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Vijayasena was the third of four sons of Dāmasena who came to the throne. He issued coins as kshatrapa in the years 160 and 161, perhaps while his
brother Yasodāman was still on the throne, and then coins as mahakshatrapa starting in the years 162. His last known coins are dated 172.
Vijayasena may have faced a rebellion from a non-family source. There are coins of a ruler named Isvaradatta, who issued coins in two separate years, perhaps in
the years 164-65. We are not sure because the reading of the date on his coins is tentative ans somewhat controversial. But those years correspond to Vijayasena's
reign.
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Vijayasena as kshatrapa |
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Vijayasena as kshatrapa, silver drachm
S. 160-61 (=238-39 CE)
Head of king right, date behind head /
Chaitya (3-arched hill), river below, crescent moon and sun above, Brahmi legend around
rajno mahakshatrapasa damasenasaputrasa rajnah kshatrapasa vijayasenasa
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as mahakshatrapa |
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Vijayasena as mahakshatrapa, silver drachm
S. 162 (=240 CE)
Head of king right, date behind head: 162 /
Chaitya (3-arched hill), river below, crescent moon and sun above, Brahmi legend around
rajno mahakshatrapasa damasenasaputrasa rajno mahakshatrapasa vijayasenasa
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I think this coin may be the most beautiful Western Kshatrapa coin I have ever seen ... an absolute masterpiece of the celator's art. The calligraphy of the Brahmi legend
is particularly stunning. Most Western Kshatrapa coin legends lack some or all of the diacritics for the vowels, so it would not be unusual to see Vijayasena's name
rendered as Vijayasana, or his father Daamasena's name rendered as Damasana. But here all the diacritics are carefully rendered, and the overall
arrangement of the letters and their long tails is simply beautiful and highly artistic. |
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Vijayasena as mahakshatrapa, silver drachm
S. 162 (=240 CE)
Head of king right, date behind head: 167 /
Chaitya (3-arched hill), river below, crescent moon and sun above, Brahmi legend around
rajno mahakshatrapasa damasenasaputrasa rajno mahakshatrapasa vijayasenasa
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"Bombay fabric" |
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Vijayasena as mahakshatrapa, silver drachm, undated
Head of king right, date behind head: 162 /
Chaitya (3-arched hill), river below, crescent moon and sun above, Brahmi legend around
rajno mahakshatrapasa damasenasaputrasa rajno mahakshatrapasa vijayasenasa
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This is a coin in the so-called "Bombay fabric," lighter, undated coins that lack the blundered obverse legend and frequently have mistakes in the reverse legend also.
These coins have not yet been properly studied. |
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