Yaudheya Republic | |||||||||
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5th century BCE–4th century CE | |||||||||
Yaudheya coin, imitative of Kushan coinage, 3rd-4th centuries CE. Obverse: Karttikeya standing facing, holding a spear with dvi (“two” in Brahmi) to the left of Karttikeya's head, peacock to lower right, Brahmi legend around: 𑀬𑁅𑀥𑁂𑀬 𑀕𑀦𑀲𑁆𑀬 𑀚𑀬 (yaudheya ganasya jaya, “Victory to the Yaudheya people”). Reverse: Devasena standing left, raising hand; flower vase to left, inverted nandipada to the right.[1]
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Capital | Rohtak | ||||||||
Government | Aristocratic Republic | ||||||||
Legislature | Sabhā | ||||||||
History | |||||||||
• Established | 5th century BCE | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 4th century CE | ||||||||
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Yaudheya (Brahmi script: 𑀬𑁅𑀥𑁂𑀬) or Yoddheya Gana (Yoddheya Republic) was an ancient military ganasangha (republic) based in the Eastern region of the Sapta Sindhu. The word Yaudheya is a derivative of the word from yodha meaning warriors[2][3] and according to Pāṇini, the suffix '-ya', was significant of warrior tribes,[4] which is supported by their resistance to invading empires such as the Kushan Empire and the Indo-Scythians.[5] Rudradaman I of the Western Satraps notes in his Junagadh rock inscription that the Yaudheyas were 'heroes among all Kshatriya' and 'were loath to surrender'. They were noted as having a republic form of government, unique from other Janapadas which instead maintained monarchies.[6]