The Place of Mahaksatrapa Isvaradatta in the Western Ksatrapa Chronology

Summary

This article reconstructs the place of the little‑known ruler Iṣvaradatta in the Western Kṣatrapa chronology. It points out that his coins closely resemble those of the Western Kṣatrapas and thus suggest he seized power from that dynasty for a brief period. Scholars have argued that he replaced Rudrasena III as ruler and reigned for only a decade. The author analyses coin hoards from Baroda and Malwa and observes that Iṣvaradatta’s silver pieces are overstruck on coins of the Western Kṣatrapas. By comparing legends, portraits and metrology, he proposes that Iṣvaradatta ruled between Śaka 273 and 284 (A.D. 351–362)file:///home/oai/share/563034_compressed-243-389.pdf. The article discusses how his titles differ from those of other usurpers and notes that his coinage shows a blend of Indo‑Scythian and local features. It also comments on the political circumstances that allowed a usurper to come to power, suggesting that dynastic feuds weakened the Western Kṣatrapas. The author concludes that although Iṣvaradatta’s reign was short, his coinage is crucial for adjusting the chronology of the Western Kṣatrapa dynasty. He calls for further hoard discoveries and numismatic studies to refine the sequence of rulers.