Satakarni II
Satakarni II (Brahmi script: ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ข๐๐ก๐บ, Sฤtakaแนi) was the fourth of the Satavahana kings, who ruled the Deccan region of India. His reign is generally dated to 50-25 BCE.
| Satakarni II | |
|---|---|
Coin of the Satavahanas (Andhras), issued in the family name "Satakarni". Mid 1st century BCE-1st century CE. | |
| Satavahana King | |
| Reign | 50-25 BCE |
| Predecessor | Satakarni I |
| Successor | Gautamiputra Satakarni |
| Dynasty | Satavahana |
๐ญ๐ธ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ญ๐บ ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ข๐๐ก๐บ๐ฒ / ๐๐ฏ๐๐ฒ๐ก๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ธ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฃ๐ป๐ง๐ผ๐ข๐ฒ / ๐๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ฒ ๐ค๐ธ๐ฆ๐
Rฤรฑo Siri Sฤtakaแนisa / ฤvesaแนisa vฤsitแธฅฤซputasa / ฤnaแนdasa dฤnaแน
"Gift of Ananda, the son of Vasithi, the foreman of the artisans of rajan Siri Satakarni"
Satakarni II conquered eastern Malwa from the Shungas or the Kanvas, following the conquest of western Malwa by early Satavahana kings. This allowed him access to the Buddhist site of Sanchi, in which he is credited with the building of the decorated gateways around the original Mauryan Empire and Sunga stupas.
According to the Puranic lists of future kings, "137 years after the accession of Chandragupta Maurya, the Sungas will rule for 112 years and then the Kanvayanas for 45 years whose last king Susharman will be killed by the Andhra Simuka". If the accession of Chandragupta Maurya is dated to 324 BCE, then Simuka started to rule 294 years later, in 30 BCE. Simuka is then said to have ruled for 23 years, and his successor Kanha for 18 years, which would give 10 CE for the accession of his successor Satakarni.
A dedicatory inscription under "King Sri Satakarni" at Sanchi is thought to date to the time of Satakarni II. The Siri-Satakani inscription in the Brahmi script records the gift of one of the top architraves of the Southern Gateway by the artisans of the Satavahana king Satakarni II:
๐ญ๐ธ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ญ๐บ ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ข๐๐ก๐บ๐ฒ (Rฤรฑo Siri Sฤtakaแนisa)
๐๐ฏ๐๐ฒ๐ก๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ธ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฃ๐ป๐ง๐ผ๐ข๐ฒ (ฤvesaแนisa vฤsitแธฅฤซputasa)
๐๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ฒ ๐ค๐ธ๐ฆ๐ (ฤnaแนdasa dฤnaแน)
"Gift of Ananda, the son of Vasithi, the foreman of the artisans of rajan Siri Satakarni"โโInscription of the Southern Gateway of the Great Stupa
The reign of Satakarni II was followed by the collapse of the Satavahana Empire, and the victories of the Western Satraps ruler Nahapana. The Satavahana Empire would later revive under the rule of Gautamiputra Satakarni.