accounts for the large number of coins fo this type
        which have been found.