Azilises

{{Infobox royalty

| name = Azilises

| image = Coin of Azilises.jpg

| caption = Coin of Azilises, Gandhara mint

| succession = Indo-Scythian king

| reign = 57 – 35 BC

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| predecessor = Azes I

| successor = Azes II

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Azilises (Greek: {{lang|grc|Αζιλίσης}} {{transl|grc|Azilísēs}}, {{lang|grc|ΑΖΙΛΙΣΟΥ}} {{transl|grc|Azilisou}} (epigraphic); Kharosthi: {{lang|pgd|𐨀𐨩𐨁𐨫𐨁𐨮}} {{transl|pgd|A-yi-li-ṣa}}, {{transl|pgd|Ayiliṣa}}{{cite book |last=Gardner |first=Percy |author-link=Percy Gardner |date=1929 |title=The Coins of the Greek and Scythic Kings of Bactria and India in the British Museum |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924022932382 |location=London |publisher=Gilbert & Rivington Ltd. |pages=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924022932382/page/n171/mode/2up 92]-[https://archive.org/details/cu31924022932382/page/n175/mode/2up 97] |isbn=978-0-900-83452-3 }}) was an Indo-Scythian king who ruled in the area of Gandhara circa 57-35 BCE.

Name

Azes's name is attested on his coins in the Greek form {{transl|grc|Azilísēs}} ({{lang|grc|Αζιλίσης}}) and the Kharosthi form {{transl|pgd|Ayiliṣa}} ({{lang|pgd|𐨀𐨩𐨁𐨫𐨁𐨮}}), which are both derived from the Saka name {{lang|xsc|*Azalīźa}}, meaning "commander-in-chief".{{cite book |last=Harmatta |first=János |author-link=János Harmatta |editor-last1=Harmatta |editor-first1=János |editor-link1=János Harmatta |editor-last2=Puri |editor-first2=B. N. |editor-link2=Baij Nath Puri |editor-last3=Etemadi |editor-first3=G. F. |date=1999 |chapter=Languages and scripts in Graeco-Bactria and the Saka Kingdoms |title=History of civilizations of Central Asia |volume=2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DguGWP0vGY8C |location=Delhi |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishing House |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=9U6RlVVjpakC&pg=PA409 409] |isbn=978-8-120-81408-0}}

Coinage

Azilises issued some joint coins with Azes, where Azes is presented as king on the obverse (ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΝ ΜΕΓΑΛΟΥ ΑΖΙΛΙΣΟΥ), and Azilises is introduced as king on the obverse in kharoshthi ("Maharajasa rajarajasa mahatasa Ayilisasa", "The great king, the king of kings, the great Azilises").{{cite book |last=Mitchiner |first=Michael |author-link= |date=1975 |title=Indo-Greek and Indo-Scythian Coinage |volume=2 |url= |location=Sanderstead |publisher=Hawkins Publications |page=132 |isbn=978-0-904-17309-3 }}

References

Sources

{{cite journal |last=Olbrycht|first=Marek Jan| title=The Sacral Kingship of the early Arsacids. I. Fire Cult and Kingly Glory|date=2016|pages=91–106|url=https://www.academia.edu/33754166|url-access=registration|journal=Anabasis. Studia Classica et Orientalia}}
The Shape of Ancient Thought. Comparative studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies by Thomas McEvilley (Allworth Press and the School of Visual Arts, 2002) {{ISBN|1-58115-203-5}}
The Greeks in Bactria and India, W.W. Tarn, Cambridge University Press.