DDK HistoryF.p65 - CSIR

8.1 J THE SATRAPS 247
and his successors, who also pushed into the unhappy Indus valley,
followed by the Sakas Maues, Azes and others. The Kusanas ended the
procession when they conquered Bactria, then Kasmir, and northern
India. This Was a more enduring occupation. Their full empire is regarded
as beginning in A. D. 78 with the coronation of Kaniska — a 4ate that
has beerf heavily contested The era of A. D. 78 is still current as the
Salivahana-Saka. The Kusanas adopted Indian ways more successfully
than Menan-der or any other invaders before them, striking coins with
the image of the Buddha, or of Siva, and other deities. Their gigantic
stupas were admired by Chinese pilgrims in the seventh and Albiruni in
the llth century A. D. Their retention of empire till Vasudeva (about A. D.
200) — with the usual diminution — seems to have been due to a better
method of continued surplus extraction than the casual raids of the rest.
The provinces were assigned to satraps with full powers, perhaps on the
still remembered Achaemenid and Perso-Greek model, but with a crucial
difference. The Persian satraps, though nobles, were technically slaves
(bandaka) of the King of Kings, subject to arbitrary recall and summary
punishment without trial, at the autocrat’s will. It is not always clear who
the overlord was for the Indian satraps, e.g. HagSna, Hagamasa, (both
Jewish sounding) Rajula at Mathura. The Kusana satraps wielded
full powers, had the right of succession in their lines and in some cases
assumed the title of rajctn at the same time. Vanaspara and Kharapalliana
are known simply as ‘Great Satraps’ by the Sarnath inscription dated 4
of the Kusana era. The Scythian descendants of Castana, including
Rudradaman (circa A. D. 150), took the title of king and fought wars on
their account, while remaining Satraps. What tribute they paid is not
known, but the title has a tributary implication. The khakharata
Nahapaana who also styled himself satrap and king at Ujjain was
defeated by Gotamiputa Satakani. Gotamlputra’s son (?) Vasithiputa
Pulumayi fought and lost two battles with Rudradaman. Though they
could not have belonged to the sapie caste, race, tribe, or linguistic group,
this or another Vasithiputa Sri-Satakarni was Rudradaman’s son-in-law.
The period does not end with the stabilization of Satavahanas in