Sodasa
Indo-ScythianNorthern Satraps king
Coin of Sodasa from Mathura.Obv: Standing female and tree-like symbol."Mahakatapasa putasa Khatapasa Sodasa" ie "Satrap Sodasa, son of the Great Satrap".Rev:Lakshmi with elephants pouring water over her.[1]
Reign	c. 15 CE
Predecessor	Rajuvula
Father	Rajuvula
Mother	Kamuia Ayasa

Sodasa (Kharosthi:𐨭𐨂𐨜𐨯Śu-ḍa-sa,Śuḍasa;^[3] MiddleBrahmi script:Śo-dā-sa,Śodāsa, alsoŚu-dā-sa,Śudāsa) was anIndo-ScythianNorthern Satrap and ruler ofMathura during the later part of the 1st century BCE or the early part of 1st century CE.^[4] He was the son ofRajuvula, the Great Satrap of the region fromTaxila toMathura.^[5] He is mentioned in theMathura lion capital.^[6]

Sodasa's name is recorded in Kharosthi asŚuḍasa (𐨭𐨂𐨜𐨯)^[3] and in Brahmi asŚodāsa () andŚudāsa (), which are derived from theSaka name*Śudāsa, meaning "who kept the good acts in memory".^[7]

Sodasa reigned during the 1st century CE, and also took the title of Great Satrap at one point, probably in the area of Mathura as well, but possibly under the suzerainty of theIndo-Parthian kingGondophares. At the same time the Indo-ScythianBhadayasa ruled in the easternPunjab.^[4] There were numerous cultural and political exchanges between the Indo-Scythians of the northwest and those of Mathura.^[4]

Sodasa may have been a contemporary of theWestern KshatrapaNahapana and theIndo-ParthianGondophares.^[4] TheIndo-Parthians may have destabilized Indo-Scythian rule in northern India, but there are no traces of Indo-Parthian presence in Mathura.^[4] Sodasa may have been displaced in Mathura by theKushan rulerVima Kadphises, who erected a throne in his name in Mathura, but nothing is known of these interactions.^[4]

At Mathura, Sodasa is the last of the Indo-Scythians to have left coins.^[4] Later, underKanishka, son of Vima Kadphises, the Great SatrapKharapallana and the SatrapVanaspara are said to have ruled in Mathura with Kanishka as suzerain, pointing to continued Indo-Scythian rule under Kushan suzerainty as least until the time of Kanishka.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Numerous inscriptions from Mathura mentioning Sodasa's rule are known. The Mirzapur village inscription (in the vicinity of Mathura) refers to the erection of a water tank by Mulavasu and his consort Kausiki during the reign of Sodasa, assuming the title of "Svami (Lord) Mahakshatrapa (Great Satrap)".^[2]

TheMathura lion capital mentions the reign of his father and predecessorRajuvula as Mahaksatrapa while Sodasa is referred to as Ksatrapa. Sodasa probably also dedicated theMora Well Inscription, where he presents himself as the son ofRajuvula.^[12]

A large stone slab, theKankali Tila tablet of Sodasa, discovered inKankali in the area of Mathura, bears a three-line epigraph mentioning that in the year 42 or 72 of "Lord Mahaksatrapa Sodasa," a monument for worship was set up by a certain Amohini.^[13] A recent date for Sodasa's reign was given as 15 CE, meaning that the regnal date of the inscription would start from theVikrama era (Bikrami calendar (starting in 57 BCE)+72=15 CE).^[14][15] This would put the long reign of his fatherRajuvula in the last quarter of the 1st century BCE, which is probable.^[15]

Another inscription of Sodasa in Mathura records the gifts of aBrahman named Gajavara of the Segrava-gotra during the time of Saudasa the Great Satrap of the lord (paramount, whose name is lost) of tanks called Kshayawada, as well as a western tank, a well, a garden, and a pillar.^[16]

• Mathura inscription mentioning the rule of Sodasa as Kshatrapa (Satrap) or Mahakshatrapa (GreatSatrap).
• 
  TheMathura lion capital mentions Sodasa as "Satrap", while his fatherRajuvula was "Great Satrap".
• 
  Mirzapur stele inscription of Sodasa's Reign, Mirzapur area of Mathura.Mathura Museum. The inscription refers to the erection of a water tank by Mulavasu and his consort Kausiki, during the reign of Sodasa, assuming the title of "Svami (Lord) Mahakshatrapa (Great Satrap)":^[2][17][18]
• 
  TheKankali Tila tablet of Sodasa with an inscription mentioning the year 42 or 72 during the reign of Sodasa as Makakshatrapa (Great Satrap).^[13]
• 
  TheVasu Doorjamb Inscription.

• 
  Another inscription of Sodasa in Mathura. This inscription records the gifts of aBrahman named Gajavara of the Segrava-gotra during the time of Saudasa the Great Satrap of the lord (paramount, whose name is lost) of tanks called Kshayawada, besides a western tank, a well, a garden, and a pillar.^[16]
• 
  Kankali Tila inscription of Sodasa (from theKankali Tila tablet of Sodasa). This inscription mentions the rule ofSvamisa Mahakṣatrapasa Śodasa ( "Of the Lord and Great Satrap Śudāsa") from the beginning of the second line.^[19]
• 
  Mountain Temple inscription mentioning Sodasa and his father Rajuvula
• 
  Mora Well Inscription in the name of Rajuvula and his son Sodasa.

Sodasa's coins have been found inMathura only, suggesting that he only ruled over the Mathura region.^[20] They do not follow traditionalIndo-Scythian coinage patterns, but rather the designs of local rulers of Mathura, and are only made of lead and copper alloy.^[20] The legends only use the IndianBrahmi script, whether Saodasa's father Rajuvula had used coins derived from theIndo-Greeks, with legends in Greek andKharoshthi.^[20] This suggests that Sodasa had significantly integrated into the local Indian culture.^[20]

Sodasa's coins usually show on the obverse a standing female and tree-like symbol, with the legend"Mahakatapasa putasa Khatapasa Sodasa", i.e., "Satrap Sodasa, son of the Great Satrap". On the reverse appears aLakshmi with elephants pouring water over her.^[1][20]

Three types of legends are known, with one coin type of Sodasa bearing the legend "son of Rajuvula":

• "Satrap Sodasa, son of the Great Satrap" (Mahakhatapasa putasa khatapasa śodasasa followed by asvastika)^[20]
• "Satrap Sodasa, son of Rajuvula" (Svastika followed byRajuvula putasa khatapasa śodasasa)^[20][4]
• "Great Satrap Sodasa" (Mahakhatapasa śodasasa)^[20]

• 
  Coin of Sodasa. Reverse:"Mahakshatrapa putasa Khatapasa Sodasasa" ("Satrap Sodasa, son of the Great Satrap")
• 
  Coin of Sodasa, satrap of Mathura, AE.
  Obv: Lakshmi standing between two symbols on the obverse and inscription around "Mahakhatapasa putasa Khatapasa Sodasasa ".
  Rev: Standing Abhiseka Lakshmi anointed by two elephants.

Sculpture under Sodasa

The "Isapur Buddha", probably the earliest known representation of the Buddha (possibly together withBuddha statues found inButkara inSwat), on a railing post, dated to circa 15 CE.^[21]

TheVasu doorjamb is beautifully carved and has an inscription in the name of Sodasa, 15 CE.

The similar and contemporary Mora doorjamb, from theJain mount ofKankali Tila inMathura, 15 CE.^[22]

Jain narrative relief panel showing Jain monks of theardhaphalaka sect, near a water pool. Early 1st century CE, reign of Sodasa,Mathura.Brooklyn Museum 87.188.5.^[23]

The abundance of dedicatory inscriptions in the name of Sodasa (eight of them are known, often on sculptural works), and the fact that Sodasa is known through his coinage as well as through his relations with other Indo-Scythian rulers whose dates are known, means that Sodasa functions as a historic marker to ascertain the sculptural styles at Mathura during his rule, in the first half of the 1st century CE.^[24] The next historical marker corresponds to the reign ofKanishka under the Kushans, whose reign began circa 127 CE.^[24]

TheKankali Tila tablet of Sodasa is one of those sculptural works directly inscribed in the name of Sodasa.^[24] Another one is the Katra torana fragment.^[24][25][26] The sculptural styles at Mathura during the reign of Sodasa are quite distinctive, and significantly different from the style of the previous period circa 50 BCE, or the styles of the later period of theKushan Empire in the 2nd century CE.^[24] Stylistically similar works can then be dated to the same period of the reign of Sodasa.^[24]

The "Isapur Buddha" fromMathura, probably the earliest known representation of the Buddha (possibly together withBuddha statues found inBarikot inSwat), on a railing post, is dated to circa 15 CE under the reign of Sodasa.^[27] Another depiction of the Buddha from the same period appears in theBimaran casket.

The inscriptions in the name of Sodasa are also an important marker for thepaleography of theBrahmi script, the shape of the Brahmi letters having evolved in time, and also having varied depending on the regions.^[28]

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