Indo-Parthian Kingdom

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Indo-Parthian
)
Indo-Parthian Kingdom
19 CE–226 CE
Brahmi script), Parthian
Religion
Buddhism
Hinduism
Zoroastrianism
GovernmentMonarchy
King 
• 19–46
Gondophares I (first)
• ?–226
Farn-Sasan (last)
Historical eraAntiquity
19 CE
• Disestablished
226 CE
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Parthian Empire
Indo-Greek Kingdom
Indo-Scythians
Northern Satraps
Paratarajas
Kushan Empire
Sasanian Empire

The Indo-Parthian Kingdom was a Parthian kingdom founded by Gondophares, and active from 19 CE to c. 226 CE. At their zenith, they ruled an area covering parts of eastern Iran, various parts of Afghanistan and the northwest regions of the Indian subcontinent (most of modern Pakistan and parts of northwestern India). The rulers may have been members of the House of Suren, and the kingdom has even been called the "Suren Kingdom" by some authors.[2]

The kingdom was founded in 19/20 when the governor of

Baluchistan, the Paratarajas, a local Indo-Parthian dynasty, fell into the orbit of the Sasanian Empire circa 262 CE.[7]

The Indo-Parthians are noted for the construction of the

UNESCO World Heritage Site
) in Mardan, Pakistan.

Gondophares I and his successors

Portrait of Gondophares, founder of the Indo-Parthian kingdom. He wears a headband, earrings, a necklace, and a cross-over jacket with round decorations.

Sakastan since the time when Mithridates II (124–88 BC) had vanquished the Sakas of the region.[9]

Around 20–10 BC,

Ksaharatas also held sway in Gujarat
, perhaps just outside Gondophares' dominions.

UNESCO World Heritage Site) constructed by the Indo-Parthians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
.

After the death of Gondophares I, the empire started to fragment. The name or title

Orthagnes, who became Gondophares III Gadana. Orthagnes ruled mostly in Seistan and Arachosia, with Abdagases further east, during the first decades AD, and was briefly succeeded by his son Ubouzanes Coin. After 20 AD, a king named Sases, a nephew of the Apracaraja ruler Aspavarma, took over Abdagases’ territories and became Gondophares IV Sases[citation needed]. According to Senior, this is the Gondophares referred to in the Takht-i-Bahi inscription.[12]

There were other minor kings: Sanabares was an ephemeral usurper in Seistan, who called himself Great King of Kings, and there was also a second Abdagases Coin, a ruler named Agata in Sind, another ruler called Satavastres Coin, and an anonymous prince who claimed to be brother of the king Arsaces, in that case an actual member of the ruling dynasty in Parthia.

But the Indo-Parthians never regained the position of Gondophares I, and from the middle of the 1st century AD the

Kushans under Kujula Kadphises began absorbing the northern Indian part of the kingdom.[13]

Rulers of Turan and Sakastan (160-230 AD)

Coinage of Pahares I, Indo-Parthian king of Turan (Circa 160-230 CE). Bearded bust left, wearing Parthian-style tiara. Crude figure of Nike walking right.

The Indo-Parthians managed to retain control of

Ardeshir I circa 230 CE.[15] These events were recorded by Al-Tabari, describing the arrival of envoys to Ardeshir at Gor:[15]

“Then he [Ardashir] marched back from the Sawad to Istakhr, from there irst to Sagistan, then to Gurgan, then to Abrasahr, Merv, Balkh, and Khwarizm to the farthest boundaries of the provinces of Kohrasan, whereupon he returned to Merv. Ater he had killed many people and sent their heads to the Fire temple of Anahedh he returned from Merv to Pars and settled in Gor. Then envoys of the king of the Kushan, of the kings of Turan and Mokran came to him with declarations of their submission."

Archaeology and sources

The Hellenistic temple with Ionic columns at Jandial, Taxila, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is usually interpreted as a Zoroastrian fire temple from the period of the Indo-Parthians.

The city of Taxila is thought to have been a capital of the Indo-Parthians. Large strata were excavated by Sir John Marshall with a quantity of Parthian-style artifacts. The nearby temple of Jandial is usually interpreted as a Zoroastrian fire temple from the period of the Indo-Parthians.

Some ancient writings describe the presence of the Indo-Parthians in the area, such as the story of Saint Thomas the Apostle, who was recruited as a carpenter to serve at the court of king "Gudnaphar" (thought to be Gondophares) in India. The Acts of Thomas describes in chapter 17 Thomas' visit to king Gudnaphar in northern India; chapters 2 and 3 depict him as embarking on a sea voyage to India, thus connecting Thomas to the west coast of India.

As Senior points out,[17] this Gudnaphar has usually been identified with the first Gondophares, who has thus been dated after the advent of Christianity, but there is no evidence for this assumption, and Senior's research shows that Gondophares I could be dated even before 1 AD. If the account is even historical, Saint Thomas may have encountered one of the later kings who bore the same title.

Portrait on Gondophares on one of his coins.

The Greek philosopher

Life of Apollonius Tyana to have visited India, and specifically the city of Taxila around 46 AD. He describes constructions of the Greek type,[18]
probably referring to
Indo-Parthian king of Taxila, named Phraotes
, received a Greek education at the court of his father and spoke Greek fluently:

"Tell me, O King, how you acquired such a command of the Greek tongue, and whence you derived all your philosophical attainments in this place?"[19]

[...]-"My father, after a Greek education, brought me to the sages at an age somewhat too early perhaps, for I was only twelve at the time, but they brought me up like their own son; for any that they admit knowing the Greek tongue they are especially fond of, because they consider that in virtue of the similarity of his disposition he already belongs to themselves."[20]

The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea is a surviving 1st century guide to the routes commonly being used for navigating the Arabian Sea. It describes the presence of Parthian kings fighting with each other in the area of Sindh, a region traditionally known at that time as "Scythia" due to the previous rule of the Indo-Scythians there:

"This river (
Indus) has seven mouths, very shallow and marshy, so that they are not navigable, except the one in the middle; at which by the shore, is the market-town, Barbaricum. Before it there lies a small island, and inland behind it is the metropolis of Scythia, Minnagara; it is subject to Parthian princes who are constantly driving each other out." Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, Chap 38[21]

An inscription from Takht-i-Bahi bears two dates, one in the regnal year 26 of the Maharaja Guduvhara (again thought to be a Gondophares), and the year 103 of an unknown era.[22]

Religion of the Indo-Parthians

Zoroastrian
fire-altar.

We do not know the religion of the House of Suren although we know they were in religious conflict with the Zoroastrian

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa region of Pakistan
.

Coins of the

Hindu deity Shiva have also been found issued in the reign of Gondophares I.[24][25][26]

Representation of Indo-Parthian devotees

Indo-Parthian King.[27][28]

On their coins and in the art of Gandhara, Indo-Parthians are depicted with short crossover jackets and large baggy trousers, possibly supplemented by chap-like over-trousers.[29] Their jackets are adorned with rows of decorative rings or medals. Their hair is usually bushy and contained with a headband, a practise largely adopted by the Parthians from the 1st century AD.[30]

Individuals in Indo-Parthian attire are sometimes shown as actors in Buddhist devotional scenes. It is usually considered that most of the excavations that were done at

Indo-Greeks instead.[31] These archaeological researches provided a quantity of Hellenistic artifacts combined with elements of Buddhist worship (stupas). Some other temples, such as nearby Jandial may have been used as a Zoroastrian fire temple
.

Buddhist sculptures

The statues found at Sirkap in the late Scythian to Parthian level (level 2, 1–60 AD) suggest an already developed state of Gandharan art at the time or even before Parthian rule. A multiplicity of statues, ranging from Hellenistic gods, to various Gandharan lay devotees, are combined with what are thought as some of the early representations of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas. Today, it is still unclear when the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara exactly emerged, but the findings in Sirkap do indicate that this art was already highly developed before the advent of the Kushans.

Stone palettes

Numerous

Mauryan layers or the succeeding Kushan layers.[32]

Very often these palettes represent people in Greek dress in mythological scenes, but a few of them represent people in Parthian dress (head-bands over bushy hair, crossed-over jacket on a bare chest, jewelry, belt, baggy trousers). A palette from the

shows an Indo-Parthian king seated crossed-legged on a large sofa, surrounded by two attendants also in Parthian dress. They are shown drinking and serving wine.

  • Indo-Parthian man hunting.
    Indo-Parthian man hunting.
  • Indo-Parthian revelers.
    Indo-Parthian revelers.
  • Indo-Parthian couple.
    Indo-Parthian couple.

Silk Road transmission of Buddhism

Gandhara Buddhist reliquary with content, including Indo-Parthian coins. 1st century AD.

Some pockets of Parthian rule remained in the East, even after the takeover by the

Arsacids
".

Main Indo-Parthian rulers

Coins of the Indo-Parthian king Abdagases, in which his clothing is clearly apparent. He wears baggy trousers, rather typical of Parthian clothing.
Coins of the Indo-Parthian king Abdagases, in which his clothing is clearly apparent. He wears baggy trousers and a crossover jacket.