Rabatak inscription
Topic: Post-Mauryan India: Shungas to Kushanas · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Rabatak inscription is a stone inscription found in 1993 at Rabatak in northern Afghanistan. It is written in the Bactrian language using Greek letters. It belongs to Kanishka's reign. It matters because it sets out Kanishka's family line and tells us how far his power reached into India.
Example
The inscription names Kanishka's ancestors in order: Kujula Kadphises (great-grandfather), Vima Taktu (grandfather) and Vima Kadphises (father). It also lists Indian cities under his control, including Ujjain, Saketa, Kaushambi, Pataliputra and Champa. Even so, Kanishka's exact date remains uncertain, usually given as c. 78 CE.
Don't confuse with
- Mat statue inscription: this is the Brahmi legend on Kanishka's headless statue near Mathura. It gives his titles, such as devaputra, not his family line.
- Kanishka casket: this is a Buddhist relic box from near Peshawar with short Kharosthi inscriptions. It is not a royal family record.
Related concepts
- Kushanas
- Kujula Kadphises
- Vima Kadphises
- Kanishka
- Huvishka
- Divine kingship
- Devaputra
- Kanishka's coins
- Kanishka casket