The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v1.c8.s3.13

v1.c8.s3.13

Neither Rudrasimha II nor his son Yaśodāman II, however, assume the title of *mahākshatrapa* like their predecessors. Both of them are content with the lower title *Kshatrapa*, which at this time indicated a subordinate or feudatory status. Some scholars hold that the imposition of Sassanian overlordship was responsible for these two rulers remaining content with the feudatory status. This view does not seem to be correct. The Sassanian emperor Narseh, who ruled from A.D. 293 to 303, was signally defeated by the Roman emperor Galerius, to whom he had to cede extensive territories in order to recover his family, which had fallen into the hands of the conqueror. Narseh therefore was not in a position to help Rudrasimha II in his effort to oust Bhartridāman. His successor Hormuzd II had only a short reign of seven years (A.D. 303-10), and is not known to have undertaken any expedition in the east. The next ruler, Shāpūr II, was a baby of less than a year at the time of his accession in A.D. 310, and so the Sassanians were not in a position to take any effective part in Kshatrapa politics down to *c.* A.D. 330. The Sassanian overlordship therefore does not seem to have been the cause for the reduction of the status of Rudrasimha II and his son Yaśodāman to that of mere Kshatrapas.