The Kidarites, the numismatic evidence.pdf (original) (raw)

Numismatic Evidence for Iranian Huns

Hunnic Peoples in Central and South Asia, 2020

A short overview of the published catalogues of 'Iranian Hun' coins including some sample images. The appendix to the source book provides some concordances and explains the slightly daunting numbering system which has accumulated through several decades of work by numismatists in Vienna. The whole collection (included in the document) is excellently edited by Daniel Balogh.

Research on the Guptas and (Iranian) Huns, 2014-2021

2022

The last seven years have been highly fruitful for research on the Guptas and Iranian Huns. New advances have been made in identifying new coin types and varieties, much progress has been made in properly attributing coins, and new interpretations of both the coins and the history have been put forth. In addition, there has been new information on hoard finds. In what follows we will first consider the Guptas and then the Huns. The first few pages will provide an overall summary of the most important research findings, to be followed by detailed accounts and reviews of individual publications.

A study on the Kidarites: Reexamination of documentary sources

Archivum Eurasiae Medii Aevi, vol. 19, 2013

Various documentary and numismatic sources mention the Kidarites, an enigmatic group of nomads in Central Asian history. This article attempts to reconstruct the chronology of the Kidarites primarily on the basis of documentary sources, especially Chinese Buddhist sources which have not yet been thoroughly studied. From this study we can see that much historical information is preserved in the biographies and chronicles of Chinese Buddhist literature. The author also discusses the ethno-political affinities of the Kidarites as well as their relationships with other contemporary ethnic groups.

Two Curious 'Kidarite' Coin Types from 5th Century Kashmir

Journal of the Oriental Numismatic Society (JONS), Vol. 230, 2017

This paper discusses six recently discovered coins, which were issued by the Kidarite Huns in the north-western part of the Indian subcontinent in the fifth century AD.

The Huns (‘Hūṇas’) in India: A Review

Studies in People's History, 2021

Limited attention seems to have been paid in Indian historical work to the Hunas except for the general assumption that they played a very destructive role in Indian history. There is need for a fresh appraisal of the Huna polity in the light of the Schoyen copper scroll, and futher work on the numismatic evidence, while the details of their conflict with the Guptas need to be properly worked out. Finally, the objective behind their deep intrusion into central India (especially Malwa) has to be located in a broader context.

Numismatic Evidence of the Alchon Huns reconsidered

Die sogenannten ‚Iranischen Hunnen’ sowie ihre westtürkischen Nachfolger treten vom späten 4. bis ins zur arabischen Eroberung im 8. Jahrhundert in Zentralasien, dem heutigen Uzbekistan, Afghanistan und Pakistan, in Erscheinung. Der Ruf der Hunnen in Indien steht jenem Attilas in Europa an Grausamkeit um Nichts nach. Die Iranischen Hunnen haben – im Gegensatz zu ihren europäischen Verwandten – über vier Jahrhunderte hinweg eine umfangreiche Münzprägung unterhalten; bis heute sind über 350 verschiedene Münztypen auf uns gekommen. In beinahe völliger Ermangelung schriftlicher Quellen und moderner archäologischer Ergebnisse sind ihre Münzen die mit Abstand wichtigste Primärquelle, die in Mittelpersisch, dem auf Alexander den Großen zurückgehenden Baktrischen sowie in indischem Sanskrit beschriftet sind. Einzig auf dieser Grundlage konnten vier Hauptgruppen, oder Clans, erkannt werden: die Kidariten, Alchon, Nezak und Hephthaliten. Die Westtürken wurden ursprünglich als Verbündete gegen die Hunnen zu Hilfe gerufen, ihre Münzprägung schließt jedoch direkt an jene der Hunnen an. Eine kürzlich veröffentlichte Inschrift nennt nun erstmals vier Könige der Alchon-Hunnen, die bisher anders bzw. gar nicht miteinander in Verbindung gebracht werden konnten. Der in Englisch abgefaßte Artikel stellt nun am neuesten Forschungsstand etliche neue Münztypen vor und beleuchtet die Impulse, die aus der Zusammenschau mehrerer Quellengattungen für die Geschichte der Iranischen Hunnen gewonnen werden können.