Paratarajas

The Pāratarājas (Brahmi: Pāratarāja, Kharosthi: 𐨤𐨪𐨟𐨪𐨗 Pa-ra-ta-ra-ja, Parataraja, "Kings of Pārata") or Pāradarājas was a dynasty of Parthian kings, and ruling family from what is now Pakistan, from circa 125 CE to circa 300 CE.^[1] They appear to be a migrant tribal polity from Western Iran.^[5]

Paratarajas
c.125 CE–c.300 CE^[1]
Portrait of Paratarajas ruler Kozana circa 200-220 CE.^[2]
South-Asia 125 CE SAMATATAS SATAVAHANAS MAHAMEGHA- VAHANAS PANDYAS AY CHOLAS CHERAS CHUTUS KUSHAN EMPIRE NORTHERN SATRAPS HAN DYNASTY WESTERN SATRAPS MALAVAS YAUDHEYAS INDO- PARTHIANS MAPS -500 -150 125 350 500 600 800 1000 1175 1250 1400 1500 Core territory and possible maximum extent of Paradan,^[3] and neighbouring polities in Southern Asia in the 2nd century CE.^[4]
Historical era	Late Antiquity
• Established	c.125 CE
• Disestablished	c.300 CE^[1]
Preceded by Succeeded by Indo-Parthian Kingdom Hind (Sasanian province) Kushano-Sasanians
Today part of	Pakistan

Sources

Ancient history of Balochistan is scarcely documented.^[6] The polity is essentially known through their coinage which have been primarily found in and around the district of Loralai, Balochistan, western Pakistan.^[1][a]

Coinage

 

The name "Parataraja" in the Brahmi script (      Pāratarāja) on a coin of Arjuna.^[7]

The coinage was first studied by E. J. Rapson in 1905 before being subject to a comprehensive evaluation by B. N. Mukherjee in 1972; they have been since superseded by Pankoj Tandon's analyses alongside Harry Falk.

Coinage was issued in five denominations: didrachms, drachms, hemidrachms, quarter drachms, and obols. However all rulers did not issue every denomination. The first six rulers minted stable denominations in silver, before they were devalued and then gave way to billon followed by copper.^[8] Tandon notes multiple similarities with Indo-Parthian coinage especially in the metrological standards and shape, as well as with the coinage of the Western Satraps, especially in fabric.^[9][b]

The coins exhibit a bust on the obverse, and a swastika — either right-facing or left-facing — on the reverse, circumscribed by a Prakrit legend in Brahmi script (usually silver coins) or Kharoshthi script (usually copper coins).^[1] This legend carried the name of the issuer, followed by patronymic, and identification as the "King of Paratas".^[1] The die engraver often left the legend incomplete if he ran out of room — a quirk peculiar to the Paratarajas.

Inscriptions

A couple of contemporary inscriptions refer to the polity. The Paikuli inscription, erected by Narseh (293-302) on his victory over Bahram III, noted an anonymous "Pāradānshah" (King of Pardan) to have been among his many congratulators.^[6] Shapur I's inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht in Naqsh-i-Rustam, dated to 262 CE, had "P'rtu"/"Pardan" as one of the many provinces of the Sasanian Empire:^[11]

"And I (Shapur I) possess the lands: Fars Persis, Pahlav (Parthia) (......) and all of Abarshahr (all the upper (eastern, Parthian) provinces), Kerman (Kirman), Sakastan, Turgistan, Makuran, Pardan (Paradene), Hind (Sind) and Kushanshahr all the way to Pashkibur (Peshawar?) and to the borders of Kashgaria, Sogdia and Chach (Tashkent) and of that sea-coast Mazonshahr (Oman)."

— Shapur I's inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht (262 CE), translation by Josef Wiesehöfer (1996).^[12]

In 1926-1927, Aurel Stein commandeered an excavation at the ruins of a Buddhist site at "Tor Dherai" in Loralai and discovered potsherds carrying Prakrit inscriptions, in Brahmi as well as Kharosthi script.^[13][c] Sten Konow, publishing the report about three years later, failed to understand the Brahmi legends but interpreted the Kharosthi legend as:^[13]

 

The Tor Dherai inscribed potsherds mentioning the Parataraja Yolamira

Of the Shahi Yola Mira, the master [owner^[d]] of the vihara, this water hall (is) the religious gift, in his own Yola-Mira-shahi-Vihara, to the order of the four quarters, in the acceptance of the Sarvastivadin teachers. And from this right donation may there be in future a share for (his) mother and father, in future a share for all beings and long life for the master of the law.

— Tor Dherai inscribed potsherds.^[13]

Yola Mira, while an unknown King at the time of the excavation, has been since determined to be the earliest Parataraja King from coin-finds.^[14] This remains the only non-numismatic evidence for any of the Parataraja rulers.^[8]

Classical literature

No mention of the dynasty is found in extant literature; however classical literature — in Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit — mention of tribal polities, variously named "Parētakēnoí" (Πᾰρητᾰκηνοί), "Pareitakai/Pareitacae" (Παρειτάκαις), "Parsidai" (Παρ?óδòν > Παρσιδὦν (?)), "Paraetaceni", "Paradene" (Παραδηνή) and "Parada". Tandon accepts Mukherjee's suggestion about all of them referring to the same entity, which gave rise to the dynasty.

C. 440 BCE, Herodotus described of the Parētakēnoí as one of the Median tribes, collectively ruled by Deiokes.^[5] Arrian records Alexander the Great to have encountered the Pareitakai in a Sogdian province; a siege was mounted but eventually their ruler offered submission and was even rewarded with governorship of other provinces.^[5][15] Other contemporary historians — Quintus Curtius Rufus, Strabo, and Plutarch — reiterate the account at large.^[15] Isidore of Charax (fl. 0 C.E - ?)^[e] noted Paraitakene to be the geographical area beyond Sakastene.^[5] The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century CE) describes the territory of the Parsidai beyond the Ommanitic region, on the coast of Balochistan.^[5] The contemporaneous Natural History by Pliny records the Paraetaceni to be between Aria and Parthia.^[5] Ptolemy notes Paradene to be a toponym for an interior region of Gedrosia.^[5]

Geography

Classical literature impresses of the Paratarajas being a migrant tribal polity who originated in northwestern Iran or even further east, and migrated across the centuries to the eastern fringes of Parthian territory, where they perhaps reached their zenith as an independent polity.^[9][16] None of the two inscriptions (or the coinage) document the kingdom to geographic precision, rendering any geolocation contentious.^[17]

Nonetheless, most scholars have placed the polity in West Balochistan, west of Turan and east of Siestan, largely catering to individual biases.^[18] Tandon challenges this "implicit consensus"; he hypothesizes Shapur I's inscription to have had listed regions in a geographical order from West to East, thereby demarcating Pardan between the inexact provinces of Makran and Hind.^[18] Deriving support from the abundant finds of Parataraja coins and potsherds in the region, Tandon proposes that the Paratarajas ruled around Loralai, probably extending in the west to modern-day Quetta (or Kandahar) and in the north-east to modern-day Zhob.^[19]

Dating

There exists no conclusive evidence to date the establishment of Paratarajas in Balochistan.^[20] Tandon proposes a rough date of c. 125, hypothesizing on circumstantial evidence:^[21]

• The use of regnal title "Shahi" (in the potsherds and some of the coinage of Yolamira), which was revived by Kanishka (c. 127-150 CE).^[21][22][23]
• The first-recorded use of patronymic legends in the coins of Chastana (c. 78 - 130 CE), a Western Kshatrapa.
• The obverse bust featured in the coin of early Paratarajas being near-identical to a rare copper coin type of Rudradaman's (c. 130 - 150 CE; successor to Chastana).
• Paleographic analyses of the Brahmi legends, which place the coins in the second century.

However, the probable disintegration of Paratarajas can be predicted with more confidence.^[24] A couple of overstrikes by Datayola — the last extant Parataraja ruler — on coins of the Kushano-Sasanian ruler Hormizd I provide a terminus post quem of c. 275 C.E.^[24] Accepting this schema allots about 15 years per ruler, which fits with the usual norms for ancient dynasties; additionally, Koziya can be assigned to about c. 230, whose incorporation of a bust, adorning curved hem, on the coin obverse can be correlated to the contemporaneous Kanishka II.^[25]

History

Rulers

A rough lineage of Paratarajas rulers can be reconstructed from numismatic evidence as follows:

Ruler	Coin	Filiation	Approx. dates^[f]	Discussion
Yolamira^[26]		Son of Bagareva	c. 125–150 CE	The name translates to "Warrior Mithra" in Bactrian. Coinage was issued in all five denominations. Three distinct phases of minting—bearded bust (obv.) + right-facing swastika (rev.); clean-shaven bust + left-facing swastika; clean-shaven bust + right-facing swastika—have been observed. The didrachm was minted only in the second phase. Coin legend in the Brahmi script (variations exist):   Yolamirasa Bagarevaputrasa Pāratarājasa "Of the king of the Paratas, Yolamira, son of Bagareva"
Bagamira^[27]		Eldest son of Yolamira	c. 150 CE	The name translates to "Lord Mithra." Only two drachms are known, both of which were struck on the die used by Yolamira in his third phase. The reverse features a right-facing swastika. The coin legend—Bagamirasa Yolamiraputrasa Pāratarājasa—runs in the Brahmi script.
Arjuna^[28]		Second son of Yolamira	c. 150–160 CE	The name was probably adopted from the eponymous character in Mahabharata, a Hindu epic; Tandon hypothesizes that he might have been the son of an Indian wife. In his first phase, used Bagamira's die with a right-facing swastika on the reverse to issue drachms and hemidrachms. A new obverse die was then coupled with a left-facing swastika to mint the same denominations. In another (probably succeeding) phase, the same die was coupled with a right-facing swastika to mint drachms. The coin legend—Arjunasa Yolamiraputrasa Pāratarājasa—runs in the Brahmi script.
Hvaramira^[29]		a third son of Yolamira	c. 160–175 CE	The name translates to "Glorious Mithra"; hvara > khwarrah. In his first phase, used Arjuna's die from the last phase with a right-facing swastika on the reverse to mint drachms. Then, a new die was used with a right-facing swastika to mint drachms as well as didrachms. Finally, this die was coupled with a left-facing swastika to mint drachms. The coin legend—Hvaramirasa Yolamiraputrasa Pāratarājasa—runs in the Brahmi script; some coins use a variant spelling of Yodamiraputrasa.
Mirahvara^[30]		son of Hvaramira	c. 175–185 CE	The name translates to "Glorious Mithra". In his first phase, used Hvaramira's die from the last phase to mint drachms; Arjuna's hemidrachm die from the second phase to mint quarter drachms; and Yolamira's die from the third phase to mint hemidrachms. All had a right-facing Swastika on the reverse. In the next phase, Hvaramira's dies from the second and third phases were coupled with a left-facing swastika to respectively mint didrachms as well as drachms. In the third phase, a new die and Yolamira's die from the third phase were coupled with a right-facing swastika to respectively mint drachms and hemidrachms. The coin legend—Mirahvarasa Hvaramiraputrasa Pāratarājasa—runs in the Brahmi script.
Miratakhma^[31]		another son of Hvaramira	c. 185–200 CE	The name translates to "Heroic Mithra." Drachm and hemidrachm issues have been found: Tandon suspects didrachms were likely, given the abundance of his coins. Phases are not very coherent. Used Mirahvara's die from the third phase as well as a new die to mint drachms; both right-facing and left-facing Swastika is found on the reverse. The hemidrachm used Arjuna's die from the second phase with a right-facing swastika. The coin legend—Mirahvarasa Hvaramiraputrasa Pāratarājasa—runs in the Brahmi script. Is the only king to feature a Sanskrit legend—Miratakhmasya Hvaramiraputrasya Pāratarāja(sya)—on some drachms.
Kozana^[32]		son of Bagavharna (and perhaps grandson of Bagamira?)	c. 200–220 CE	The meaning of the name cannot be conclusively deciphered; Harry Falk speculates a connection with the homonymous founder of the Kushana empire. Was the first Pāratarāja king to issue coins with the legends in Kharoshthi, which was adopted by upcoming rulers. Significant devaluation is observed for the first time. All mints used Miratakhma's dies. In the first phase, minted hemidrachms (and prob. drachms) with Brahmi legends. In the second phase, drachms were minted with Kharoshthi legend. In the third phase, minted drachms, didrachms, and hemidrachms on a reduced weight base. All coinage had a right-facing Swastika on the reverse. The Brahmi legend ran, Kozanasa putra Pāratarāja. The Kharoshthi legend ran, Kozanasa Bagavharnaputrasa Pāratarājasa.
Bhimarjuna^[33]		son of Yolatakhma (and perhaps grandson of Arjuna?)	c. 220–235 CE	Apart from Arjuna, the only King to adopt an Indian name; the name is a portmanteau of two characters in Mahabharata, a Hindu epic. Last King to issue silver mints; only drachms have been found. Used a new die—that did not match with any previous ruler's but was stylistically similar to Kozana's (i.e. Miratakhma's)—with a right-facing Swastika on the reverse. There is a drastic devaluation from silver to billon to copper. The coin legend—Bhimarjunasa Yolatakhmaputrasa Pāratarājasa—runs in the Kharoshthi script.
Koziya^[34]		son of Kozana	c. 235–265 CE	Koziya standing The meaning of the name remains unknown. Most abundant and complex coinage among all Paratarajas with several innovations—from inscribing names of Kings on the obverse to replacing the bust image with that of a turbanned standing King with a specter—which would become the mainstay of upcoming rulers. The coin legend—Koziyasa Kozanaputra Pāratarāja—runs in the Kharoshthi script.
Datarvharna^[35]		son of a Datayola (and perhaps grandson of Bhimarjuna?)	c. 265–280 CE	The meaning of the name cannot be conclusively deciphered; Harry Falk translates to "Glory of the Creator". Only a few didrachms have been found, in what Tandon suspects as an indicator of short regime as well as extreme inflation reducing the need for lower denomination coins. Used dies stylistically similar to Koziya's with a right-facing Swastika on the reverse. The coin legend—Datarvharnasa Datayolaputrasa Pāratarāja—runs in the Kharoshthi script. The nominative Datarvharna is inscribed on the obverse.
Datayola^[36]		son of Datarvharna	c. 280–300 CE	The meaning of the name cannot be conclusively deciphered; Harry Falk translates to "Fighter for the Law". Used dies stylistically similar to Datarvharna's (or rather, Koziya's) with both right-facing and left-facing Swastika on the reverse. Coins are cruder and large denomination tetradrachms were introduced for the first time, both pointing to a weak economy and inflation. A couple of overstrikes on coins of the Kushano-Sasanian ruler Hormizd I (ruled c. 275 to 300) have been observed, providing a terminus post quem of circa 275, and challenging Shapur I's inscription, in which Shapur claims to be ruling Paradan as of 262 CE. The coin legend—Datayolasa Datarvharnaputrasa Pāratarāja—runs in the Kharoshthi script; some issues make pioneering use of Pāradarāja in place of Pāratarāja, suggesting the identity of the two names Pārata and Pārada. The nominative Datayola is inscribed on the obverse.

Overview

The frequent referencing of Mithra in the name of the rulers lend credence to the origins of the Paratarajas lying in the Far West.^[9] They were perhaps Parthian vassals, who declared independence leveraging the weakening of imperial authority and a burgeoning trade with the Roman Empire.^[16] Nothing of significance can be obtained about their rule except that they flourished as an intermediary state between three major powers — the Kushanas to the north, the Western Satraps to the east, and the Sassanids to the west — for about two centuries.^[37] The Paratarajas appear to have been Zoroastrians by faith but likely, patronaged Hinduism as well as Buddhism.^[38]

Tandon speculates the fall of the Paratarajas to be the outcome of the well-corroborated decline in Indo-Roman trade volume (c. mid-3rd century onward) and then, Shapur II's devastating Eastern Campaign. He rejects that they were conquered by the Sasanians as early as 262 CE — as attested in Shapur I's inscription — since not only did Parata coins continue to be abundant without exhibiting any abrupt Sassanian influence as in the case of Bactria etc. but also the region was not claimed as a Sassanian territory in future inscriptions like Kartir's, at Naqsh-e Rajab.^[38][g]

Legacy

From around Loralai, multiple coins carrying an inscription of a certain "śrī rājño sāhi vijayapotasya" ("Of the noble Lord, King Vijayapota") on the reverse have been found; based on the presence of a crescent at the brow of the obverse bust, a terminus post quem of c. 400 corresponding to Sassanian shahanshah Yazdegerd I can be assigned.^[39] Despite a marked contrast in the legend and the long gap from Datayola, the common usage of Swastika as the central motif on the reverse and similarity in metrological standards leads Tandon to hypothesize that Vijayapotasya might have been a Parataraja or a ruler from a successor dynasty, who managed to exercise nominal independence despite the strong presence of Sassanians in the region.^[40]

Notes

1. Finds have been also reported from Zhob, Quetta, Chaman, and Kandahar.
2. At the same time, Tandon rejects Sassanian influence on the coins.^[10] This is rejected by Nikolaus Schindel.
3. The finds are presently in the Central Antiquities Collection, Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi.
4. Consult Schopen (1996) on why this is a better choice.
5. We get this information from Stathmoi Parthikoi, which is believed to have been excerpted from a now-lost exhaustive account of Parthian Empire. This account, in turn was likely dependent on an older survey dating back to the times of Mithridates II.
6. The individual dates are rough estimates based on approximate general dates about the dynasty and reconstructions of the lineage, and Tandon gives two possible starting points, in 125 CE and 150 CE.
7. Tandon leaves open the possibility that the Paratas might had been nominative vassals.

References

1. Tandon 2021, p. 1.
2. CNG Coins
3. Tandon 2012, p. 30-31, 46.
4. Schwartzberg, Joseph E. (1978). A Historical atlas of South Asia. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp. 21, 145. ISBN 0226742210.
5. Tandon 2006.
6. Tandon 2012, p. 27.
7. TANDON, PANKAJ (2009). "Further Light on the Pāratarājas: an Absolute Chronology of the Brāhmī and Kharoṣṭhī Series". The Numismatic Chronicle. 169: 137–171. ISSN 0078-2696.
8. Tandon 2021, p. 2.
9. Tandon 2012, p. 36.
10. Tandon 2021, p. 37.
11. Tandon 2012, p. 28.
12. The complete paragraph goes:
    "And I [Shapur I] possess the lands: Fars [Persis], Pahlav [Parthia], Huzestan [Khuzistan], Meshan [Maishan, Mesene], Asorestan [Mesopotamia], Nod-Ardakhshiragan [Adiabene], Arbayestan [Arabia], Adurbadagan [Atropatene], Armen [Armenia], Virozan [Iberia], Segan [Machelonia], Arran [Albania], Balasagan up to the Caucasus and to the ‘gate of the Alans’ and all of Padishkhvar[gar] [the entire Elburz chain = Tabaristan and Gelan (?)], Mad [Media], Gurgan [Hyrcania], Marv [Margiana], Harey [Aria], and all of Abarshahr [all the upper (= eastern, Parthian) provinces], Kerman [Kirman], Sakastan, Turgistan, Makuran, Pardan [Paradene], Hind [Sind] and Kushanshahr all the way to Pashkibur [Peshawar?] and to the borders of Kashgaria, Sogdia and Chach [Tashkent] and of that sea-coast Mazonshahr [‘Oman’]."
    in Wiesehöfer, Josef (1996). Ancient Persia : from 550 BC to 650 AD. London: I.B. Tauris. p. 184. ISBN 978-1860646751.
13. Tandon 2012, p. 31.
14. Tandon 2012, p. 31-32.
15. Chaumont, Marie Louise. "CHORIENES". Encyclopedia Iranica.
16. Tandon 2012, p. 37-38.
17. Tandon 2012, p. 26.
18. Tandon 2012, p. 29-30.
19. Tandon 2012, p. 30-31.
20. Tandon 2012, p. 34.
21. Tandon 2012, p. 34-35.
22. Tandon 2021, p. 1-2.
23. Tandon 2020, p. 3.
24. Tandon 2012, p. 35.
25. Tandon 2012, p. 35-36.
26. Tandon 2021, p. 2-3.
27. Tandon 2021, p. 3.
28. Tandon 2021, p. 4-5.
29. Tandon 2021, p. 5.
30. Tandon 2021, p. 6-7.
31. Tandon 2021, p. 7-8.
32. Tandon 2021, p. 8-9.
33. Tandon 2021, p. 9-10.
34. Tandon 2021, p. 10-12.
35. Tandon 2021, p. 12-13.
36. Tandon 2021, p. 13-14.
37. Tandon 2012, p. 45.
38. Tandon 2012, p. 38-40.
39. Tandon 2020, p. 5-6.
40. Tandon 2020, p. 6-7.

Bibliography

• Schopen, Gregory (1996-06-30). "The Lay Ownership of Monasteries and the Role of the Monk in Mūlasarvāstivādin Monasticism". Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies: 81–126. ISSN 0193-600X.
• Falk, Harry (2007). "The Names of the Pāratarājas Issuing Coins with Kharoṣṭhī Legends". The Numismatic Chronicle. 167: 171–178. ISSN 0078-2696.
• Tandon, Pankaj (2006). "New Light on the Pāratarājas". The Numismatic Chronicle. 166: 173–209. ISSN 0078-2696.
• Tandon, Pankaj (2009). "Further Light on the Pāratarājas: an Absolute Chronology of the Brāhmī and Kharoṣṭhī Series". The Numismatic Chronicle. 169: 137–171. ISSN 0078-2696.
• Tandon, Pankaj (2012). "The Location and Kings of Pāradān". Studia Iranica (1): 25–56. doi:10.2143/SI.41.1.2170700. ISSN 1783-1784.
• Schindel, Nikolaus (2016). "The Coinages of Paradan and Sind in the Context of Kushan and Kushano-Sasanian Numismatics". In Curtis, Vesta Sarkhosh; Pendleton, Elizabeth J.; Alram, Michael; Daryaee, Touraj (eds.). The Parthian and Early Sasanian Empires: Adaptation and Expansion. Oxbow Books. ISBN 9781785702082.
• Tandon, Pankaj (Summer 2020). "Tentative Reading of an unread Parataraja Coin". Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society (240): 5–7.
• Tandon, Pankaj (2021). "The Paratarajas" (PDF). In Piper, Wilfried (ed.). Ancient Indian Coins: A Comprehensive Catalogue. Nasik, India: IIRNS Publications. ISBN 9789392280016.
• Wiesehöfer, Josef (2001). Ancient Persia. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 978-1860646751.

External links

• Paratarajas coin gallery