Shalivahana era

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The Shalivahana era, also known as the Saka era, is used with Hindu calendars, the Indian national calendar, and the Cambodian Buddhist calendar. Its year zero begins near the vernal equinox of 78.^{[citation needed]}

The Satavahana king Shalivahana (sometimes identified as Gautamiputra Satakarni) is credited with the initiation of the era known as Shalivahana Saka to celebrate his victory against Vikramaditya of Ujjayini in the year 78.^{[citation needed]}

A silver coin of the Western Satrap ruler Rudrasena I (200-222). This coin bears a date of the Saka era in the Brahmi script on the reverse: 131 Saka era, corresponding to 219 CE. 16mm, 2.2 grams.

Alternatively, it is thought that the Saka era (sometimes abbreviated to "SE" in numismatic circles) marked the victory of the Sakas over the dynasty of king Vikramāditya in Ujjain, Malwa. After this victory, the Sakas established the Western Satraps kingdom, which was to rule the region for more than three centuries.^[1]

The era was also used by Javanese courts from Old Javanese times until 1633, when it was replaced by Anno Javanico, a hybrid Javanese-Islamic system.^[2]

[edit] References

^ "The dynastic art of the Kushans", John Rosenfield, p130
^ M.C. Ricklefs, A History of Modern Indonesia Since c. 1300, 2nd ed. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1993, pages 5 and 46.