| Gondophares | |
|---|---|
| King of Kings | |
 Silver coin of Gondophares, minted in Drangiana | |
| Indo-Parthian king | |
| Reign | c. 19 – c. 46 |
| Predecessor | Tanlis Mardates[1] |
| Successor | Orthagnes (Drangiana and Arachosia) Abdagases I (Gandhara) |
| Died | 46 |
| Religion | Christianity |
Gondophares I (Greek: Γονδοφαρης Gondopharēs, Υνδοφερρης Hyndopherrēs; Kharosthi: 𐨒𐨂𐨡𐨥𐨪 Gu-da-pha-ra, Gudaphara;[2] 𐨒𐨂𐨡𐨥𐨪𐨿𐨣 Gu-da-pha-rna, Gudapharna;[3][4] 𐨒𐨂𐨡𐨂𐨵𐨪 Gu-du-vha-ra, Guduvhara[5]) was the founder of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom and its most prominent king, ruling from 19 to 46. He probably belonged to a line of local princes who had governed the Parthian province of Drangiana since its disruption by the Indo-Scythians in c. 129 BC, and may have been a member of the House of Suren. During his reign, his kingdom became independent from Parthian authority and was transformed into an empire, which encompassed Drangiana, Arachosia, and Gandhara.[6] He is generally known from the Acts of Thomas, the Takht-i-Bahi inscription, and silver and copper coins bearing his visage.
He was succeeded in Drangiana and Arachosia by Orthagnes, and in Gandhara by his nephew Abdagases I.[7][8]
- ^ Rezakhani 2017, p. 56.
- ^ Gardner, Percy, The Coins of the Greek and Scythic Kings of Bactria and India in the British Museum, p. 103-106
- ^ Alexander Cunningham, Coins of the Sakas, The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Numismatic Society, Third Series, Vol. 10 (1890), pp. 103-172
- ^ Gardner, Percy, The Coins of the Greek and Scythic Kings of Bactria and India in the British Museum, p. 105
- ^ Konow, Sten, Kharoshṭhī Inscriptions with the Exception of Those of Aśoka, Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum, Vol. II, Part I. Calcutta: Government of India Central Publication Branch, p. 58
- ^ Rezakhani 2017, p. 35.
- ^ Rezakhani 2017, p. 37.
- ^ Gazerani 2015, p. 25.