Early History of the Dekkan down to the Mahomedan Conquest c13.6

c13.6

[26] From the Greek geographer Ptolemy we learn that in his time the country inland from the western coast was divided into two divisions of which the northern was governed by Siro Polemios whose capital was Paiṭhan, and the southern by Baleocuros who lived in Hippocura Siro Polemios is evidently the same name as the Sırı Puḷumâvı or Puḷumâyı of the inscriptions corresponding to the Pulomat, or Puḷimat of the Purânas But there were two kings who bore that name, one the son of Gotamîputra, mentioned in the inscriptions, and another an earlier prince of the Andhrabhṛıtya dynasty This last does not appear to have been a prince of any note, wherefore very likely the former is the one spoken of by Ptolemy But the question is almost settled by the mention of Baleocuros as the Governor of the southern provinces We have seen that in the legends on the Kolhâpur coins the name Vıḷıvâyakura is associated with that of Puḷumâyı and of Gotamîputra Vıḷıvâyakura is the same as Balcocura, and I have already stated that the reason why his name, in my opinion, occurs along with those of the two princes of the Sâtavâhana dynasty, and on Kolhâpur coins alone, while it does not occur on those found in the lower Godâvarî districts, is that he was the viceroy of those princes ruling over the country about Kolhâpur This country answers to the southern dıvısıon mentioned by the Greek geographer as being governed by Baleocuros The Sıro Polemıos therefore of Ptolemy is the same as the Puḷumâyı of the inscriptions and coins