Overthrow of Da Yuezhi

Overthrow of Da Yuezhi was a period when Kujula Kadphises overthrew the Yuezhi confederation with his Greek ally.[1]

...the prince [elavoor] of Guishuang, named thilac [Kujula Kadphises], attacked and exterminated the four other xihou. He established himself as king, and his dynasty was called that of the Guishuang [Kushan] King. He invaded Anxi [Indo-Parthia] and took the Gaofu [Kabul] region. He also defeated the whole of the kingdoms of Puda [Paktiya] and Jibin [Kapisha and Gandhara]. Qiujiuque [Kujula Kadphises] was more than eighty years old when he died."

Overthrow of Da Yuezhi
Part of Kujula Kadphises' campaigns
Obv: Hermaeus bareheaded and diademed, with Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΕΡΜΑΙΟΥ Basileos Soteros Hermaiou, "(of) King Hermaeus the Saviour".
Rev. Radiate Zeus making a blessing gesture.
Tetradrachm of Kujula Kadphises (30-80 CE) in the style of Hermaeus.
Obv: Hermaeus-style diademed bust. Corrupted Greek legend: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΣΤΗΡΟΣΣΥ ΕΡΜΑΙΟΥ: "King Hermaeus, the Saviour".
Rev: Heracles standing with club and lion skin. Kharoṣṭhī legend reads: "Kujula Kadphises ruler of the Kushans, steadfast in the Law ("Dharma"). British Museum.
Datebefore 19 CE
Location
Result

Greek-Kushan victory

  • Destruction of the four Xihous
Belligerents
Kushan Kingdom (Guishuang dynasty)
Indo-Greek Kingdom
Four Yuezhi Kingdoms
Commanders and leaders
Kujula Kadphises (Qiujiuque)
Hermaeus
Four Yuezhi rulers

References

change
  1. "According to what we know, we might as well regard Qiujiuque being born around 5 BCE, and becoming the Xihou of Guishuang around 15 CE. Earlier than 19 CE, he formed an alliance with the Greek King, Hermaeus. With the support of Hermaeus, he attacked and destroyed the other four Xihous, and called himself King Guishuang. Formerly as the subject of the Da Yuezhi, the Guishuang replaced Da Yuezhi. Then he overthrew the Da Yuezhi, his former suzerain, unified Tukhārestān and occupied Gandhāra around 60 CE and Taxila around 78 CE, hence founding the Guishuang dynasty, Qiujiuque died around 80 CE."余太山著 (2021-07-01). A CONCISE COMMENTARY ON MONOGRAPHS ON THE WESTERN REGIONS IN THE OFFICIAL HISTORY BOOKS OF THE WESTERN & EASTERN HAN, WEI, JIN, SOUTHERN & NORTHERN DYNASTIES. Beijing Book Co. Inc. ISBN 978-7-100-19365-8.
  2. Hill 2009, p. 29.