Gondophares

Gondophares I or Guduvhara I (Greek: Γονδοφαρης Gondopharēs, Υνδοφερρης Hyndopherrēs; Kharosthi: 𐨒𐨂𐨡𐨥𐨪 Gu-da-pha-ra, Gudaphara; 𐨒𐨂𐨡𐨥𐨪𐨿𐨣 Gu-da-pha-rna, Gudapharna; 𐨒𐨂𐨡𐨂𐨵𐨪 Gu-du-vha-ra, Guduvhara) was the founder of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom and its most prominent king, with his reign generally dated from c. 19 to 46 CE. He is solely known from the silver and copper coins bearing his visage, and is generally identified with the king mentioned in the Acts of Thomas and the Takht-i-Bahi inscription, although it has been suggested that these mentions may have instead been about one of his successors bearing the same name. Gondophares I probably belonged to a line of local princes who had governed the Parthian province of Drangiana since its disruption by the Indo-Scythians in c. 129 BC, and may have been a member of the House of Suren. During his reign, his kingdom became independent from Parthian authority and was transformed into an empire, which encompassed Drangiana, Arachosia, and Gandhara. He was succeeded in Drangiana and Arachosia by Orthagnes, and in Gandhara by his nephew Abdagases I.