Kharahostes

Kharahostes
Indo-Scythian king
Coin of Kharahostes (or possibly his son Mujatria),[1] in the name of Azes. Obv. Azes riding, with corrupted Greek legend (ωΕΙΛΟN ωΕΟΛΛωN ΙΟϹΑΑϹ) for ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΑΖΟΥ "King of Kings Azes", and Buddhist Triratna symbol behind the head of the king. Rev. City goddess Tyche standing left holding cornucopia and raised right hand. Kharoshthi legend Maharajasa mahatasa Dhramakisa Rajatirajasa Ayasa "The Great king followower of the Dharma, King of Kings Azes"
Reign	10 BCE – 10 CE

Kharahostes or Kharaosta (Greek: Χαραηώστης Kharahṓstēs, ΧΑΡΑΗωϹΤΕΙ Kharahōstei (epigraphic); Kharosthi: 𐨑𐨪𐨀𐨆𐨯𐨿𐨟 Kha-ra-o-sta, Kharaosta,^[2] 𐨑𐨪𐨩𐨆𐨯𐨿𐨟 Kha-ra-yo-sta, Kharayosta;^[3]) was an Indo-Scythian ruler (probably a satrap) in the northern Indian subcontinent around 10 BCE – 10 CE. He is known from his coins, often in the name of Azes II, and possibly from an inscription on the Mathura lion capital, although another satrap Kharaostes has been discovered in Mathura.^[1]

He was probably a successor of Azes II. Epigraphical evidence from inscribed reliquaries show for certain that he was already "Yabgu-King", when the Indravarman Silver Reliquary was dedicated, which is itself positioned with certainty before the 5-6 CE Bajaur casket.^[3] There is some dispute however about the exact meaning of Yabgu-King. For Richard Salomon, Yabgu means "tribal chief", in the manner of the Kushans, suggesting that Kharahostes was already fully king by the end of the 1st century BCE, supporting a 10 BCE- 10 CE date for his reign. For Joe Cribb, this is a misspelling by a careless scribe, and should be read "yuva-King" which means "Heir apparent", and therefore would push forward the years Kharahostes actually ruled to the first part of the 1st century CE.^[1]

Coin finds suggest that Kharahostes ruled in the area of the Darunta district to the west of Jalalabad, probably based on the ancient city of Nagarahara, located to the west of Jalalabad.^[1]