Reconstructing the History of Gandhara

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Reconstructing the History of Gandhara
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Rough History of Gandhara

• Achaemenid Empire (530330 BCE)?
• Macedonian Empire (330321)?
• Mauryan Empire (321/317187)?
• Greco-Bactrian Kingdom (25010 CE)?
• Indo-Scythians (75 BCE64 CE)?
• Indo-Parthians (3270)?
• Kushans (40360)?

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Gandhara
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Fergana
Sogdia
Tarim Basin
Margiana
Bactria
Gandhara
Seistan
Arachosia
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History of Gandhara

• Indo-Sassanids (240/270-410)?
• Hephthalites (410-557)?
• Turkic Shahis (557-870)?
• Hindu Shahis (870-1021)?
• Ghaznavid Empire (1021-1220)?

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Sources for the Study of Gandharan History

• Classical sources
• Chinese sources
• Indian sources
• Numismatics
• Epigraphy

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Main Classical Sources

• Strabo, Geographica (20BCE23CE)?
• Plutarch, Moralia (46120)?
• Ptolemy, Geographia (after 83161)?
• Arrian, Anabasis Alexandri (c. 86after 146)?
• Justin, Historiarum Philippicarum (2nd3rd cent.)?

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Main Chinese Sources

• Sima Qian ???, Shi Jì ?? (10991BCE)?
• Ban Gù ??, Hàn Shu ?? (c. 80 CE)?
• Fàn Yè ??, Hòu Hàn Shu??? (c. 446)?
• Faxian ??, Gaoseng Faxian Zhuàn ?????(c. 415)?
• Xuánzàng ??, Dà Táng Xiyù jì ????? (646)?

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Main Indian Sources

• Yuga Pura?a
• Mahabha?ya of Patañjali (c. 150 BCE)?
• Milindapañha
• Malavikagnimitra of Kalidasa
• Pali Chronicles (Dipava?sa and Mahava?sa)?

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Some Key Dates

• Conquest of Alexander the Great 326 BCE
• Peace between Seleucus and Chandragupta 304
• Coronation of Asoka 264
• Diodotus establishes kingdom in Bactria c. 250
• Menander c. 150
• Sacking of Aï Khanum 145
• Yuèzhi control Bactria in 130
• Yuèzhi settle Bactria c. 100-75
• St. Thomas at the court of Gondophares 3540 CE
• Chinese control of Xinjiang in 125

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Numismatics

• Typology
• Metrology
• Pedigree
• Monograms
• Overstrikes

• Findspots
• Hoards

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Numismatics
??S???OS ????????? Of King Demetrius Silver
Tetradrachm
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Numismatics
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Pedigree
Overstrike
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Demetrius I
Pantaleon
Euthydemus II
Agathocles
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Cribb 2005 220
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Indian Eras
Vikrama era -57Shalivahana era 78
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Indian Eras
Azes era Vikrama era -57Kani?ka era
Shalivahana era 78
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On the Kani?ka Era

• Rabatak Inscription established the genealogy of
  the first four Kushan Kings
• Kujula Kadphises (60-90 CE)?
• Vima Takto (90113)?
• Vima Kadphises (113127)?
• Kani?ka (127150)?

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On the Kani?ka Era

• Rabatak Inscription established the genealogy of
  the first four Kushan Kings
• Kujula Kadphises
• Vima Takto
• Vima Kadphises
• Kani?ka
• H. Falk. 2001. The yuga of Sphujiddhvaja and the
  era of the Ku?â?as. Silk Road art and
  archaeology 7 12136.
• The difference between the Saka era (78) and the
  Kushan era ( Kani?ka era) is 149, i.e., 227.
  With missing hundreds taken into account 127.

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sabatsara ba(?a)sa(mi) mase Avadunake sastehi
(paca)hi isa (k?u?a)mi pratithavi(da)?
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On the Yona Era

• The dates on some inscriptions are too big to be
  connected with either the Azes or the Kani?ka era.

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On the Yona Era

• The dates on some inscriptions are too big to be
  connected with either the Azes or the Kani?ka
  era.
• A recently discovered inscription has dates in
  three systems including the Yona era.
• the 27th regnal year of King Vijayamitra of
  Apraca
• the 73rd year of Aya, that is, of the era of Azes
• the 201st year of the Greeks (yo?a?a va?aye)

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On the Yona Era

• The dates on some inscriptions are too big to be
  connected with either the Azes or the Kani?ka
  era.
• A recently discovered inscription has dates in
  three systems including the Yona era.
• the 27th regnal year of King Vijayamitra of
  Apraca
• the 73rd year of Aya, that is, of the era of Azes
• the 201st year of the Greeks (yo?a?a va?aye)?
• Accepting the equation Azes Vikrama era -57,
  we can easily calculate the start of the Yona
  era
• 201 73 128
• 57 128 185

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Eras used in the Kharo??hi Inscriptions
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A Complication

• Cribb and Errington have recently started using
  -46 for the epoch of the Azes era, which would
  put the start of the Yona era in 171 BCE

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