Chapter V: The Kshatrapas (2)

In these four specimens Dámasrí or Dámájada is styled Mahákshatrapa, while in his own coins he is simply called Kshatrapa. The explanation perhaps is that the known coins of Dámasrí or Dámajada belong to the early part of his reign when he was subordinate to his father, and that he afterwards gained the title of Mahákshatrapa. Some such explanation is necessary as the distinction between the titles Kshatrapa and Mahákshatrapa is always carefully preserved in the earlier Kshatrapa coins. Except towards the close of the dynasty no ruler called Kshatrapa on his own coins is ever styled Mahákshatrapa on the coins of his son unless the father gained the more important title during his lifetime.

The dates and the difference in the style of die used in coining A and in coining B, C, and D are worth noting as the earliest coin has the date 100 and C and D the third and fourth coins have 118. If Jivadáman's reign lasted eighteen years his coins would be common instead of very rare. But we find between 102 and 118 numerous coins of Rudrasimha son of Rudradáman and paternal uncle of Jivadáman. These facts and the difference between the style of A and the style of B, C, and D which are apparently imitated from the coins of Rudrasimha and have a face much older than the face in A, tend to show that soon after his accession Jivadáman was deposed by his uncle Rudrasimha, on whose death or defeat in 118, Jivadáman again rose to power.

[Kshatrapa VII. Rudrasimha I. A.D. 181-196.] Rudrasimha the seventh Kshatrapa was the brother of Dámajadasrí. Large numbers of his coins have been found. Of thirty obtained by Dr. Bhagvánlál, twenty have the following clearly cut dates: 103, 106, 108, 109, 110, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, and 118. As the earliest year is 103 and the latest 118 it is probable that Rudrasimha deposed his nephew Jivadáman shortly after Jivadáman's accession. Rudrasimha appears to have ruled fifteen years when power again passed to his nephew Jivadáman.

The coins of Rudrasimha are of a beautiful type of good workmanship and with clear legends. The legend in old Nágarí character reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Rudradámaputrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Rudrasimhasa.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Rudrasimha son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudradáma.

Rudrasimha had also a copper coinage of which specimens are recorded from Málwa but not from Káthiáváda. Pandit Bhagvánlál had one specimen from Ujjain which has a bull on the obverse with the Greek legend round it and the date 117. The reverse seems to have held the entire legend of which only five letters rudrasi.mhasa (Rudrasimhasa) remain. This coin has been spoilt in cleaning.

To Rudrasimha's reign belongs the Gunda inscription carved on a stone found at the bottom of an unused well in the village of Gunda in Hálár in North Káthiáváda. [130] It is in six well preserved lines of old Nágarí letters of the Kshatrapa type. The writing records the digging and building of a well for public use on the borders of a village named Rasopadra by the commander-in-chief Rudrabhúti an Ábhíra son of Senápati Bápaka. The date is given both in words and in numerals as 103, 'in the year' of the king the Kshatrapa Svámi Rudrasimha, apparently meaning in the year 103 during the reign of Rudrasimha. The genealogy given in the inscription is: 1 Chashtana; 2 Jayadáman; 3 Rudradáman; 4 Rudrasimha, the order of succession being clearly defined by the text, which says that the fourth was the great grandson of the first, the grandson of the second, and the son of the third. It will be noted that Dámájadasrí and Jivadáman the fifth and sixth Kshatrapas have been passed over in this genealogy probably because the inscription did not intend to give a complete genealogy but only to show the descent of Rudrasimha in the direct line.

[Kshatrapa VIII. Rudrasena, A.D. 203-220.] The eighth Kshatrapa was Rudrasena, son of Rudrasimha, as is clearly mentioned in the legends on his coins. His coins like his father's are found in large numbers. Of forty in Dr. Bhagvánlál's collection twenty-seven bear the following eleven [131] dates, 125, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 138, 140, 142. The coins are of the usual Kshatrapa type closely like Rudrasimha's coins. The Nágarí legend reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Rudrasimhasa putrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Rudrasenasa.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Rudrasena son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudrasimha.

Two copper coins square and smaller than the copper coins of Rudrasimha have been found in Ujjain [132] though none are recorded from Káthiáváda. On their obverse these copper coins have a facing bull and on the back the usual symbols and below them the year 140, but no legend. Their date and their Kshatrapa style show that they are coins of Rudrasena.

Besides coins two inscriptions one at Muliyásar the other at Jasdan give information regarding Rudrasena. The Muliyásar inscription, now in the library at Dwárka ten miles south-west of Muliyásar, records the erection of an upright slab by the sons of one Vánijaka. This inscription bears date 122, the fifth of the dark half of Vaishákha in the year 122 during the reign of Rudrasimha. [133] The Jasdan inscription, on a stone about five miles from Jasdan, belongs to the reign of this Kshatrapa. It is in six lines of old Kshatrapa Nágarí characters shallow and dim with occasional engraver's mistakes, but on the whole well-preserved. The writing records the building of a pond by several brothers (names not given) of the Mánasasa gotra sons of Pranáthaka and grandsons of Khara. The date is the 5th of the dark half of Bhádrapada 'in the year' 126. [134] The genealogy is in the following order:

Mahákshatrapa Chashtana.
Kshatrapa Jayadáman.
Mahákshatrapa Rudradáman.
Mahákshatrapa Rudrasimha.
Mahákshatrapa Rudrasena.

Each of them is called Svámi Lord and Bhadramukha Luckyfaced. [135] As Rudrasena's reign began at least as early as 122, the second reign of Jivadáman is narrowed to four years or even less. As the latest date is 142 Rudrasena's reign must have lasted about twenty years.

[Kshatrapa IX. Prithivísena A.D. 222.] After Rudrasena the next evidence on record is a coin of his son Prithivísena found near Amreli. Its workmanship is the same as that of Rudrasena's coins. It is dated 144 that is two years later than the last date on Rudrasena's coins. The legend runs:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Rudrasenasa putrasa Rájñah Kshatrapasa
Prithivísenasa.

Of the king the Kshatrapa Prithivísena son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudrasena.

As this is the only known specimen of Prithivísena's coinage; as the earliest coin of Prithivísena's uncle the tenth Kshatrapa Sanghadáman is dated 144; and also as Prithivísena is called only Kshatrapa he seems to have reigned for a short time perhaps as Kshatrapa of Suráshtra or Káthiáváda and to have been ousted by his uncle Sanghadáman.

[Kshatrapa X. Sanghadáman, A.D. 222-226.] Rudrasena was succeeded by his brother the Mahákshatrapa Sanghadáman. His coins are very rare. Only two specimens have been obtained, of which one was in the Pandit's collection the other in the collection of Mr. Vajeshankar Gavrishankar. [136] They are dated 145 and 144. The legend in both reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Rudrasimhasa putrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Sanghadámna.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Sanghadáman son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudrasimha.

These two coins seem to belong to the beginning of Sanghadáman's reign. As the earliest coins of his successor Dámasena are dated 148 Sanghadáman's reign seems not to have lasted over four years. [137]

[Kshatrapa XI. Dámasena, A.D. 226-236.] Sanghadáman was succeeded by his brother Dámasena, whose coins are fairly common, of good workmanship, and clear lettering. Of twenty-three specimens eleven have the following dates: 148, 150, 153, 155, 156, 157, 158. The legend runs:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Rudrasimhasa putrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Dámasenasa.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Dámasena son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudrasimha.

Dámasena seems to have reigned ten years (148-158) as coins of his son Víradáman are found dated 158.

[Kshatrapa XII. Dámájadasrí II. A.D. 236.] Dámájadasrí the twelfth Kshatrapa is styled son of Rudrasena probably the eighth Kshatrapa. Dámájadasrí's coins are rare. [138] The legend runs:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Rudrasenaputrasa Rajñah Kshatrapas
Dámájadasriyah.

Of the king the Kshatrapa Dámájadasrí son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudrasena.

Five specimens, the only specimens on record, are dated 154. [139] As 154 falls in the reign of Dámasena it seems probable that Dámájadasrí was either a minor or a viceroy or perhaps a ruler claiming independence, as about this time the authority of the main dynasty seems to have been much disputed.

After Dámasena we find coins of three of his sons Víradáman Yasadáman and Vijayasena. Víradáman's coins are dated 158 and 163, Yasadáman's 160 and 161, and Vijayasena's earliest 160. Of the three brothers Víradáman who is styled simply Kshatrapa probably held only a part of his father's dominions. The second brother Yasadáman, who at first was a simple Kshatrapa, in 161 claims to be Mahákshatrapa. The third brother Vijayasena, who as early as 160, is styled Mahákshatrapa, probably defeated Yasadáman and secured the supreme rule.

[Kshatrapa XIII. Víradáman, A.D. 236-238.] Víradáman's coins are fairly common. Of twenty-six in Pandit Bhagvánlál's collection, nineteen were found with a large number of his brother Vijayasena's coins. The legend reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Dámasenasa putrasa Rájñah Kshatrapasa
Víradámnah.

Of the king the Kshatrapa Víradáman son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Dámasena.

Of the twenty-six ten are clearly dated, six with 158 and four with 160.

[Kshatrapa XIV. Yasadáman, A.D. 239.] Yasadáman's coins are rare. Pandit Bhagvánlál's collection contained seven. [140] The bust on the obverse is a good imitation of the bust on his father's coins. Still it is of inferior workmanship, and starts the practice which later Kshatrapas continued of copying their predecessor's image. On only two of the seven specimens are the dates clear, 160 and 161. The legend on the coin dated 160 is:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Dámasenasa putrasa Rájñah
Kshatrapasa Yasadámnah.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Yasadáman son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Dámasena.

On the coin dated 161 the legend runs:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Dámasenasa putrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Yasadámnah.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Yasadáman son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Dámasena.

[Kshatrapa XV. Vijayasena, A.D. 238-249.] Vijayasena's coins are common. As many as 167 were in the Pandit's collection. Almost all are of good workmanship, well preserved, and clearly lettered. On fifty-four of them the following dates can be clearly read, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 170, and 171. This would give Vijayasena a reign of at least eleven years from 160 to 171 (A.D. 238-249). The legend reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Dámasenaputrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Vijayasenasa.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Vijayasena son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Dámasena.

In two good specimens of Vijayasena's coins with traces of the date 166 he is styled Kshatrapa. This the Pandit could not explain. [141]

[Kshatrapa XVI. Dámájadasrí, A.D. 250-255.] Vijayasena was succeeded by his brother Dámájadasrí III. called Mahákshatrapa on his coins. His coins which are comparatively uncommon are inferior in workmanship to the coins of Vijayasena. Of seven in the Pandit's collection three are dated 174, 175, and 176.

After Dámájadasrí come coins of Rudrasena II. son of Víradáman, the earliest of them bearing date 178. As the latest coins of Vijayasena are dated 171, 173 may be taken as the year of Dámájadasrí's succession. The end of his reign falls between 176 and 178, its probable length is about five years. The legend on his coins reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Dámasenaputrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Dádmájadasriyah.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Dámájadasrí son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Dámasena.

[Kshatrapa XVII. Rudrasena II. A.D. 256-272.] Dámájadasrí III. was succeeded by Rudrasena II. son of Dámájadasrí's brother Víradáman the thirteenth Kshatrapa. Rudrasena II.'s coins like Vijayasena's are found in great abundance. They are of inferior workmanship and inferior silver. Of eighty-four in Dr. Bhagvánlál's collection eleven bore the following clear dates: 178, 180, 183, 185, 186, 188, and 190. The earliest of 178 probably belongs to the beginning of Rudrasena's reign as the date 176 occurs on the latest coins of his predecessor. The earliest coins of his son and successor Visvasimha are dated 198. As Visvasimha's coins are of bad workmanship with doubtful legend and date we may take the end of Rudrasena II.'s reign to be somewhere between 190 and 198 or about 194. This date would give Rudrasena a reign of about sixteen years, a length of rule supported by the large number of his coins. The legend reads:

Rájño Kshatrapasa Víradámaputrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Rudrasenasa.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Rudrasena son of the king the
Kshatrapa Víradáma.

[Kshatrapa XVIII. Visvasimha, A.D. 272-278.] Rudrasena was succeeded by his son Visvasimha. In style and abundance Visvasimha's coins are on a par with his father's. They are carelessly struck with a bad die and in most the legend is faulty often omitting the date. Of fifty-six in the Pandit's collection only four bear legible dates, one with 198, two with 200, and one with 201. The date 201 must be of the end of Visvasimha's reign as a coin of his brother Bharttridáman is dated 200. It may therefore be held that Visvasimha reigned for the six years ending 200 (A.D. 272-278). The legend reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Rudrasenaputrasa Rájñah Kshatrapasa
Visvasimhasa.

Of the king the Kshatrapa Visvasimha son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudrasena.

It is not known whether Visvasimha's loss of title was due to his being subordinate to some overlord, or whether during his reign the Kshatrapas suffered defeat and loss of territory. The probable explanation seems to be that he began his reign in a subordinate position and afterwards rose to supreme rule.

[Kshatrapa XIX. Bharttridáman, A.D. 278-294.] Visvasimha was succeeded by his brother Bharttridáman. [142] His coins which are found in large numbers are in style and workmanship inferior even to Visvasimha's coins. Of forty-five in the Pandit's collection seven bear the dates 202, 207, 210, 211, and 214. As the earliest coin of his successor is dated 218, Bharttridáman's reign seems to have lasted about fourteen years from 202 to 216 (A.D. 278-294). Most of the coin legends style Bharttridáman Mahákshatrapa though in a few he is simply styled Kshatrapa. This would seem to show that like his brother Visvasimha he began as a Kshatrapa and afterwards gained the rank and power of Mahákshatrapa.

In Bharttridáman's earlier coins the legend reads:

Rajño Mahákshatrapasa Rudrasenaputrasa Rajñah Kshatrapasa
Bhartridámnah.

Of the king the Kshatrapa Bharttridáman son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudrasena.

In the later coins the legend is the same except that mahákshatrapasa the great Kshatrapa takes the place of kshatrapasa the Kshatrapa.

[Kshatrapa XX. Visvasena, A.D. 294-300.] Bharttridáman was succeeded by his son Visvasena the twentieth Kshatrapa. His coins are fairly common, and of bad workmanship, the legend imperfect and carelessly struck, the obverse rarely dated. Of twenty-five in Dr. Bhagvánlál's collection, only three bear doubtful dates one 218 and two 222. The legend reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Bhartridáma putrasa Rájñah Kshatrapasa
Visvasenasa.

Of the king the Kshatrapa Visvasena son of the king the Mahákshatrapa
Bharttridáman.

It would seem from the lower title of Kshatrapa which we find given to Visvasena and to most of the later Kshatrapas that from about 220 (A.D. 298) the Kshatrapa dominion lost its importance.

A hoard of coins found in 1861 near Karád on the Krishna, thirty-one miles south of Sátára, suggests [143] that the Kshatrapas retained the North Konkan and held a considerable share of the West Dakhan down to the time of Visvasena (A.D. 300). The hoard includes coins of the six following rulers: Vijayasena (A.D. 238-249), his brother Dámájadasrí III. (A.D. 251-255), Rudrasena II. (A.D. 256-272) son of Víradáman, Visvasimha (A.D. 272-278) son of Rudrasena, Bharttridáman (A.D. 278-294) son of Rudrasena II., and Visvasena (A.D. 296-300) son of Bharttridáman. It may be argued that this Karád hoard is of no historical value being the chance importation of some Gujarát pilgrim to the Krishna. The following considerations favour the view that the contents of the hoard furnish evidence of the local rule of the kings whose coins have been found at Karád. The date (A.D. 238-249) of Vijayasena, the earliest king of the hoard, agrees well with the spread of Gujarát power in the Dakhan as it follows the overthrow both of the west (A.D. 180-200) and of the east (A.D. 220) Sátakarnis, while it precedes the establishment of any later west Dakhan dynasty: (2) All the kings whose coins occur in the hoard were Mahákshatrapas and from the details in the Periplus (A.D. 247), the earliest, Vijayasena, must have been a ruler of special wealth and power: (3) That the coins cease with Visvasena (A.D. 296-300) is in accord with the fact that Visvasena was the last of the direct line of Chashtana, and that with or before the close of Visvasena's reign the power of the Gujarát Kshatrapas declined. The presumption that Kshatrapa power was at its height during the reigns of the kings whose coins have been found at Karád is strengthened by the discovery at Amrávati in the Berárs of a hoard of coins of the Mahákshatrapa Rudrasena (II. ?) (A.D. 256-272) son of the Mahákshatrapa Dámájadasrí. [144]

[Kshatrapa XXI. Rudrasimha, A.D. 308-311.] Whether the end of Chashtana's direct line was due to their conquest by some other dynasty or to the failure of heirs is doubtful. Whatever may have been the cause, after an interval of about seven years (A.D. 300-308) an entirely new king appears, Rudrasimha son of Jívadáman. As Rudrasimha's father Jívadáman is simply called Svámi he may have been some high officer under the Kshatrapa dynasty. That Rudrasimha is called a Kshatrapa may show that part of the Kshatrapa dominion which had been lost during the reign of Visvasena was given to some distant member or scion of the Kshatrapa dynasty of the name of Rudrasimha. The occurrence of political changes is further shown by the fact that the coins of Rudrasimha are of a better type than those of the preceding Kshatrapas. Rudrasimha's coins are fairly common. Of twelve in Dr. Bhagvánlál's collection five are clearly dated, three 230, one 231, and one 240. This leaves a blank of seven years between the last date of Visvasena and the earliest date of Rudrasimha. The legend reads:

Svámi Jívadáma putrasa Rajñah Kshatrapasa Rudrasimhasa.

Of the king the Kshatrapa Rudrasimha son of Svámi Jívadáman.

[Kshatrapa XXII. Yasadáman, A.D. 320.] Rudrasimha was succeeded by his son Yasadáman whose coins are rather rare. Of three in Dr. Bhagvánlál's collection two are dated 239, apparently the first year of Yasadáman's reign as his father's latest coins are dated 240. Like his father Yasadáman is simply called Kshatrapa. The legend reads:

Rájñah Kshatrapasa Rudrasimhaputrasa Rájñah Kshatrapasa Yasadámnah.

Of the king the Kshatrapa Yasadáman son of the king the Kshatrapa
Rudrasimha.

[Kshatrapa XXIII. Dámasiri, A.D. 320.] The coins found next after Yasadáman's are those of Dámasiri who was probably the brother of Yasadáman as he is mentioned as the son of Rudrasimha. The date though not very clear is apparently 242. Only one coin of Dámasiri's is recorded. In the style of face and in the form of letters it differs from the coins of Yasadáman, with which except for the date and the identity of the father's name any close connection would seem doubtful. The legend on the coin of Dámasiri reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Rudrasimhasaputrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Dámasirisa.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Dámasiri son of the king the great
Kshatrapa Rudrasimha.

It will be noted that in this coin both Rudrasimha and Dámasiri are called great Kshatrapas, while in his own coin and in the coins of his son Yasadáman, Rudrasimha is simply styled Kshatrapa. It is possible that Dámasiri may have been more powerful than Yasadáman and consequently taken to himself the title of Mahákshatrapa. The application of the more important title to a father who in life had not enjoyed the title is not an uncommon practice among the later Kshatrapas. The rarity of Dámasiri's coins shows that his reign was short.

After Dámasiri comes a blank of about thirty years. The next coin is dated 270. The fact that, contrary to what might have been expected, the coins of the later Kshatrapas are less common than those of the earlier Kshatrapas, seems to point to some great political change during the twenty-seven years ending 270 (A.D. 321-348).

[Kshatrapa XXIV. Rudrasena, A.D. 348-376.] The coin dated 270 belongs to Svámi Rudrasena son of Svámi Rudradáman both of whom the legend styles Mahákshatrapas. The type of the coin dated 270 is clearly adapted from the type of the coins of Yasadáman. Only two of Rudrasena's coins dated 270 are recorded. But later coins of the same Kshatrapa of a different style are found in large numbers. Of fifty-four in the Pandit's collection, twelve have the following dates 288, 290, 292, 293, 294, 296, and 298. The difference in the style of the two sets of coins and the blank between 270 and 288 leave no doubt that during those years some political change took place. Probably Rudrasena was for a time overthrown but again came to power in 288 and maintained his position till 298. Besides calling both himself and his father Mahákshatrapas Rudrasena adds to both the attribute Svámi. As no coin of Rudrasena's father is recorded it seems probable the father was not an independent ruler and that the legend on Rudrasena's coins is a further instance of a son ennobling his father. The legend is the same both in the earlier coins of 270 and in the later coins ranging from 288 to 298. It reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Svámi Rudradámaputrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Svámi Rudrasenasa.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Svámi Rudrasena son of the king the
great Kshatrapa Svámi Rudradáman.

[Kshatrapa XXV. Rudrasena, A.D. 378-388.] After Rudrasena come coins of Kshatrapa Rudrasena son of Satyasena. These coins are fairly common. Of five in the Pandit's collection through faulty minting none are dated. General Cunningham mentions coins of Kshatrapa Rudrasena dated 300, 304, and 310. [145] This would seem to show that he was the successor of Rudrasena son of Rudradáman and that his reign extended to over 310. The legend on these coins runs:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Svámi Satyasenaputrasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
Svámi Rudrasenasa.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Svámi Rudrasena son of the king the
great Kshatrapa Svámi Satyasena.

Of Rudrasena's father Satyasena no coin is recorded and as this Rudrasena immediately succeeds Rudrasena IV. son of Rudradáman, there is little doubt that Satyasena was not an actual ruler with the great title Mahákshatrapa, but that this was an honorific title given to the father when his son attained to sovereignty. General Cunningham records that a coin of this Rudrasena IV. was found along with a coin of Chandragupta II. in a stúpa at Sultánganj on the Ganges about fifteen miles south-east of Mongir. [146]

[Kshatrapa XXVI. Simhasena.] With Rudrasena IV. the evidence from coins comes almost to a close. Only one coin in Dr. Bhagvánlál's collection is clearly later than Rudrasena IV. In the form of the bust and the style of the legend on the reverse this specimen closely resembles the coins of Rudrasena IV. Unfortunately owing to imperfect stamping it bears no date. The legend reads:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Svámi Rudrasenasa Rájño Mahákshatrapasa
svasríyasya Svámi Simhasenasa.

Of the king the great Kshatrapa Svámi Simhasena, sister's son of the
king the great Kshatrapa Svámi Rudrasena.

This legend would seem to show that Rudrasena IV. left no issue and was succeeded by his nephew Simhasena. The extreme rarity of Simhasena's coins proves that his reign was very short.

[Kshatrapa XXVII. Skanda.] The bust and the characters in one other coin show it to be of later date than Simhasena. Unfortunately the legend is not clear. Something like the letters rájño kshatrapasa Rájño Kshatrapasa may be traced in one place and something like putrasa skanda Putrasa Skanda in another place. Dr. Bhagvánlál took this to be a Gujarát Kshatrapa of unknown lineage from whom the Kshatrapa dominion passed to the Guptas.

[Ísvaradatta, A.D. 230-250.] Along with the coins of the regular Kshatrapas coins of a Kshatrapa of unknown lineage named Ísvaradatta have been found in Káthiáváda. In general style, in the bust and the corrupt Greek legend on the obverse, and in the form of the old Nágarí legend on the reverse, Ísvaradatta's coins closely resemble those of the fifteenth Kshatrapa Vijayasena (A.D. 238-249). At the same time the text of the Nágarí legend differs from that on the reverse of the Kshatrapa coins by omitting the name of the ruler's father and by showing in words Ísvaradatta's date in the year of his own reign. The legend is:

Rájño Mahákshatrapasa Ísvaradattasa varshe prathame.

In the first year of the king the great Kshatrapa Ísvaradatta.

Most of the recorded coins of Ísvaradatta have this legend. In one specimen the legend is

Varshe dvitíye.

In the second year.

It is clear from this that Ísvaradatta's reign did not last long. His peculiar name and his separate date leave little doubt that he belonged to some distinct family of Kshatrapas. The general style of his coins shows that he cannot have been a late Kshatrapa while the fact that he is called Mahákshatrapa seems to show he was an independent ruler. No good evidence is available for fixing his date. As already mentioned the workmanship of his coins brings him near to Vijayasena (A.D. 238-249). In Násik Cave X. the letters of Inscription XV. closely correspond with the letters of the legends on Kshatrapa coins, and probably belong to almost the same date as the inscription of Rudradáman on the Girnár rock that is to about A.D. 150. The absence of any record of the Ándhras except the name of the king Madharíputa Sirisena or Sakasena (A.D. 180), makes it probable that after Yajñasrí Gautamíputra (A.D. 150) Ándhra power waned along the Konkan and South Gujarát seaboard. According to the Puránas the Ábhíras succeeded to the dominion of the Ándhras. It is therefore possible that the Ábhíra king Ísvarasena of Násik Inscription XV. was one of the Ábhíra conquerors of the Ándhras who took from them the West Dakhan. A migration of Ábhíras from Ptolemy's Abiria in Upper Sindh through Sindh by sea to the Konkan and thence to Násik is within the range of possibility. About fifty years later king Ísvaradatta [147] who was perhaps of the same family as the Ábhíra king of the Násik inscription seems to have conquered the kingdom of Kshatrapa Vijayasena, adding Gujarát, Káthiáváda, and part of the Dakhan to his other territory. In honour of this great conquest he may have taken the title Mahákshatrapa and struck coins in the Gujarát Kshatrapa style but in an era reckoned from the date of his own conquest. Ísvaradatta's success was shortlived. Only two years later (that is about A.D. 252) the Mahákshatrapa Dámájadasrí won back the lost Kshatrapa territory. The fact that Ísvaradatta's recorded coins belong to only two years and that the break between the regular Kshatrapas Vijayasena and Dámájadasrí did not last more than two or three years gives support to this explanation. [148]

The following table gives the genealogy of the Western Kshatrapas:

[The Kshatrapa Family Tree.] THE WESTERN KSHATRAPAS.

I.
Nahapána,
King, Kshaharáta, Kshatrapa
(A.D. 100-120 ?).
--------------------------------------
II.
Chashtana, son of Zamotika,
King, Mahákshatrapa
(A.D. 100-130).
|
III.
Jayadáman, King, Kshatrapa
(A.D. 130-140).
|
IV.
Rudradáman,
King, Mahákshatrapa
(A.D. 143-158 circa).
|
-----------------------------------------------+-----------------------------
| |
V. VII.
Dámázada or Dámájadasrí, Rudrasimha,
King, Kshatrapa King, Mahákshatrapa
(A.D. 168 circa). (A.D. 180-196 circa).
| |
| ------------------------------------------+-----------------
| | | |
VI. VIII. X. XI.
Jivadáman, Rudrasena, Sanghadáman, Dámasena,
King, Mahákshatrapa King, Mahákshatrapa King, Mahákshatrapa King, Mahákshatrapa
(A.D. 178, A.D. 196 circa). (A.D. 200-220 circa). (A.D. 222-226 circa). (A.D. 226-236 circa).
----------------------+------------------------- |
| | |
IX. XII. |
Prithivísena, King, Kshatrapa Dámájadasrí II. King, Kshatrapa |
(A.D. 222 circa). (A.D. 232 circa). |
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------
| | | |
XIII. XIV. XV. XVI.
Víradáman, Yasadáman II. Vijayasena, Dámájadasrí III.
King, Kshatrapa King, Kshatrapa King, Kshatrapa and King, Mahákshatrapa
(A.D. 236, 238 circa). (A.D. 238, 239 circa). Mahákshatrapa (A.D. 251-255 circa).
| (A.D. 238-249 circa).
XVII.
Rudrasena II.
King, Mahákshatrapa
(A.D. 256-272 circa).
|
------------+----------------------
| |
XVIII. XIX.
Visvasimha, Bharttridáman,
King, Kshatrapa King, Kshatrapa and
(A.D. 272-278 circa). Mahákshatrapa
(A.D. 278-294 circa).
|
XX.
Visvasena,
King, Kshatrapa
(A.D. 296-300 circa).
|
XXI.
Rudrasimha son of
Svámi Jívadáman,
King, Kshatrapa
(A.D. 308, 309, 318 circa).
|
-------------------------+-------------------------
| |
XXII. XXIII.
Yasadáman II. King, Kshatrapa Dámasiri, King, Mahákshatrapa
(A.D. 318 circa). (A.D. 320 circa).
---------------------------------------------------------
XXIV.
Svámi Rudrasena III.
King, Mahákshatrapa
son of king Mahákshatrapa, Svámi Rudradáma,
(A.D. 348, 366-376 circa).
---------------------------------------------------------
XXV.
Svámi Rudrasena IV.
King, Mahákshatrapa,
son of king Mahákshatrapa, Svámi Satyasena,
(A.D. 378-388 circa).
---------------------------------------------------------
XXVI.
Svámi Simhasena
King, Mahákshatrapa,
sister's son of king Mahákshatrapa
Svámi Rudrasena (XXV).
---------------------------------------------------------
XXVII.
Skanda ----?