Vima Takto

Vima Takto
Kushan emperor

Bronze coin of Vima Takto, alias "Soter Megas" (r. c. 80–90 CE).

Obv: Bust of Vima Takto, with Greek royal headband and radiate, holding sceptre; three-pronged tamgha behind.

Rev: Mounted king with Greek royal headband, holding a sceptre. Three-pronged tamgha; corrupted Greek legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΩΝ ΣΩΤΗΡ ΜΕΓΑΣ "Basileu Basileuon Soter Megas": "The King of Kings, Great Saviour".
Reign 80–90 CE
Predecessor Kujula Kadphises
Successor Vima Kadphises
Born Bactria
Died Peshawar
Burial Peshawar
House Kushan
Religion Zoroastrianism

Vima Takto or Vima Taktu was a Kushan emperor reigned c. 80–90 CE.

Rule

Vima Takto was long known as "The nameless King", since his coins only showed the legend "The King of Kings, Great Saviour", until the discovery of the Rabatak inscription helped connect his name with the title on the coins.

Vima Takto's empire covered northwestern Gandhara and greater Bactria towards China, where Kushan presence has been asserted in the Tarim Basin. Under his reign, embassies were also sent to the Chinese court.

Genealogy

He is mentioned in the Chinese Historical Chronicle of the Hou Hanshu, in relation to his father Kujula Kadphises:

"Qiujiuque (Ch: 丘就卻) [Kujula Kadphises] was more than eighty years old when he died. His son, Yangaozhen (Ch:閻高珍) [probably Vema Tahk(tu) or, possibly, his brother Sadaṣkaṇa], became king in his place. He defeated Tianzhu [North-western India] and installed Generals to supervise and lead it. The Yuezhi then became extremely rich. All the kingdoms call [their king] the Guishuang [Kushan] king, but the Han call them by their original name, Da Yuezhi."[1]

The connection of Vima Takto with other Kushan rulers is described in the Rabatak inscription, which was written by Kanishka. Kanishka makes the list of the kings who ruled up to his time: Kujula Kadphises as his great-grandfather, Vima Takto as his grandfather, Vima Kadphises as his father, and himself Kanishka:

"... for King Kujula Kadphises (his) great grandfather, and for King Vima Taktu (his) grandfather, and for King Vima Kadphises (his) father, and *also for himself, King Kanishka" (Cribb and Sims-Williams 1995/6: 80)

A later inscription found at Vima's sanctuary at Mat, also records that he was the grandfather of Huvishka.

Preceded by:
Kujula Kadphises		 Kushan Ruler
(80–90 CE)		 Succeeded by:
Vima Kadphises
A bronze coin of Vima Takto (Soter Megas) dating back to 80-100AD
A bronze coin of Vima Takto (Soter Megas) from c 80-110AD discovered in Northern Pakistan.
Another bronze coin of Vima Takto.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Hill (2009), p. 29; also note 13.16, p. 351, and Appendix O, p. 608.

References

Kushan Empire
Emperors, territories and chronology
Territories/
dates 		Western India Western Pakistan
Balochistan		 Paropamisadae
Arachosia
 Bajaur Gandhara Western Punjab Eastern PunjabMathuraPataliputra
INDO-SCYTHIAN KINGDOM INDO-GREEK KINGDOM Indo-Scythian Northern Satraps
25 BCE – 10 CE Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
APRACHARAJAS
Vijayamitra
(ruled 12 BCE - 15 CE)[1]		 Liaka Kusulaka
Patika Kusulaka
Zeionises		 Kharahostes
(ruled 10 BCE– 10 CE)[2]
Mujatria		 Strato II and Strato III Hagana
10-20CE INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM
Gondophares		 Indravasu INDO-PARTHIAN KINGDOM
Gondophares		 Rajuvula
20-30 CE Ubouzanes
Pakores		 Vispavarma
(ruled c.0-20 CE)[3]		 Sarpedones Bhadayasa Sodasa
30-40 CE KUSHAN EMPIRE
Kujula Kadphises		 Indravarma Abdagases ... ...
40-45 CE Aspavarma Gadana ... ...
45-50 CE Sasan Sases ... ...
50-75 CE ... ...
75-100 CE Indo-Scythian dynasty of the
WESTERN SATRAPS
Chastana		 Vima Takto ... ...
100-120 CE Abhiraka Vima Kadphises ... ...
120 CE Bhumaka
Nahapana		 PARATARAJAS
Yolamira		 Kanishka I Great Satrap Kharapallana
and Satrap Vanaspara
for
Kanishka I
130-230 CE

Jayadaman
Rudradaman I
Damajadasri I
Jivadaman
Rudrasimha I
Isvaradatta
Rudrasimha I
Jivadaman
Rudrasena I

Bagamira
Arjuna
Hvaramira
Mirahvara

Vāsishka (c. 140 – c. 160)
Huvishka (c. 160 – c. 190)
Vasudeva I (c. 190 – to at least 230)

230-280 CE

Samghadaman
Damasena
Damajadasri II
Viradaman
Yasodaman I
Vijayasena
Damajadasri III
Rudrasena II
Visvasimha

Miratakhma
Kozana
Bhimarjuna
Koziya
Datarvharna
Datarvharna

INDO-SASANIANS
Ardashir I, Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 230 – 250)
Peroz I, "Kushanshah" (c. 250 – 265)
Hormizd I, "Kushanshah" (c. 265 – 295)

Kanishka II (c. 230 – 240)
Vashishka (c. 240 – 250)
Kanishka III (c. 250 – 275)
280-300 Bhratadarman Datayola II

Hormizd II, "Kushanshah" (c. 295 – 300)

 Vasudeva II (c. 275 – 310)
300-320 CE

Visvasena
Rudrasimha II
Jivadaman

Peroz II, "Kushanshah" (c. 300 – 325)

Vasudeva III
Vasudeva IV
Vasudeva V
Chhu (c. 310? – 325)
320-388 CE

Yasodaman II
Rudradaman II
Rudrasena III
Simhasena
Rudrasena IV

Shapur II Sassanid king and "Kushanshah" (c. 325)
Varhran I, Varhran II, Varhran III "Kushanshahs" (c. 325 – 350)
Peroz III "Kushanshah" (c. 350 –360)
HEPHTHALITE/ HUNAS invasions

Shaka I (c. 325 – 345)
Kipunada (c. 345 – 375)

GUPTA EMPIRE
Chandragupta I Samudragupta

388-396 CE Rudrasimha III Chandragupta II
  1. ↑ From the dated inscription on the Rukhana reliquary
  2. ↑ An Inscribed Silver Buddhist Reliquary of the Time of King Kharaosta and Prince Indravarman, Richard Salomon, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 116, No. 3 (Jul. - Sep., 1996), pp. 442
  3. ↑ A Kharosthī Reliquary Inscription of the Time of the Apraca Prince Visnuvarma, by Richard Salomon, South Asian Studies 11 1995, Pages 27-32, Published online: 09 Aug 2010
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