Asii, also written Asioi, were one of the nomadic tribes mentioned in Roman and Greek accounts as responsible for the downfall of the state of Bactria circa 140 BCE. These tribes are usually identified as "Scythian" or "Saka" peoples.
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The texts relating to the Asii are very brief. The three main surviving classical sources are those of Strabo, Trogus and Justin. Both Trogus' Historiae Philippicae (as preserved in Justin) and Strabo's Geography exist in a number of ancient manuscripts containing significant textual variations leading to widely varying translations and interpretations.
Trogus (Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus; fl. 1st century BCE) wrote his Historiae Philppicae in Latin. Unfortunately, only his 'Prologues' have survived intact. He mentions three tribes involved in the conquest of Bactria: the Asiani, Sacaraucae and the Tochari, of whom the Sacaraucae were said to have been destroyed. The Asiani are reported as becoming, at some point, rulers over the Tochari, though this text is sometimes translated as the "Asian kings of the Tochari."
Marcus Junianus Justinus, a late 2nd or 3rd century Roman historian, wrote an epitome or condensation of Trogus' history. The last datable event recorded by Justin is the recovery of the Roman standards captured by the Parthians in 20 BCE, although Trogus’ original history may have dealt with events into the first decade of the 1st century CE.
In Bactrianis autem rebus ut a Diodoto rege constitutum imperium est: deinde quo regnante Scythicae gentes, Saraucae et Asiani, Bactra occupavere et Sogdianos.—Trogus' Prologue, Book 41[1]
The report on the history of the Baktrians first speaks of king Diodotos by whom this realm was founded. Next, under which Scythian tribes' rulers – namely the Saraucae and the Asiani – Baktra and the country of the Sogdians was occupied. Next, under which [Greek] ruler Scythian tribes, namely the Saraucae and Asiani, occupied Bactria and the land of the Sogdians."—English version of Seel's German translation.[2]
Additae his res Scythicae. Reges Tocharorum Asiani interitusque Saraucarum. (In English: There is also a section on Scythian history, then one on the Asian kings of the Tochari, and on the demise of the Saraucae.)—Trogus' Prologue, Book 42 [3]
Strabo (Στράβων; 64/63 BCE – 24 CE) wrote in Greek and completed his Geography in 23 CE, around the time of Trogus. He mentions four tribes: the Asioi (commonly accepted as the equivalent of the Latin Asii), the Pasianoi, the Tacharoi (or Tokharoi) and the Sakaraukai.
ΜΑΛΕС ΜΑΛΙСΤΑ ΔΕΓΝωРІΜОΙΓΕΓО ΝΑСΙΝΤωΝΝОΜΑ ΔωΝОІΤОΥСΕΛΛΗ ΝΑСΑΦΕΛОΜΕΝОΙ TΗΝΒΑΚΤΡΙΑΝΗ AСІОІΚΑΙΠΑСІΑΝОІ ΚΑІΤΑΧΑΡОІΚΑІСΑ ΚΑΡΑΥΚΑІОΡΜΗΘΕ ΤΕСΑΠОΤΗСΠΕΡΑІ ΑСΤОΥΤΙAΞΑΡΤОΥ ΤΗСΚΑΤΑСΑΚΑСΚΑΙ CОΓΔОΑΝОΥСΗΝ KΑΤΕΙΧОΝСΑΚΙ"—The 5th century Vatican palimpsest, earliest known Greek text of the key passage from Strabo's Geography 11.8.2
This translates as:
But the best known of the nomads are those who took away Baktrianē from the Greeks; the Asioi and the Pasianoi, and the Tacharoi and the Sakaraukai, who originally came from the other side of the Iaxartou that adjoins that of the Sakai and the Sogdoanou and was occupied by the Saki.
In 1725 J. F. Vaillant [4] proposed that the phrase usually given as ΑΣΙΟI KAI ΠΑΣΙΑΝΟI ([The] Asioi and Pasianoi) in Strabo 10.8.2 should be amended to ACΙΟΙ H ACΙΑΝΟ ([The] Asioi or Asianoi).
Vaillant had noticed that Trogus (Prologues XLI) mentions the "Scythian" people of the Asiani, who could be identified with the Asioi of Strabo.
The history of this manuscript has only been understood since the studies consecrated to W. Aly. Copied in Byzantium about the end of the 5th century... All the later manuscripts with Π and all the direct quotations of medieval times derive from a single prototype of the "Geography" carrying the title of Γεωγραφικά.—[5]
Pliny the Elder (23 CE–25 August 79 CE) wrote his famous Naturalis Historia with a brief mention of a people called the Asini:
and the Asini, a people who dwell in three cities, their capital being Bucephala, which was founded around the tomb of the horse belonging to king Alexander, which bore that name. Above these peoples there are some mountain tribes, which lie at the foot of Caucasus, the Soseadæ and the Sondræ, and, after passing the Indus and going down its stream, the Samarabriæ, the Sambraceni, the Bisambritæ, the Orsi, the Anixeni, and the Taxilæ, with a famous city, which lies on a low but level plain, the general name of the district being Amenda: there are four nations here, the Peucolaitæ, the Arsagalitæ, the Geretæ, and the Assoï.
Pliny mentions as neighbours of the Soseadae the people of the Asini, who are reigning in the city of Bucephela. From these three data; 1) the Tacoraei are neighbours of the Besadae/Sosaeadae; 2) the Asini are the neighbours of the Sosaeadae; 3) The Asiani are kings of the Thocari, it follows that the Asini of Pliny's text are identical with the Asiani, who are the kings of the Tocharians. This implies that—at least in the time of Pliny—the Kushāṇas were kings of the region between Jhelam and Indus and that Bucephala was one of their cities. It seems that Pliny availed himself of a recent description of this territory and that Ptolemy knew these data too.—[8]
This town - Bucephalus/Bukephalus - has been identified with modern Jalāpur.[9]
Many theories have been proposed by historians and other scholars as to their origins, relationships, language, culture, etc., but so far no consensus has emerged.
It is generally accepted that Trogus' Asiani were probably identical to the Asii of Strabo,[10] perhaps leaving an extra tribe, the 'Pasiani' of Strabo, to account for.
Some scholars believe that the Asii and the Pasiani were one and the same tribe, with 'Pasiani' a simple mistake for 'Asiani' and just a different form of the name for the Asii. Others believe the 'Pasiani' were a separate tribe, with the Greek letter Π a scribal error for Η, in which case the beginning of the passage would read: "[the] Asii also (known as) the Asiani"; while others believe that 'Pasiani' is a mistaken form of 'Gasiani' (with the Greek letter Π a scribal error for Γ).[11][12][13]
The Asii/Asiani may simply be a transcription of the Issedones of Herodotus. Taishan Yu proposes that Asii were "probably" the dominant tribe of the confederacy of four tribes "from the time that they had settled in the valleys of the Ili and Chu" who later invaded Sogdiana and Bactria. "This would account for their being called collectively "Issedones" by Herodotus." He also states that the "Issedon Scythia and the Issedon Serica took their names from the Issedones."[14] Yu believes that the Issedones must have migrated to the Ili and Chu valleys, "at the latest towards the end of the 7th century B.C."[15][16]
W. W. Tarn first thought that the Asii were probably one part of the Yuezhi, the other being the Tochari. However, he later expressed doubts as to this position.[17][18].
The Asii were identical with the Paisani (Gaisani) and were, therefore, also the Yuezhi.—J. Markwart. Ērānšahr[19]
It has been suggested that the Wusun may also be identified in Western sources as their name, pronounced then *o-sən or *uo-suən, is not far removed from that of a people known as the Asiani who the writer Pompeius Trogus (1st century BC) informs us were a Scythian tribe.—J. P. Mallory and Victor H.Mair The Tarim Mummies[20]
The Yuezhi and the Wusun were originally two branches of the same people, the Yuezhi being the 'Moon clan'; while the Wusun were the 'Solar clan'.—Yury Aleksey Zuev, Early Turks: Essays of History and Ideology[21]
The Asii were probably one of three Scythian tribes, whereas the Tochari were probably not, and should be identified with the Yuezhi.—A. K. Narain The Indo-Greeks[22]
One of the most important sources of information on nomad migration in Central Asia is Justin's Prologue to Pompeius Trogus (prologue to book XLII), which states that 'the Asiani are kings of the Tochari and destroyed the Scaraucae' (Reges Tocharorum Asiani interiusque Sakaraucarum). It is possible to conclude from this extract that the Asiani and the Tochari were closely related tribes. What is more, it indicates that the 'Asiani' dominated the 'Tochari' (Reges Tocharorum Asiani). We can identify the Asiani with the Kushans (von Gutschmidt 1888; Haloun 1937; Bachhofer 1941; Daffina 1967), one of the leading tribes, which subsequently came to power and created a great empire. It is noteworthy that Justin says that the Tochari were ruled by the Asiani, while the Chinese sources identify them as the largest of the five Yuezhi principalities.—Kazim Abdullaev, Nomad Migrations in Central Asia[23]
The Asii/Asiani have also been identified with the Alans – i.e. a western Central Asian population, rather than the Yuezhi-Tochari of eastern Bactria – from whom the modern Ossetians derive their name.
With this identification of the Asii-Asiani, the Prologues seem instead to concern two later distinct periods already disconnected from the time of Eucratides. Moreover, from a geographical point of view, they describe events not related to the eastern, but to the western border of the Graeco-Bactrian kingdom, that is a region which was in close contact with Parthia. Therefore, the ethnonym of the Asii-Asiani should be transferred westwards, that is to a different historical context (the Kangju area).[16][24]
The Asii have also been identified with the Sanskrit Asiagh.[25][26][27] According to Kautilya they were "The people who depended on Asii (sword) for their living".
On the other hand, James Tod thought the Greek term Asii/Asio was equivalent to Sanskrit Aswa/Asva and Asvaka and refers to 'horse' as well as the Scythic people connected with horse-culture.[28][29][30][31] The Aswa or Asvaka people are generally believed to be a sub-section of the wider Kamboja group,[32] a widespread tribe of horsemen inhabiting both sides of the Hindukush mountains.
The Sabha Parava of the Indian epic Mahabharata, many sections of which are believed to relate to historical events from around the Christian era, refers to the Bahlikas, Daradas, Kambojas, Dasyus, Lohas, Parama Kambojas,[33] Uttara (Northern) Rishikas [34] and Parama Rishikas.[35] The latter four tribes are by implication placed north of the Hindukush in Central Asia.[36]
In his Mahabhasya, Patanjali refers to the Arshikas[37] which are said to be same as the Rishikas. Kasika on Pāṇini (IV.2.132) also mentions the Arshikas and connects them with the Rishikas .[38] The Sanskrit tribal name Rishika has Arshika as its adjective form, the Prakrit form is Isi and Isika[39][40] or Asi and Asika.
The equivalents of the four Scythian tribes mentioned by Strabo (Asii, Pasiani, Tochari and Sacarauli) have also been found in Indian literature.
The Greeks were acquainted both with the Sanskrit forms Risika/Arsika and their Prakrit forms Isi/Isika. The Greek Asii (Appolodorus) may then represent Prakrit Isi and the Plinian Arsi the Sanskrit Arsika.
Pliny the Elder (23–79) knew about the Arsi People who may or may not be same as Asii of Apollodorus. As classical Asii/Asioi stands for Prakrit Isi/Isika or Sanskrit Risika,[41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49] Plinian Arsi may also be derived from Sanskrit Arsika.[46]
We have seen above that the Grecians knew of Asiani and Arshi. There should be no difficulty now to acknowledge that the Prakrit Ishi-Ishika stands for the Grecian Asii and the Grecian Arshi stands for the Sanskrit form Arshika. Perhaps these were the constituents of the Yüeh-Chi. The Uttara Rishikas could be equated to Ta Yüeh-Chi of the Chinese history.—Trade and Trade Routes in Ancient India[50]
It is not difficult now to see that the Greek Asii is from Sanskrit Isi or Isi, and probably the Greek Arsi may be derived from Sanskrit Arsika—Geographical and Economic Studies in the Mahābhārata[51]
In Indian literature the tribal names Rishika and Arshika are connected: "Risikesu jatah Arsikah, Mahisakesu jatah Mahisakah".[52][53]
J.L. Brockington also identifies the Rishikas with the Asii or Asioi of the classical writers.[54][41][55]
The name Pasiani has never been explained satisfactorily. J. Marquart thinks that it is the same as Asiani, Von Gutschmid thinks the Pasiani and the other three names mentioned by Strabo are an attempt to render Yue-chi in Greek.[56] W.W. Tarn, Moti Chandra and some other scholars think that "as Asiani is the (Iranian) adjectival form of Asii, so Pasiani would be the similar adjectival form of, and would imply, a name *Pasii or *Pasi".[57][58][59] Moti Chandra further suggests that "the Grecian form Pasii could well stand for Sanskrit name Parama-Risika".[60][61]
B.M. Barua and I.N. Topa write: "Asii/Asiani correspond to Chang Kien's Yue-chi and Asiani and Pasiani are the Indo-Iranian forms of Indo-Aryan Asika-Risikas and the Parama Risikas".[62][63]
In an inscription on the pedestal of a Bodhisatta image, a woman named Amoha is called Asi (Arsi). In the alms house inscriptions of Huvishaka the Sakareya and Prachini people are mentioned, with the Pasii or Pasiani as equivalent to Prachini and the Sakaraula to Sakareya.[64]
Scholars have pointed out that 'Yuezhi' in Chinese translates literally as "Moon clan" or "Moon tribe".[65][66][67][68][69] The Mahabharata refers to the Kamboja king Chandravarman as descendant of "Candra" or "the moon".[70] In one version of the Mahabharata, the king Chandravarma Kamboja is substituted with Chandravarma Risika which seems to endorse the view that the Kambojas and Rishikas were allied or cognate/or agnate people and one may have been a branch of the other.[71][72][73][74] The epic verse Udyogaparava of the Mahabharata also intimately relates the Kambojas with the Rishikas. According to precise translation the Rishikas are in fact said to be the Kambojas.[75] The Sabha Parava of the same epic also groups the Parama-Kambojas with the Lohas, Rishikas and the Parama-Rishikas as allied tribal groups.[76] Kalhana's Rajatarangini, depicting historical events in Kashmir 730-740 AD, groups the Kambojas with the Tukharas[77] and localizes them in the Oxus valley.[78] In the Markandeya Purana the Tukharas are mentioned with the Kambojas, Daradas, Barbaras and Chinas as "vahyato narah" (foreign races).[79]
S. Lévi claims the Yuezhi existed in the Deccan between 25 and 130 BCE, which he supports by numerous literary sources such as the Ramayana,[80] Mahabharata,[81] Kasika,[82] Mahabhasya of Patanjali,[83] Brhat Samhita of Varahamihira,[84] Markandeya Purana,[85] and Matsya Purana[86] as well as the epigraphic evidence from the Nasik Cave Inscriptions of Queen Balasri which mentions the Rishikas (Asikas) as a component of Gautamiputra Satkaranai's empire.[87] The Kambojas are also shown to have migrated and settled in south-west and southern India.
Yusaf (same as Isap) is divided into five clan—Isa, Musa, Bai, Aka and Urya. They occupy Kohistan or hill country of the Yusafzai or Isap, which is commonly called Yoghistan or independent country.
Isa which is the Musalman form of Asi (Asva) has following sections Alisher, Aymal, Aypi, Burhan, Dadi, Gadae, Hasan, Hoti, Hyasw, Kika, Kamal, Kamboh (i.e Kambojia), Kanra, Khadin, Khaki, Kotwal, Lughman, Madi, Makho, Mama, Mashu, Musara, Mirhamad, Nasrat, Panjpao, Salar, Sen, Shergha, She, Taju, Taos, Warkam, Walayati, Ya, Zakarya etc (See: An Inquiry Into the Ethnography of Afghanistan, 1891, pp 80, 146, 150 Henry Walter Bellew).