Javukha (

Brahmi Brahmi ( ; ; ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system from ancient India. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such as 'lath' or ...

𑀚𑀯𑀼𑀔 ''Ja-vu-kha'', Bactrian: ''Zabocho'', or ''Zabokho'') was the third known king of the

Alchon Huns The Alchon Huns, ( Bactrian: ''Alkhon(n)o'' or ''Alkhan(n)o'') also known as the Alkhan, Alchono, Alxon, Alkhon, Alakhana, and Walxon, were a nomadic people who established states in Central Asia and South Asia during the 4th and 6th centurie ...

, in the 5th century CE. He is described as such in the Talagan copper scroll inscription, where he is also said to be

Maharaja Maharaja (also spelled Maharajah or Maharaj; ; feminine: Maharani) is a royal title in Indian subcontinent, Indian subcontinent of Sanskrit origin. In modern India and Medieval India, medieval northern India, the title was equivalent to a pri ...

("Great King"), and the "son of Sadavikha". In the scroll he also appears to be rather contemporary with

Toramana Toramana also called Toramana Shahi Jauvla ( Gupta script: 𑀢𑁄𑀭𑀫𑀸𑀡 ''To-ra-mā-ṇa'', ruled circa 493-515 CE) was a king of the Alchon Huns who ruled in northern India in the late 5th and the early 6th century CE. Toramana co ...

Coin types

Javukha issued coins in the

Bactrian script Bactrian (, , meaning "Iranian") was an Eastern Iranian language formerly spoken in the Central Asian region of Bactria (present-day Afghanistan) and used as the official language of the Kushan and the Hephthalite empires. Name It was long thoug ...

as well as in the

, suggesting a regnal claim to areas both north and south of the

Hindu Kush The Hindu Kush is an mountain range in Central Asia, Central and South Asia to the west of the Himalayas. It stretches from central and eastern Afghanistan into northwestern Pakistan and far southeastern Tajikistan. The range forms the wester ...

, from

Bactria Bactria (; Bactrian language, Bactrian: , ), or Bactriana, was an ancient Iranian peoples, Iranian civilization in Central Asia based in the area south of the Oxus River (modern Amu Darya) and north of the mountains of the Hindu Kush, an area ...

Northern Pakistan Northern Pakistan ( ) is a tourism region in northern and north-western parts of Pakistan, comprising the administrative units of Gilgit-Baltistan (formerly known as '' Northern Areas''), Azad Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad Capita ...

. He issued some silver coins in which he is shown riding a horse, copying a Gupta horse type coinage which appears on the coins of

Chandragupta II Chandragupta II (r.c. 375–415), also known by his title Vikramaditya, as well as Chandragupta Vikramaditya, was an emperor of the Gupta Empire. Modern scholars generally identify him with King Chandra of the Iron pillar of Delhi, Delhi iron ...

(r. 380-413 CE) or

Kumaragupta I Kumaragupta I was Gupta Empire, Gupta emperor from 415 until his death in 455. A son of the Gupta king Chandragupta II and Queen Dhruvadevi, he seems to have maintained control of his inherited territory, which extended from Gujarat in the wes ...

(r. 415-455 CE). File:Javukha_of_the_Alchon_Huns_Mid-late_5th_century.jpg, Coin of Javukha with portrait,

legend to right ''shahi javu-kha'' Gupta_gujarat_ss

. The reverse normally shows a fire altar, flanked by armed attendants, a

Sasanian coinage Sasanian coinage was produced within the domains of the Iranian Sasanian Empire (224–651). Together with the Roman Empire, the Sasanian Empire was the most important money-issuing polity in Late Antiquity. Sasanian coinage had a significant infl ...

symbolism. File:Alchon Huns. Javukha Gandhara mint 5th century CE.jpg, Scyphate gold coin of Javukha in Kushan style, with Bactrian legend. Reverse: siva standing facing, holding diadem and trident.

Gandhara Gandhara () was an ancient Indo-Aryan people, Indo-Aryan civilization in present-day northwest Pakistan and northeast Afghanistan. The core of the region of Gandhara was the Peshawar valley, Peshawar (Pushkalawati) and Swat valleys extending ...

mint. 5th century CE File:Javukha. Mid-late 5th century Gandhara mint.jpg, Coin of Javukha on horse.

Sasanian The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranians"), was an Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, the length of the Sasanian dynasty's reign ...

-style fire altar with attendants on the reverse.

References

Central Asia Kings of the Alchon Huns Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown 5th-century monarchs in Asia {{CAsia-hist-stub