Spalirisos
Spalirisos (also spelled Spalirises) was an Iranian king who ruled Arachosia in the 1st century BCE.[1] Before his rise to kingship, he served as a commander of Vonones of Sakastan, who had minted coins with his name and that of another commander, Spalahores, who are both referred to as "brother of the king".[2] Scholars such as R.C. Senior and Khodadad Rezakhani consider Spalirisos and Spalahores to indeed be Vonones' brothers,[3][1] while others such as K.W. Dobbins argue that it was an honorific title given to them, whom he considered to be Saka satraps.[4][lower-alpha 1]
A major argument against the proposal of a blood relationship between Vonones and the two commanders was due to both of them having Saka names, contrary to Vonones' Parthian name.[6] Saghi Gazerani has suggested that after the Arsacid re-conquest of Sakastan (sometime between 124–115 BC), which was given as a fiefdom to the Surenid general that led the expedition, the Surenids (who became independent after 88 BC) and Sakas became closely connected, presumably through alliances and intermarriages.[7] Indeed, Parthians and Sakas are often mixed up in Indian literature.[8] The mythological Iranian hero Rostam (who was from Sakastan), is mentioned in Iranian traditions as both Parthian and Saka, thus supporting this dual-identity.[8]
Notes
- Rezakhani has additionally suggested that Spalahores may simply have been a military title used by Vonones.[5]
References
- Rezakhani 2017, p. 34 (see also note 20).
- Gazerani 2015, p. 15.
- Gazerani 2015, pp. 15–16.
- Gazerani 2015, p. 16 (see also note 18).
- Rezakhani 2017, p. 34 (note 20).
- Gazerani 2015, p. 16.
- Gazerani 2015, p. 16–17.
- Gazerani 2015, p. 17.
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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) (registration required)
Preceded by Spalahores |
Indo-Scythian Ruler 50–47 BCE |
Succeeded by Azes I |