KADAPHES or Kadphises, a dynasty of three rulers, who reigned in Kabul from the downfall of the kingdom of Vikramaditya.
Sir Walter Elliot says the Kadphises and Kanerki were Indo-Scythic invaders who estab lished themselves for a time in the north of India, and even penetrated to the Dekhan. Coins belong ing to the Kadphises group, though of a different form, have been found at Joghar in the Ganjam district, and undoubted Kadphises coins have been obtained at Madras, Triehinopoly, and Masulipatam.
Kadphises' name is on the Aryan reverse of the Hermleus coins of Hercules .type. The Her cules worship was readily borrowed from the Greeks by the wild Scythians, as a mere rever ence of physical strength. The Kohistan is supposed to be the district of the first rise of Kadphises, while Kabul and its valley were subject to Indian rule ; and, while there, the chief seems to have retained his Scythian title and rude worship of Hercules. Afterwards over powering the Indian governor who had followed Vikramaditya into the Kabul valley and Panjab, he or his descendants seem to have adopted the Hindu religion, coining with Greek, and dropping their Scythian title. In a gold coinage by a Kadphises king, Siva occurs in the mixed male and female character, and very generally accom panied by the bull Nandi. Professor Lassen discovered in Chinese history, that Khi-out-chiu hi Kui-tsi-kio, a Yuchi or Yeutchi or White Hun, conquered the Szu or Azes Scythians in about B.C. 40, and dying at the advanced age of 84 years, his son Yen-kao-Ching prosecuted his career of victory, and reduced the Indus valley and Panjab to subjection in about D.C. 20. The names are scarcely recognisable, but the facts and period correspond to the career and supposed era of the Kadphises kings.
Korosoko Kosoulo Kadphisea, B.C. 50 ; in Aryan, Dhamarata Kujula. kasa Sabashakha Kadaphasa. His coins are of the Hercules and Hermfous type.
Zathos Kadaphes Khoranos, B.C. 20. On the
reverse of the coins is a sitting figure, with the arm extended, and wearing a loose flowing Indian dress. They have monograms the same as the Azes coins. The Siva worship had not yet been established as the State religion.
Vohemo Kadphises, B.C. 5. His copper coins have the king standing in a Tartar dress, with coat, boots, and cap, his right hand pointing downwards to an altar or pile of loaves, and having a trident separate on one side and a club on the other. The reverse has the Siva Nandi bull.
The readings of the Aryan inscriptions on coins of the Kadphises kings, by Lassen, James Prinsep, and Wilson, are somewhat different, and it is suggested that the words Koroso, Kosoulo, Koranos, and Zathos were titles short of royalty. Professors Lassen and Wilson carry the dynasty of Kadphises through the whole of the first century of the present era, and consider it to have been then overpowered by a fresh swarm of Scythians under the Kanerki kings. Mr. H. T. Prinsep supposes that during the ascendency of the Kadphises kings the Grieco-Parthian party still held out in cities and communities, abiding their time to re-assert their independence, and rose again about the middle of the first century of our era ; amongst these, coins show ' Undopherres, A.D. 40, calling himself king of kings in Greek, and in Aryan Maharajasa Raja Rajasa, Tradatasa, Mahatasa, Pharahitasa.
Gondopherres or Gondophares, B.C. 55, who took the same Aryan name of Pharahitasa.
Abagasus, king of kings, A.D. 70, in Aryan Abakhafasa. Professor Lassen supposes this name to be identical with Vologeses. Mr. H. T. Prinsep supposes these coins to be of Par thians who established for themselves a separate and independent sovereignty in Kabul and the Paropamisus.
Abalgasius, A.D. 80. Captain Cunningham de scribed the Aryan legend on the coins to be of the saviour king Abagasus, younger son of Undo pherres.—Prinsep.