Sophagasenus

Sophagasenus was an Indian Mauryan governor or king of the 3rd century BCE, described in ancient Greek sources, and named Subhagasena or Subhashsena in Prakrit. He ruled an area south of the Hindu Kush, possibly in Gandhara.

Antiochos III, the Seleucid king, after having made peace with Euthydemus in Bactria, went to India in 206 BCE and is said to have renewed his friendship with the Indian king there:

Antiochus III encountered Sophagasenus in India.

"He crossed the Caucasus and descended into India; renewed his friendship with Sophagasenus the king of the Indians; received more elephants, until he had a hundred and fifty altogether; and having once more provisioned his troops, set out again personally with his army: leaving Androsthenes of Cyzicus the duty of taking home the treasure which this king had agreed to hand over to him." Polybius 11.39

The names of Subhagasena is mentioned in the list of Mauryan princes, and also in the list of the Yadava dynasty, as a descendant of Pradyumana. He may have been a grandson of Ashoka, or Kunala, the son of Ashoka.

Around 190 BCE Subhagasena may have been attacked by the Sunga Empire, which came to control the capital of Sakala in Punjab.

Either he or his successors were definitely attacked and displaced by the Greco-Bactrians under Demetrius around 180 BCE.

The descendants of Subhagasena are said to have founded the state of Zabul (or Gujni in Afghanistan), and later moved to the area of the Indus and Punjab, to found the line of Bhatti rulers of the Jaisalmer state in modern Rajastan.

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