Post Mauryan Period: Sakas

Sakas were the Scythians, horse-riding nomadic pastoralists of ancient Iran. They destroyed the Indo-Greek rule in India. Sakas were their Sanskrit names. They migrated to Indian subcontinent following their defeat by the Central Asian nomadic tribes. The earliest Shaka ruler was Maues. He ruled around 80-60 BC. And his power establishment was in Gandhara region. He had set up his capital in Sirkap.

He assumed the title of maharaja mahatma and issued a large number of copper coins. His coins bear the images of Indian deities Shiva and Buddha and the language used in coin legends were Greek and Kharoshthi.

What is Moga inscription?

It refers to the Taxila copper plate. It is written in Kharosthi and it mentions the dedication of a relic of the Buddha Shakyamuni to a Buddhist monastery by the Saka ruler Patika Kusulaka. Patika Kusulaka is also mentioned in Mathura lion capital.

The successors of Maues

Among the successors of Maues, Azes-I was the most illustrious ruler. He founded the Azes era as well as conquered the kingdom of the Indo-Greek Hippostratos.
Azes II was considered to be the last Saka ruler.