Aspavarma

Aspavarma
Apracha King
(Gāndhārī: Apacaraja)
Coin of Aspavarma
Obv King mounted on a horse, holding a whip. Greek legend around ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ / ΑΖΟΥ.
Rev Pallas Athena holding spear, and triratna symbol. Kharoshthi legend around Iṃdravarmaputrasa Aśpavarmasa strategasa jayatasa "Victorious general Aspavarma, son of Indravarma".
Reign1st century (c. 15 CE - c. 45 CE)
PredecessorIndravarma
SuccessorSasan
HouseApracharajas
DynastyApracha
FatherIndravarma
ReligionBuddhism
Apracha general
Apracaraja Aspavarma.
Coin of Aspavarma (reverse).

Aspavarma or Aspa (Kharosthi: 𐨀𐨭𐨿𐨤𐨬𐨪𐨿𐨨 A-śpa-va-rma, Aśpavarma[1]) was an Apracha general who ruled in Gandhara. He was the son of the Apracharaja and general Indravarma who ruled in 50 CE.

Inscriptions

Asparvama was a son of Apraca king Indravarma, as known from an inscription discovered in Taxila,[2] who himself is known to be the son of Vispavarma according to Indravarma's Silver Reliquary.

Indravarma's Silver Reliquary, which is known for sure to be before the Bajaur casket, hence before 5-6 CE, and is therefore usually dated to the end of the 1st century BCE, describes Aspavarma's grandfather Vispavarma as a general, and not yet a king at that time. This tends to confirm that his grandson, Aspavarma, probably ruled quite some time later, in the middle of the 1st century CE.[3]

Aspavarma is also referenced in Gāndhārī texts, written in Kharoṣṭhī script, dating from the period.[4]

Coinage

The coinage shows the king on a horse, holding a whip in his right hand, in a style consistent with that of Azes II (who possibly is identical with Azes I). On the reverse, Athena makes a benediction gesture, and is flanked by a Buddhist triratna symbol.

According to Joe Cribb, from a coinage standpoint, Aspavarma was contemporary to Sasan and Mujatria, just before the rule of Kushan ruler Vima Takto.[3]

References

  1. ^ Cunningham, Alexander, COINS OF THE INDO-SCYTHIANS. The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Numismatic Society, Third Series, Vol. 8 (1888), pp. 199-248
  2. ^ On the Cusp of an Era: Art in the Pre-Kuṣāṇa World, Doris Srinivasan, BRILL, 2007, p.269-270 [1]
  3. ^ a b Joe Cribb, p.31 Dating and locating Mujatria and the two Kharahostes
  4. ^ The British Library Kharosthi Fragments, The British Library/University of Washington Early Buddhist Manuscripts Project.
Aspavarma
Regnal titles
Preceded by Apracharaja
c. 15 CE - c. 45 CE 		Succeeded by
Sasan
  • v
  • t
  • e
Indo-Scythian kings, territories and chronology (in green)
Territories/
dates 		Western India Western Pakistan
Balochistan 		Paropamisadae
Arachosia 		Bajaur Gandhara Western Punjab Eastern Punjab Mathura
INDO-GREEK KINGDOM
90–85 BCE Nicias Menander II Artemidoros
90–70 BCE Hermaeus Archebius
85-60 BCE INDO-SCYTHIAN KINGDOM
Maues
75–70 BCE Vonones
Spalahores 		Telephos Apollodotus II
65–55 BCE Spalirises
Spalagadames 		Hippostratos Dionysios
55–35 BCE Azes I Zoilos II
55–35 BCE Azilises
Azes II 		Apollophanes Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
NORTHERN SATRAPS
Hagamasha
25 BCE – 10 CE Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
APRACHARAJAS
Vijayamitra
(ruled 12 BCE - 15 CE)[n 1] 		Liaka Kusulaka
Patika Kusulaka
Zeionises 		Kharahostes
(ruled 10 BCE– 10 CE)[n 2]
Mujatria 		Strato II and Strato III Hagana
10-20 CE INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM
Gondophares 		Indravasu INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM
Gondophares 		Rajuvula
20-30 CE Ubouzanes
Pakores 		Vispavarma
(ruled c.0-20 CE)[n 3] 		Sarpedones Bhadayasa Sodasa
30-40 CE KUSHAN EMPIRE
Kujula Kadphises 		Indravarma Abdagases ... ...
40-45 CE Aspavarma Gadana ... ...
45-50 CE Sasan Sases ... ...
50-75 CE ... ...
75-100 CE Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
WESTERN SATRAPS
Chastana 		Vima Takto ... ...
100-120 CE Abhiraka Vima Kadphises ... ...
120 CE Bhumaka
Nahapana 		PARATARAJAS
Yolamira 		Kanishka I Great Satrap Kharapallana
and Satrap Vanaspara
for
Kanishka I
130-230 CE

Jayadaman
Rudradaman I
Damajadasri I
Jivadaman
Rudrasimha I
Satyadaman
Jivadaman
Rudrasena I

Bagamira
Arjuna
Hvaramira
Mirahvara

Vāsishka (c. 140 – c. 160)
Huvishka (c. 160 – c. 190)
Vasudeva I (c. 190 – to at least 230)


230-280 CE

Samghadaman
Damasena
Damajadasri II
Viradaman
Isvaradatta
Yasodaman I
Vijayasena
Damajadasri III
Rudrasena II
Visvasimha

Miratakhma
Kozana
Bhimarjuna
Koziya
Datarvharna
Datarvharna

INDO-SASANIANS
Ardashir I, Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 230 – 250)
Peroz I, "Kushanshah" (c. 250 – 265)
Hormizd I, "Kushanshah" (c. 265 – 295)

Kanishka II (c. 230 – 240)
Vashishka (c. 240 – 250)
Kanishka III (c. 250 – 275)


280-300 CE Bhratadarman Datayola II

Hormizd II, "Kushanshah" (c. 295 – 300)

Vasudeva II (c. 275 – 310)
300-320 CE

Visvasena
Rudrasimha II
Jivadaman

Peroz II, "Kushanshah" (c. 300 – 325)

Vasudeva III
Vasudeva IV
Vasudeva V
Chhu (c. 310? – 325)

320-388 CE

Yasodaman II
Rudradaman II
Rudrasena III
Simhasena
Rudrasena IV

Shapur II Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 325)
Varhran I, Varhran II, Varhran III "Kushanshahs" (c. 325 – 350)
Peroz III "Kushanshah" (c. 350 –360)
HEPHTHALITE/ HUNAS invasions

Shaka I (c. 325 – 345)
Kipunada (c. 345 – 375)

GUPTA EMPIRE
Chandragupta I Samudragupta


388-395 CE Rudrasimha III Chandragupta II
  1. ^ From the dated inscription on the Rukhana reliquary
  2. ^ An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman, Richard Salomon, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1996), pp. 442 [2]
  3. ^ A Kharosthī Reliquary Inscription of the Time of the Apraca Prince Visnuvarma, by Richard Salomon, South Asian Studies 11 1995, Pages 27-32, Published online: 09 Aug 2010 [3]