Vijayamitra

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Silver coin of Vijayamitra in the name of Azes. Buddhist triratna symbol in the left field on the reverse.
Apracaraja Vijayamitra.
Apracaraja Vijayamitra.

Vijayamitra (ruled 12 BCE - 15 CE) was an Indo-Scythian king of the Apracas in Bajaur, western Pakistan. He is mentioned in a recently discovered inscription in Kharoshthi on a Buddhist reliquary (published by Salomon in 2005), which gives a relationship between several eras of the period, and especially gives confirmation of a Yavana era in relation to the Azes era:

"In the twenty-seventh - 27 - year in the reign of Lord Vijayamitra, the King of the Apraca; in the seventy-third - 73 - year which is called "of Azes", in the two hundred and first - 201 - year of the Yonas (Greeks), on the eighth day of the month of Sravana; on this day was established [this] stupa by Rukhana, the wife of the King of Apraca, [and] by Vijayamitra, the king of Apraca, [and] by Indravarma (Indravasu?), the commander (stratega), [together] with their wives and sons."[1][2]

This dedication indicates that King Vijayamitra was a follower of Buddhism. His coins also bear the triratna Buddhist symbol.

Notes

  1. ^ "Afghanistan, carrefour en l'Est et l'Ouest" p.373. Also Senior 2003
  2. ^ Des Indo-Grecs aux Sassanides, Rika Gyselen, Peeters Publishers, 2007, p.103 [1]

References

  • Senior, R.C. (2006). Indo-Scythian coins and history. Volume IV. Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. ISBN 0-9709268-6-3. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)