[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957) › c19.90 # The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c19.90 The Coinage of the Gupta Empire and its Imitations c19.90 - **Language:** English ### [c19.90](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c19.90) These letters can supply a meaning only if we insert suitable medial vowels, which are often not engraved in Gupta legends. I take the legend to be a quartrain in the Drutavilambita metre and would read it as \*Rathimatho’tirathapravaraḥ kshitau\* ‘(King Chandragupta) who is pre-eminent (\*pravaraḥ\*) on the earth among unrivalled chariot-warriors (\*atirathaḥ\*), is the destroyer of chariot-warriors (\*rathimathaḥ\*). \*Atiratha\* is a common word in Sanskrit for an unrivalled chariot warrior; we have similar words like \*mahāratha\*, \*ekaratha\*, etc. \*Rathimathaḥ\* is rather an unusual combination, but I do not know what other restoration can be suggested out of the four indisputable letters \*rathamatha\*. \*Rathimathaḥ\* can be understood as \*rathinaḥ mathnāti asau rathimathaḥ\*, “one who destroys chariot-warriors.” The medial \*i\* mark of \*thi\* is fairly clear on the plate. - [Previous: c19.89](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c19.89) - [Next: c19.91](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c19.91) - [Up: c19](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c19) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c19.90](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.altekar-1957.c19.90) · Pramāṇa