Spalagadames

Spalagadames (Kharosthi: 𐨭𐨿𐨤𐨫𐨒𐨡𐨨 Śpa-la-ga-da-ma, Śpalagadama^[1]) was an Iranian king, who ruled Sakastan in the last quarter of the 1st-century BC after his father Spalahores, who was himself possibly a brother of king Vonones. Spalagadames has been suggested by the Iranologist Khodadad Rezakhani to be the same figure as the first Indo-Parthian king Gondophares (r. 19–46 CE).^[2]

Silver tetradrachm of king Vonones mentioning his nephew Spalagadames, son of his brother Spalahores

Name

Spalagadames's name is attested on his coins in the Kharosthi form Śpalagadama (𐨭𐨿𐨤𐨫𐨒𐨡𐨨),^[1] which is derived from the Saka name *Spalagadama, meaning "commander of army".^[3]

References

1. Gardner, Percy (1929). The Coins of the Greek and Scythic Kings of Bactria and India in the British Museum. London: Gilbert & Rivington Ltd. pp. 99-100. ISBN 978-0-900-83452-3.
2. Rezakhani 2017, pp. 34, 37.
3. Harmatta, János (1999). "Languages and scripts in Graeco-Bactria and the Saka Kingdoms". In Harmatta, János; Puri, B. N.; Etemadi, G. F. (eds.). History of civilizations of Central Asia. Vol. 2. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House. p. 410. ISBN 978-8-120-81408-0.

Sources

• Gazerani, Saghi (2015). The Sistani Cycle of Epics and Iran's National History: On the Margins of Historiography. BRILL. pp. 1–250. ISBN 9789004282964.
• Rezakhani, Khodadad (2017). "East Iran in Late Antiquity". ReOrienting the Sasanians: East Iran in Late Antiquity. Edinburgh University Press. pp. 1–256. ISBN 9781474400305. JSTOR 10.3366/j.ctt1g04zr8. (registration required)

Preceded by Spalahores

King of Sakastan 1st-century BC

Succeeded by Gondophares