The Provinces of the Roman Empire, from Caesar to Diocletian. v. 2Mommsen, Theodor
History
The Provinces of the Roman Empire, from Caesar to Diocletian. v. 2
Mommsen, Theodor
Roman provinces -- Administration; Rome -- History -- Empire, 30 B.C.-476 A.D.
[18] The most definite testimony to the Parthian rule in these regions
is found in the description of the coasts of the Red Sea drawn up by
an Egyptian merchant under Vespasian, c. 38: “Behind the mouth of the
Indus in the interior lies the capital of Scythia Minnagara; but this
is ruled by the Parthians, who constantly chase away one another”
(ὑπὸ Πάρθων συνεχῶς ἀλλήλους ἐνδιωκόντων). The same is repeated in a
somewhat confused way, c. 41; it might here appear as if Minnagara lay
in India itself above Barygaza, and Ptolemy has already been led astray
by this; but certainly the writer, who speaks as to the interior only
from hearsay, has only wished to say that a large town Minnagara lay
inland not far from Barygaza, and much cotton was brought thence to
Barygaza. The numerous traces also of Alexander, which occur according
to the same authority in Minnagara, can be found only on the Indus,
not in Gujerat. The position of Minnagara on the lower Indus not far
from Hyderabad, and the existence of a Parthian rule there under
Vespasian, appear hereby assured.--With this we may be allowed to
combine the coins of king Gondopharus or Hyndopherres, who in a very
old Christian legend is converted to Christianity by St. Thomas, the
apostle of the Parthians and Indians, and in fact appears to belong
to the first period of the Roman empire (Sallet, _Num. Zeitschr._ vi.
355; Gutschmid, _Rhein. Mus._ xix. 162); of his brother’s son Abdagases
(Sallet, _ib._ p. 365), who may be identical with the Parthian prince
of this name in Tacitus, _Ann._ vi. 36, at any rate bears a Parthian
name; and lastly of king Sanabarus, who must have reigned shortly after
Hyndopherres, perhaps was his successor. Here belongs also a number
of other coins marked with Parthian names, Arsaces, Pacorus, Vonones.
This coinage attaches itself decidedly to that of the Arsacids (Sallet,
_ib._ p. 277); the silver pieces of Gondopharus and of Sanabarus--of
the others the coins are almost solely copper--correspond exactly to
the Arsacid drachmae. To all appearance these belong to the Parthian
princes of Minnagara; the appearance here of Indian legend alongside of
the Greek, as of Pahlavi writing among the late Arsacids, suits this
view. These, however, are not coins of satraps, but, as the Egyptian
indicates, of great-kings rivalling those of Ctesiphon; Hyndopherres
names himself in very corrupt Greek βασιλεὺς βασιλέων μέγας ἀυτόκρατωρ,
and in good Indian “Maharajah Rajadi Rajah.” If, as is not improbable,
under the Mambaros or Akabaros, whom the Periplus, c. 41, 52,
designates as ruler of the coast of Barygaza, there lurks the Sanabarus
of the coins, the latter belongs to the time of Nero or Vespasian, and
ruled not merely at the mouths of the Indus, but also over Gujerat.
Moreover, if an inscription found not far from Peshawur is rightly
referred to king Gondopharus, his rule must have extended up thither,
probably as far as Cabul.--The fact that Corbulo in the year 60 sent
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