Gondophares
Also called: Gondophernes · Topic: Post-Mauryan India: Shungas to Kushanas · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Gondophares was a king of the Indo-Parthians in north-west India in the 1st century CE. The Indo-Parthians, also called Pahlavas, came from Iran. They took over parts of the north-west from the Shakas. Most of what we know about Gondophares comes from his coins and from one inscription.
Example
The Takht-i-Bahi inscription, found near Mardan in present-day Pakistan, names Gondophares. A Christian tradition says that St Thomas, an apostle of Jesus, visited his court. This story makes him one of the few Indian rulers of the time linked to early Christian writings.
Don't confuse with
- Shakas (Indo-Scythians): they came from Central Asia and ended Indo-Greek rule. The Indo-Parthians were a separate group with Iranian roots, who came after them and ruled alongside them.
- Kushanas: they later replaced the Indo-Parthians in the north-west. Gondophares was not a Kushana.