Representation of Titles of Early Kushan Rulers in Material Sources
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24852/2587-6112.2025.2.91.98Keywords:
Yabgu, “King”, “King of kings”, “Ruler of the world” and “Son of God”, Geray, state, coins, Turkic, first Kushan rulers, Kushan rulers, “Da-Yuezhi”, Kushan state, Turkic titleAbstract
By studying the titles of the rulers of the Kushan Empire, we aim to highlight the titular history of the Kushan rulers through the analysis of ancient Chinese written sources, numismatic artifacts minted by the Kushan rulers, and epigraphic sources of the Kushan period. Coins are one of the most important sources on the history of any nation. They reveal information such as the geography of the state, the rulers who ruled it, their titles (honorary status) and the economic potential of the state. When it comes to objectivity and information value, no other source is superior to coins. Our article highlights that the Kushan rulers bore the title "Yabgu", akin to the rulers of nomadic Turkic tribes, and also traces the evolution of titles among the early Kushan rulers. The study compares material and written sources, highlights how the titles of the ruler reflect the socio-political development of the state.
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