Spalahores
| Spalahores | |
|---|---|
 Silver tetradrachm minted under Vonones, with the legend of his name and Spalahores | |
| King of Sakastan | |
| Reign | 57 BC–??? |
| Predecessor | Vonones |
| Successor | Spalagadames |
| Died | Unknown |
| Issue | Spalagadames |
Spalahores, also spelled Spalohres or Spalahora, (Greek: Σπαλαχόρης Spalakhórēs; Σπαλύρις Spalýris,[1] ϹΠΑΛΥΡΙΟϹ Spalyrios (epigraphic); Kharosthi: 𐨭𐨿𐨤𐨫𐨱𐨆𐨪 Śpa-la-ho-ra, Śpalahora;[2] ruled circa 57-35 BCE), was an Iranian king who ruled Sakastan in the 1st-century BC.
Name
[edit | edit source]Spalahores's name is attested on his coins in the Greek forms Spalakhórēs (Σπαλαχόρης) and Spalýris (Σπαλύρις),[1] and in the Kharosthi form Śpalahora (𐨭𐨿𐨤𐨫𐨱𐨆𐨪),[2] which are derived from the Saka name *Spalahaura, meaning "commander of the army".[3]
Career
[edit | edit source]Before his rise to kingship, he served as a commander of his predecessor, Vonones, who had minted coins with his name and that of another commander, Spalirisos, who are both referred to as "brother of the king".[4] Scholars such as R.C. Senior and Khodadad Rezakhani consider Spalahores and Spalirisos to indeed be Vonones' brothers,[5][6] while others such as K.W. Dobbins argue that it was an honorific title given to them, whom he considered to be Saka satraps.[7][a]
A major argument against the proposal of a blood relationship between Vonones and the two commanders was due to both of them having Saka names, contrary to Vonones' Parthian name.[9] Saghi Gazerani has suggested that after the Arsacid re-conquest of Sakastan (sometime between 124–115 BC), which was given as a fiefdom to the Surenid general that led the expedition, the Surenids (who became independent after 88 BC) and Sakas became closely connected, presumably through alliances and intermarriages.[10] Indeed, Parthians and Sakas are often mixed up in Indian literature.[11] The mythological Iranian hero Rostam (who was from Sakastan), is mentioned in Iranian traditions as both Parthian and Saka, thus supporting this dual-identity.[11]
Spalahores' son and successor, Spalagadames, has been suggested by Rezakhani to be the same figure as the first Indo-Parthian king Gondophares (r. 19–46 CE).[12]
Notes
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Gazerani 2015, p. 15.
- ^ Gazerani 2015, pp. 15–16.
- ^ Rezakhani 2017, p. 34 (see also note 20).
- ^ Gazerani 2015, p. 16 (see also note 18).
- ^ Rezakhani 2017, p. 34 (note 20).
- ^ Gazerani 2015, p. 16.
- ^ Gazerani 2015, p. 16–17.
- ^ a b Gazerani 2015, p. 17.
- ^ Rezakhani 2017, pp. 34, 37.
Sources
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- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). (registration required)
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