Ancient History of the Deccan c5.s1: § 1. The Âbhîras
Ancient History of the Deccan c5.s1
- Language
- English
§ 1. The Âbhîras
c5.s1.1
At the end of the II century and the first half of the III century the Âbhîras were powerful in Gujarât and Kâthiâwar. An inscription (Ind. Ant. Vol X., page 157) of the Western Kshatrapas dated 181 A.D. (Ś. 103) is a donation by general (senâpati) Rudrabhûti, who was an Âbhîra and the son of general Bâhaka. In Mâlwâ, in Gujarât and in Kâthiâwar have been found silver coins of a king named Îśvaradatta. Mr. Rapson (page CXXXVI) says: "there can be little doubt then that Îśvaradatta reigned some time between A. D. 236 and A. D. 239." Besides, it seems that the power of the Western Kshatrapas began to decline at this epoch: "Already in this reign (of Vijayasêna) appear the first symptoms of a decline about the year 167 or 168 (A. D. 245-246)" (Rapson, page 137). At Nâsik (Ep. Ind. Vol. VIII., page 88) there is an inscription (No. 1137 of Lüders's list) dated in the 9th year of Mâdharîputra Îśvarasêna, an Âbhîra, son of Śivadatta. The latter is not mentioned as being a king. It would therefore appear that Îśvarasêna founded the Âbhîra dynasty.
c5.s1.2
Is this Âbhîra named Îśvarasêna the same as the king Îśvaradatta of the coins, who, towards the middle of the III century founded the Âbhîra dynasty and carved out for himself a kingdom extending over Kâthiâwar and the Nâsik region?