The Dynastic History of Northern India (Early Mediaeval Period) v1.c12.11

v1.c12.11

The history of these later *Sāhi* rulers is extremely obscure. It is generally assumed that after the death of Vāsudeva, the Indian empire of the Kuṣāns fell into decay. But the *Wei-lio* “informs us that during the period of the three kingdoms (A.D. 221-277) Ki-pin, Ta-hia, Kao-fu and T‘ien-ču were all subject to the Great Yüe-či.”¹ Chavannes concluded from this that in the middle of the 3rd century “the power of the Kushān kings was at its climax.” The portion of India indicated by the word ‘T‘ien-ču’ is however uncertain. But there is evidence to show that their power continued in the North-western part of India, Afghanistan, and the Oxus valley up to the 4th century A.D. In the 3rd and 4th centuries the influence of the Sasanids of Persia on these Kuṣān princes is illustrated by the latter’s imitation on their coins of the former’s head-dress.² One of the Sasanian kings, Hormazd II (A.D. 301-10), married a daughter of one of these Kuṣān kings, and on some of his gold coins assumed the title *Kuṣān Malkān Malkā*.³ E. Thomas supposed from this that the Kuṣān prince of the Kabul valley might have been conquered by the Sasanian king. In the opinion of Cunningham the legend “must refer to the Kushān alliance,” which was made by the Kuṣān prince ‘by giving a daughter and ceding the province of Balkh to the north of Hindukush.’⁴ In *c.* 358-60 one of these Kuṣān princes, named Grumbates, appears to have helped Shāpur II (310-79 A.D.) against the Romans in the siege of Amida. This prince is described as the king of the Chionitæ, “of middle age and wrinkled limbs, but of a grand spirit and already distinguished for many victories.”⁵ It is difficult to estimate the exact relationship between the Sasanids and the later Kuṣāns ; but if there is any truth in the tradition generally accepted by oriental historians that Ardashīr I (212-241 A.D.) conquered Balkh, Khurāsān and Kābul and advanced as far as Sirhind beyond the Sutlej, then the title *Kuṣān Malkān Malkā* or *Kuṣān Malkā* may indicate their position as vassals of the Persian empire.¹ That the relationship was sufficiently intimate is proved by the discovery of Sasanid coins in Afghanistan and the Punjab and the imitation of Kuṣān coin-type by the Sasanids. A coin of Ardashīr I was discovered as far east as the Jhelum District, while the Śiva and his bull and the Indian altar appear on the coins of Hormazd II.² The mere discovery of coins of contiguous states in each other's territory has not necessarily any political significance, but it is to be noted that in this case the Kuṣān coin appears to have been "counter-struck with Sasanian device."³ Rapson attributes certain "coins of Sasanian type and fabric bearing inscriptions in Nāgarī, Sasanian Pahlavi and an alphabet hitherto unread which is probably a development of the modified form of the Greek alphabet, used by the Scytho-Sasanians" to some Sasanian dynasty or dynasties which ruled in the Indus valley.⁴ Under the circumstances it is probably not unlikely that the later Kuṣāns for a time came under the power of the Sasanids. A contributory cause of their loss of power may have been the gradual advance of the Gupta power towards the Indus valley. In the 4th century A.D. Samudra Gupta claimed 'acts of respectful service, such as offering themselves as sacrifices, bringing presents of maidens, (giving) Garuḍa tokens (surrendering) the enjoyment of their own territories and soliciting commands' from the *Ṣāhi-Ṣāhanuṣāhis* of Afghanistan and the Punjab.¹