Jivadaman‑Rudrasimha Problem Reviewed

This numismatic study examines the succession problem involving Western Kṣatrapa rulers Jivadaman and Rudrasimha. Previous scholar Rapson hypothesised that Jivadaman ruled, lost power from A.D. 103 to 110, and later regained it; his view relied heavily on coin portraits that supposedly show the rulers’ ages. The article questions this approach, arguing that the portrait features on coins are conventional and cannot reliably indicate the age of the issuing king. It points out that coins labelled ‘Kṣatrapa’ and ‘Mahākṣatrapa’ might have been issued simultaneously by brothers or co‑rulers, following a tradition where the heir used a junior title while his elder brother held senior office. Gaps in dated coin series may reflect lost hoards rather than real interregnums. The author cautions that missing numerals or abrupt stylistic changes do not by themselves prove deposition or death. Instead, he advocates examining inscriptions and cross‑referencing with other dynastic histories to resolve the chronology. The article concludes that the Jivadaman–Rudrasimha succession cannot be solved solely through numismatic evidence, and that multiple lines of evidence must be integrated for a reliable reconstruction.

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