Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c18.s1.64

c18.s1.64

Unlike most of the Indo-Greek princes,³ the Saka kings style themselves on their coins *Basileus Basileon*, corresponding to the Prākrit on the reverse *Mahārājasa Rājarājasa*. They also appropriate the epithet *Mahatasa*, corresponding to the Greek *Megaloy*, which we find on the coins of Greek kings. The title *Rājarāja*—king of kings—was not an empty boast. Moga had under him the viceroys (satraps) Liaka and Patika of Chukhsha (Chach) in the Western Punjab. One of the kings named Azes had under him at least one subordinate ruler, *e.g.*, the *Stratagos* Aspavarman. The title *Satrap* or *Kshatrapa* occurs in the Behistun Inscription of Persia in the form *Khshathrapāvan* which means ‘protector of the kingdom.’¹ “*Strategos*,” a Greek word, means a general. It is obvious that the Scythians continued in North-Western India the Perso-Hellenic system of government by *Satraps* and military governors. Coins and Inscriptions prove the existence of several other Satrapal families besides those mentioned above.