Datta dynasty explained

Conventional Long Name:Dattas of Mathura
Common Name:Datta dynasty
Year Start:1st century BCE
Year End:1st century BCE
Capital:Mathura
Government Type:Monarchy
P1:Deva dynasty (Saketa)Deva dynasty
P2:Indo-Greek KingdomIndo-Greeks
S1:Mitra dynasty (Mathura)Mitra dynasty
S2:Northern Satraps
S3:Indo-ScythiansScythian Empire
Religion:Hinduism
Today:India

The Datta dynasty is a dynasty of rulers who flourished in the northern India in the areas of Mathura and Ayodhya around the 1st century BCE – 1st century CE.[1] They are named after the "-datta" ending of their name, and essentially only known through their coins. It is thought that they replaced the Deva dynasty, which had originated with the rise of Sunga Empire Pushyamitra, and that they were in turn replaced by the Mitra dynasty.

The known Datta rulers are:[2]

The coins of Ramadatta usually represent a Lakshmi standing, and facing elephants.[2] In the archaeological excavations of Sonkh, near Mathura, the earliest coins of the Northern Satraps level were those of Hagamasha and Ramadatta.[3]

The Datta rulers are never mentioned as "king" or Raja on their coins, suggesting that they may only have been local rulers subservient to another king. Since the Indo-Greeks were in control of Mathura around the same time frame (150–50 BCE) according to the Yavanarajya inscription, it is thought that there may have been a sort of tributary relationship between the local Datta or Mitra dynasty and the Indo-Greek kings.[4] Alternatively, the Datta and Mitra dynasties of rulers may simply have replaced Indo-Greek rule in the region, before the advent of the Indo-Scythian Northern Satraps and then the Kushans.

Notes and References

  1. History of Early Stone Sculpture at Mathura: Ca. 150 BCE – 100 CE, Sonya Rhie Quintanilla, BRILL, 2007, p.170 https://books.google.com/books?id=rtqvCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA170
  2. Dimensions of Human Cultures in Central India, A. A. Abbasi, Sarup & Sons, 2001, p.145-146 https://books.google.com/books?id=jUwFL3IipK0C&pg=PA145
  3. Book: Hartel . Herbert . On The Cusp Of An Era Art In The Pre Kuṣāṇa World . 2007 . BRILL . 324 . English.
  4. History of Early Stone Sculpture at Mathura: Ca. 150 BCE – 100 CE, Sonya Rhie Quintanilla, BRILL, 2007, p.8–10 https://books.google.com/books?id=X7Cb8IkZVSMC&pg=PA8