List of Indo-Scythian dynasties and rulers

The Indo-Scythians or Indo-Sakas were the branch of Saka empire in South Asia. Indo-Scythians were a group of nomadic Iranian peoples of Scythian origin who migrated from Central Asia southward into the northwestern Indian subcontinent. They started expansion in South Asia from 200 to 100 BCE and established rule between 100 and 80 BCE, their rule in Indian Subcontinent was lasted until 415s CE.^[1]

Territory of Indo-Scythians

The first Saka king of India was Maues/Moga (1st century BCE) who established Saka power in Gandhara. The Indo-Scythians extended their supremacy over north-western subcontinent, conquering the Indo-Greeks and other local kingdoms.^[2] The Indo-Scythians were apparently subjugated by the Kushan Empire, by either Kujula Kadphises or Kanishka. Yet the Saka continued to govern as satrapies, forming the Northern Satraps and Western Satraps. The power of the Saka rulers started to decline in the 2nd century CE after the Indo-Scythians were defeated by the Satavahana emperor Gautamiputra Satakarni.^[3][4] Indo-Scythian rule in the northwestern subcontinent ceased when the last Western Satrap Rudrasimha IIII was defeated by the Gupta emperor Chandragupta II in 395 CE. Later Western Saka rulers (c. 396 to 415 CE) were conquered by Imperial Gupta Empire and it brings to end of Saka rule in Indian Subcontinent.^[5][6]

List of dynasties and rulers

Satraps dynasty of Gandhara (c. 85 BCE – 50 CE)

This branch of Indo-Scythian ruled over regions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Eastern Afghanistan and Gandhara region.

List of rulers–

• Maues, (c. 85–60 BCE)
• Vonones, (c. 75–65 BCE)
• Spalahores, (c. 75–65 BCE), brother of King Vonones and probably the later King Spalirises
• Spalagadames, (c. 60–57 BCE), son of Spalahores
• Spalirises (c. 57–47 BCE), brother of King Vonones
• Azes I (c. 47–25 BCE), descended from Maues
• Azilises, (c. 25–20 BCE)
• Zeionises, (c. 10 BCE–10 CE)
• Kharahostes, (c. 10 BCE–10 CE)
• Hajatria (c. until 40/50 CE)

Northern Satraps dynasty (c. 60 BCE – 130 CE)

Main article: Northern Satraps

 

Territory of Northern Satraps

List of rulers–

Ruler	Image	Title	Approx. dates	Mentions
Hagamasha		Satrap	1st century BCE	In the archaeological excavations of Sonkh, near Mathura, the earliest coins of the Kshatrapa levels were those of Hagamasha.^[7]
Hagana		Satrap	1st century BCE
Rajuvula		Great Satrap	early 1st century BCE
Bhadayasa		Satrap	1st century CE	Possible successor of Rajuvula in Eastern Punjab
Sodasa		Satrap	1st century CE	Son of Rajuvula in Mathura
Kharapallana	Ksatrapena Vanasparena Kharapallanena	Great Satrap	c. CE 130	Great Satrap for Kushan ruler Kanishka I
Vanaspara	Ksatrapena Vanasparena Kharapallanena	Satrap	c. CE 130	Satrap for Kushan ruler Kanishka I

Apracha dynasty (c. 15 BCE – 50 CE)

Main article: Apracharajas

 

Territory of Apracharajas

Family tree–

Apracharajas
Vijayamitra ^(1) r. c. 1st Century Indravasu ^(2) r. c. 1st Century Vispavarma ^(3) r. c. 1st Century Indravarma ^(4) r. c. 1st Century Aspavarma ^(5) r. c. 1st Century Child of Indravarma Sasa ^(6) r. c. 1st Century

List of rulers–

Ruler	Image	Filiation	Approx. dates	Mentions
Vijayamitra	Apracharajas Vijayamitra		12 /15 BCE - 15 CE	Queen: Rukhana
Indravasu		Son of Vijayamitra	c. 20 CE	Queen: Vasumitra
Vispavarma or Visnuvarma		Son of Indravasu		Queen: Śiśirena
Iṃdravarmo		Son of Vispavarma		Queen: Utara
Aspo or Aspavarmo	Apracharajas. Aspavarama. Circa AD 20-46	Son of Indravarma	15 - 45 CE
Sasan				Contemporary of Kujula Kadphises and Mujatria.^[8]

Western Satraps dynasty (c. 50 BCE – 415 CE)

Main article: Western Satraps

 

Territory of Western Satraps

Family tree–

 

Genealogical table of the Western Satraps

Kshaharata dynasty (c. 1st century BCE to 1st century CE)

This branch of Indo-Scythian ruled over regions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and beyond.

List of rulers–

• Liaka Kusuluka, satrap of Chuksa
• Kusulaka Patika, satrap of Chuksa and son of Liaka Kusulaka
• Yapirajaya
• Hospises
• Higaraka
• Abhiraka (Aubhirakes)

Kardamaka (Bhadramukhas) dynasty

List of rulers–

• Abhiraka (Aubhirakes)
• Bhumaka  
• Nahapana (c. r. between 24 and 78 CE)  

(main founder of the Western Satraps)

• Viceroy Ushavadata

• Chastana (78–130)  , son of Ysāmotika
• Jayadaman,   son of Chastana
• Rudradaman I (130–150)  , son of Jayadaman
• Damajadasri I (170–175)  
• Jivadaman (178-181, d. 199)  
• Rudrasimha I (180–188, d. 197)  
• Rudrasimha I (restored) (191–197)  
• Satyadaman (197-198)  
• Jivadaman (restored) (197–199)  
• Rudrasena I (200–222)  
• Prthivisena (222)  
• Samghadaman (222–223)  
• Damasena (223–232)  
• Damajadasri II (232–239)   with
• Viradaman (234–238)  
• Isvaradatta (236–239)  
• Yasodaman I (239)  
• Vijayasena (239–250)  
• Damajadasri III (251–255)  
• Rudrasena II (255–277)  
• Visvasimha (277–282)  
• Bhartrdaman (282–295)  
• Visvasena (293–304)  

Rudrasimha II dynasty (c. 304 – 415 CE)

List of rulers–

• Rudrasimha II (304–348)  , son of Lord (Svami) Jivadaman, with

• Yasodaman II (317–332)  
• Rudradaman II (332–348) No coins known

• (Sridharavarman (339-368)   No coins known
• Rudrasena III (348–380)  
• Simhasena (380–384/5)  
• Rudrasena IV (382–388)  
• Rudrasimha III (388–415) 

Minor local rulers

• Bhadayasa
• Mamvadi
• Arsakes

See also

• Saka
• Indo-Scythians
• Saka-Satavahana Wars
• Western Satraps
• Gupta conquest of Sakas
• Middle kingdoms of India
• List of Indian monarchs

References

1. Taagepera, Rein (1979). "Size and Duration of Empires: Growth-Decline Curves, 600 B.C. to 600 A.D". Social Science History. 3 (3/4): 115–138. doi:10.2307/1170959. JSTOR 1170959.
2. Ahmad Hasan Dani. History of Civilizations of Central Asia, Volume 2. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. pp. 191–207.
3. World history from early times to A D 2000 by B. V. Rao: p.97
4. A Brief History of India, by Alain Daniélou p.136
5. Buddhist Landscapes in Central India: Sanchi Hill and Archaeologies of Religious and Social Change, c. Third Century BC to Fifth Century AD, Julia Shaw, Routledge, 2016 p58-59
6. Mirashi, Vasudev Vishnu (1955). Corpus inscriptionum indicarum vol.4 pt.2 Inscriptions of the Kalachuri Chedi Era. Archaeological Society of India. pp. 605–611.
7. Hartel, Herbert (2007). On The Cusp Of An Era Art In The Pre Kuṣāṇa World. BRILL. p. 324.
8. Dating and locating Mujatria and the two Kharahostes, Joe Cribb, p.29