The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c31.49

v1.c31.49

The two classes of coins which bear his name are distinguished respectively by the type of Demetrius, ‘Heracles standing,’ and the type of Heliocles, ‘Zeus standing’ (Pl. VII, 27, 31). They were issued presumably in districts of Arachosia which were once under the sway of these Yavana kings. Their Greek legends show the round form of *omicron* which, in some other cases, indicates a date earlier than c. 40 b.c.; but it appears that this epigraphical test cannot be applied in this particular instance, since the square form seems not to occur in connexion with these types until much later (*Summary*, pp. 589–90). The most trustworthy evidence as to the date of Vonones is supplied by the coins of Spalirises, ‘the king’s brother.’ If ‘the king,’ who is not named, was Vonones himself, as is usually assumed, the earlier coins of Spalirises, i.e. those struck by him before he became suzerain of eastern Irān in succession to Vonones, may perhaps afford a valuable historical indication. There are two classes of these, both of them issued in the district in which the type of Heliocles, ‘Zeus standing,’ prevailed (*Summary*, p. 590). In the first, Spalirises appears alone as ‘the king’s brother’ without any distinctly royal title. In the second, he as senior (Greek legend) is associated with Azes as junior (Kharoshṭhī legend), both of them bearing the subordinate or viceregal title ‘Great King.’ Vonones was evidently still reigning as Great King of Kings at this time. The relationship of Azes to Spalirises is not expressed in the Kharoshṭhī legend; and in such cases it seems to be assumed that the junior is the son of the senior: otherwise, i.e. when the junior is a brother or a nephew, the relationship is stated. We may conclude, then, that this Azes was most probably the son of Spalirises and the nephew of Vonones, and we may identify him with Azes II who afterwards became suzerain of N.W. India and ended his reign in 19 a.d. Vonones was at least a generation earlier; that is to say, he appears to have been contemporary with Azilises and possibly with Azes I. Until more definite evidence can be discovered, he may be supposed to have begun his reign c. 30 b.c. It seems impossible, therefore, to identify him with Vonones I of Parthia (8–11 a.d.).