Kujula Kadphises
/kuːˈdʒuːlə kædˈfiːsiːz/noun
Kujula Kadphises was a first-century Indo-Scythian or Kushan ruler who helped establish Kushan power in northern India and Central Asia.
Did you know?Kujula Kadphises issued coins imitating the earlier Indo-Greek king Hermaeus, suggesting that political legitimacy could be claimed by literally wearing another ruler’s monetary identity.
Etymological Timeline
2nd–1st Century BCE
Chinese
月氏 (Yuezhi)
“The Yuezhi were a Central Asian people who migrated westward after pressure from the Xiongnu; later Kushan rulers emerged from one of their divisions.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Bactrian
Kushan
“A dynastic or tribal name associated with the Guishuang branch of the Yuezhi; its exact internal etymology remains uncertain.”
1st Century CE
Greek on coins
Κοζουλου Καδφιζου
“A Greek-script rendering conventionally read as Kujula Kadphises, appearing on coins attributed to the ruler.”
1st Century CE
Prakrit/Brahmi
Kujula Kadaphasa
“A Prakrit-Brahmi form of the ruler’s name found in South Asian numismatic and inscriptional evidence; spellings vary by script and source.”
Modern scholarship
English
Kujula Kadphises
“The standard modern scholarly form for the early Kushan ruler who consolidated territories formerly controlled by Indo-Greek and Indo-Scythian powers.”