The Sakas in India

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
90-65 B.C.E.
O: King on horseback with spear Greek legend naming Vonones as king BASILEWS BASILEWN MEGALOU ONWNOU
R: Zeus holding thunderbolt and scepter Kharosthi legend naming Spalagadames as Viceroy

Spalarises as king
65-40 B.C.E.
O: King R. carring ankus Greek legend naming Spalarises as king BASILEWS MEGALOU PALIRISOU
R: Zeus enthroned Kharosthi legend naming 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
AR Drachm

Azes on horseback with whip
AR Tetradrachm

AE hexachalkon of Azes
O: Elephant R., Greek legend R: Bull R., Kharosthi legend

AR Tetradrachm of Azilises
O: king on horseback with spear 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 of this type which have been found.