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{{pp|small=yes}}
{{Short description|Third-century dynasty in India}}
{{other uses|Abhira (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox country
| common_name =
| conventional_long_name =
| status =
| status_text =
| era = Early Classical
| year_start = 203<ref name="Thosar">{{cite journal |last1=Thosar |first1=H.S. |title=The Abhiras in Indian History |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44148188 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |year=1990 |volume=51 |pages=56–65 |publisher=Indian History Congress |jstor=44148188 |access-date=27 December 2020}}</ref>
| year_end = 315 or 370<ref name="Thosar"/>
| event_end = Supplanted by the [[Traikutaka dynasty|Traikutakas]]
| government_type = [[Monarchy]]
| capital = [[Anjaneri]], [[Thalner]], [[Prakasha|Prakashe]], [[Bhamer Dhule|Bhamer]], [[Asirgarh Fort|Asirgarh]]
| religion = {{plainlist|
*[[Hinduism]]
*[[Buddhism]]
*[[Jainism]]
}}
| p1 = Satavahana dynasty{{!}}Satavahanas
| p2 = Kshatrapas
| p3 = Andhra Ikshvaku{{!}}Ikshvakus of Vijayapuri
| s1 = Traikutaka dynasty{{!}}Traikutakas
| s2 = Vakataka dynasty{{!}}Vakatakas
| s3 = Kshatrapas
| s4 = Kadamba dynasty{{!}}Kadambas
| image_map = {{South Asia in 350 CE|right|{{center|The Abhiras and main South Asian polities circa 350 CE.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Schwartzberg |first1=Joseph E. |title=A Historical atlas of South Asia |date=1978 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |location=Chicago |pages=25, 145 |isbn=0226742210 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=062 |archive-date=7 February 2025 |access-date=5 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250207024910/https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/pager.html?object=062 |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}|{{Annotation|93|136|[[File:Long Rectangle (plain).png|32px]]}}}}
| image_map_caption =
| common_languages = [[Apabhraṃśa]], [[Sanskrit]], [[Maharashtri Prakrit|Prakrit]]
| today = India
}}
The '''Abhira dynasty''' was a dynasty that ruled over the western [[Deccan]], where it perhaps succeeded the [[Satavahana dynasty]]. From 203 to roughly 270 or 370, this dynasty formed a vast kingdom. The Abhiras had an extensive empire comprising modern-day [[Maharashtra]], [[Konkan]], [[Gujarat]] and parts of southern [[Madhya Pradesh]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lwFIAAAAMAAJ |title=Numismatic Digest |date=1985 |publisher=Numismatic Society of Bombay. |pages=74 |language=en |quote=The Ābhīras had an extensive empire comprising Maharashtra, Konkan, Gujarat and some part of South Madhya Pradesh.}}</ref> Some scholars regard the Abhiras as a great almost an imperial power in the third century A.D.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Majumdar |first=R. C. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k1wuEAAAQBAJ |title=Ancient India |date=2016-01-01 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0435-7 |pages=380 |language=en}}</ref>

==Origin==
Though often referenced in ancient Indian literature, the origin of the Abhiras is obscure. According to the [[Mahabharata]], the [[Abhira tribe|Abhiras]] lived near the seashore and on the bank of the [[Sarasvati River|Sarasvati]], a river near [[Prabhas Patan|Somnath]] in [[Gujarat]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Garg |first=Gaṅgā Rām |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w9pmo51lRnYC |title=Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World |date=1992 |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |isbn=978-81-7022-374-0 |pages=113 |language=en |quote=According to the Mahabharata (Sabha. 31), the Abhiras lived near the seashore and on the bank of the Sarasvati, a river near Somanāth in Gujarāt.}}</ref>
The ''[[Mahabhashya|Mahābhashya]]'' of [[Patañjali]] simply mentions them as a tribe distinct from the [[Shudra]]s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Congress |first=Indian History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wR7jAAAAMAAJ |title=Proceedings - Indian History Congress |date=1959 |pages=103 |language=en}}</ref> The [[Puranic]] texts associate the Abhiras with [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]] and [[Avanti (region)|Avanti]]. According to Balkrishna Gokhale, the Abhiras have been well-known since epic times as a martial tribe.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gokhale |first=Balkrishna Govind |author-link=Balkrishna Govind Gokhale |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AWNuAAAAMAAJ |title=Samudra Gupta: Life and Times |date=1962 |publisher=Asia Publishing House |page=18 |language=en}}</ref> The Bhagavata calls the Abhiras, "Saurashtra" and "Avantya" rulers (Saurashtra-Āvanty Ābhīrāḥ), and the Vishnu treats the Abhiras as occupying the Surashtra and [[Avanti (region)|Avanti]] provinces.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jayaswal |first1=K. P. |title=History of India 150 AD to 350 AD |date=1933 |publisher=Motilal Barnasi Das Punjab Sanskrit Book Depot |location=Lahore |quote=The Bhagavata calls the Abhiras, 'Saurashtra' and 'Avantya' rulers (Saurashtra-Āvanty Ābhīrāḥ), and the Vishnu treats the Abhiras as occupying the Surashtra and Avanti provinces. |pages=144–149 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.277041/page/n169/mode/2up?q=%22Bhagavata+calls+the+Abhiras%22 |chapter=The submission of the Frontier Rulers and the Hindu Republics, their Puranic descriptions and the submission of Further India |quote-page=148}}</ref>

The Puranas claim that the imperial Abhiras were the successors of the [[Satavahana dynasty|Satavahanas]]. They were called Andhra-Vratyas and mentioned as the successors of the line of [[Simuka]].<ref name=abhira>{{cite book|last1=Pargiter|first1=F. E.|title=The Purana Text of the Dynasties of the Kali Age|date=2009|publisher=BiblioBazaar|isbn=9781115375603|pages=IV,24, 18}}</ref> Some of them entered the military service of the [[Western Satraps]] (Sakas), and helped them in conquest of new territories.<ref name="Thosar"/> By 181 A.D, the Abhiras had gained considerable influence at the Kshatrapa court. Some of them were even serving as generals.<ref name="imperial">{{cite book |author1=Ashvini Agrawal |title=Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas |date=1989 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=9788120805927 |page=58 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRjC5IaJ2zcC&dq=Rishabhdatta&pg=PA58 |language=en }}</ref>

The Gunda inscription dated Saka year 103 (181 CE) refers to Abhira Rudrabhuti as the ''[[senapati]]'' (commander-in-chief) of the [[Western Satrap|Saka]] satrap (ruler) [[Rudrasimha]].<ref name="Thosar"/><ref name="early 1974"/>{{rp|128}}<ref>{{multiref2|1={{cite book |last1=Salomon |first1=Richard |title=Indian Epigraphy: A Guide to the Study of Inscriptions in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and the Other Indo-Aryan Languages |date=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press, USA |isbn=9780195099843 |pages=90 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t-4RDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA90 |language=en}}|2={{cite book |last1=Mishra |first1=Susan Verma |last2=Ray |first2=Himanshu Prabha |title=The Archaeology of Sacred Spaces: The temple in western India, second century BCE–8th century CE |date=2016 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=9781317193746 |page=39 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CtDLDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA39 |language=en}}|3={{cite book |last1=Damsteegt |first1=Th |title=Epigraphical Hybrid Sanskrit: Its Rise, Spread, Characteristics and Relationship to Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit |date=1978 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-9004057258 |page=201 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L9QUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA201 |language=en}}|4={{cite book |last1=Vogel |first1=Jean Ph |title=India antiqua |date=1947 |publisher=Brill Archive |page=299 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GckUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA299 |language=en}}</ref> The inscription also gives a detailed genealogy of the kings up to Rudrasimha:<ref name="EI">{{cite book |last1=Banerji |first1=Rakhaldas |last2= Sukthankar |first2= Vishnu S. |editor1= F. W. Thomas |editor2=H. Krishna Sastri |title=Epigraphia Indica |volume=16 |date=1921 |page=233 |chapter=No. 17 — Three Kshatrapa Inscriptions |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.56664/2015.56664.Epigraphia-Indica-Vol16#page/n273}}}}</ref>

{{blockquote
|[[File:Gunda inscription of Rudrasimha Saka year 103.jpg|thumb|left|Gunda inscription of Rudrasimha, Saka year 103.]]"Hail ! On the [auspicious] fifth [[tithi]] of the bright fortnight of [[Vaisakha]] during the auspicious period of the constellation of [[Rohini (nakshatra)|Rohini]], in the year one hundred and three — 100 3 — (during the reign) of the king, the [[Kshatrapa]] Lord Rudrasiha (Rudrasimha), the son of the king, the Maha-Kshatrapa Lord [[Rudradaman I|Rudradaman]] (and) son’s son of the king, the Kshatrapa Lord [[Jayadaman]], (and) grandson's son of the king, the Maha-Kshatrapa Lord [[Chashtana]], the well was caused to be dug and embanked by the general ([[senapati]]) Rudrabuthi, the son of the general (senapati) Bapaka, the Abhira, at the village (grama) of Rasopadra, for the welfare and comfort of all living beings."|Epigraphia Indica XVI, [https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.56664/2015.56664.Epigraphia-Indica-Vol16#page/n273 p. 233]}}

The inscription refers to Rudrasimha as simply a ''ksatrapa'', ignoring the existence of any ''mahaksatrapa''. According to Sudhakar Chattopadhyaya, this indicates that the Abhira general was the ''[[de facto]]'' ruler of the state, though not assuming any higher title. The inscription states Abhira Rudrabhuti as the son of the general Bapaka.<ref name="early 1974"/> The Abhira dynasty was probably related Abhira Rudrabhuti.<ref name="Thosar"/><ref name="early 1974"/>

According to Prof Bhagwan Singh Suryavanshi, the Abhiras settled in southwestern [[Rajasthan]] and northeastern [[Sindh]] in the first century B.C. This region was called [[Abiria]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fox |first=Richard Gabriel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tx3jAAAAMAAJ |title=Realm and Region in Traditional India |date=1977 |publisher=Duke University, Program in Comparative Studies on Southern Asia |isbn=978-0-916994-12-9 |pages=87 |language=en}}</ref> Archaeologist and scholar [[Bhagwan Lal Indraji]] (1839–1888) believed that the Abhiras probably came by sea from [[Sindh]], conquered the western coast, and made Trikuta in [[Aparanta]] their capital. Abhira Mahakshtrapa Isvaradatta was their leader. He probably attacked and gained a victory over the Kshatrapas. Indarji further states that the Abhira Mahakshtrapa Isvaradatta was the founder of the [[Traikutaka dynasty]]{{snd}}<nowiki>known later as the Kalachuri or the Chedi era{snd}}originating probably in the establishment of his power in the Konkan, with Traikuta as his capital. Under Rudrasena, son of Viradaman the Kṣhatrapas, the Western Satraps appear to have re-established their sovereignty by driving out the Traikutakas who, thus dispossessed, retired to </nowiki>[[Central India]] and assumed the name of [[Heheya Kingdom|Haihaya]] or [[Kalachuris of Mahishmati|Kalachuri]]. On the final destruction of the Kshatrapa rule, the Traikutakas apparently regained Traikutaka about which time [[Dharasena (ruler)|Dharasena]] (A.D. 456) succeeded to the throne.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mirashi |first=Vasudev Vishnu |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.53719 |title=Inscriptions Of The Kalachuri-Chedi Era |volume=iv, part I |date=1955 |publisher=Government Epigraphist For India.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Mirashi Vasudev Vishnu. |url=http://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.53719 |title=Inscriptions Of The Kalachuri-chedi Era Vol-iv Part-i (1955) |date=1955 |publisher=Government Epigraphist For India.}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Abhira in the Allahabad Pillar inscription.jpg|thumb|upright|"Ābhīra" in later [[Brahmi script]] in the [[Allahabad Pillar inscription]] of [[Samudragupta]].<ref name="archive.org">{{cite book |last1=Fleet |first1=John Faithfull |title=Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Vol. 3 |date=1888 |pages=6–10 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.49403/page/n213/mode/2up}}</ref>]]
The history of the Abhiras is shrouded in much obscurity.<ref name="Thosar"/> The Abhira dynasty was founded by [[Ishwarsena]]. The branch came to power after the demise of the [[Satavahana dynasty|Satavahanas]] in the [[Nashik|Nasik]] region of [[Maharashtra]], with the help and consent of the Western Satraps (Sakas). They were known as ''Gavali rajas'' indicating that they were cowherds by profession before becoming kings.<ref name="Thosar"/> Ten Abhira kings ruled in the [[Maharashtra]] region of the [[Deccan]], whose names have not been mentioned in the [[Puranas]].<ref name="Thosar"/>
An Abhira king is known to have sent an embassy to the [[Sasanian Empire|Sassanid]] ''[[Shahanshah]]'' of [[Persia]], [[Narseh]], to congratulate him on his victory against [[Bahram III]].<ref name="Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India">{{cite book |last1=Singh Nijjar |first1=Bakhshish |title=Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India |date=2008 |publisher=Atlantic Publishers & Distributors |isbn=9788126909087 |pages=434 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xQM9voN21ekC&dq=Abhira+dynasty&pg=PA171}}</ref><ref name="Thosar"/>

During the time of the [[Gupta Empire]], the Indian emperor [[Samudragupta]] recorded Abhira as a "frontier kingdom" which paid an annual tribute. This was recorded by Samudragupta's [[Allahabad Pillar inscription]], which states the following in lines 22–23.

{{blockquote|"Samudragupta, whose formidable rule was propitiated with the payment of all tributes, execution of orders and visits (to his court) for obeisance by such frontier rulers as those of Samataṭa, [[Ḍavāka]], [[Kamarupa|Kāmarūpa]], [[Nepala|Nēpāla]], and [[Kartṛipura]], and, by the [[Malavas|Mālavas]], [[Arjunayanas|Ārjunāyanas]], [[Yaudheyas|Yaudhēyas]], [[Mādrakas]], Ābhīras, Prārjunas, Sanakānīkas, Kākas, Kharaparikas and other nations."|Lines 22–23 of the [[Allahabad Pillar|Allahabad pillar inscription]] of [[Samudragupta]] ({{reign|{{circa|350–375 CE}}}}).<ref name="archive.org">{{cite book |last1=Fleet |first1=John Faithfull |title=Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum Vol. 3 |date=1888 |pages=6–10 |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.49403/page/n213/mode/2up}}</ref>}}

The duration of the Abhira rule is uncertain, with most of the [[Puranas]] giving it as sixty-seven years, while the [[Vayu Purana]] gives it as one hundred and sixty-seven years.<ref name="Thosar"/><ref name="MR Majumdar 136"/> According to V.V Mirashi, the following were the feudatories of the Abhiras:<ref name="early 1974"/>{{rp|128–130}}
* The [[Maharajas of Valkha]]
* Isvararata
* The kings of [[Mahishmati]]
* The [[Traikutaka dynasty|Traikutakas]]

The Abhiras spoke [[Apabhraṃśa]], and seem to have patronised [[Sanskrit]]. The Nasik cave inscription of [[Ishwarsena|Isvarsena]] is written mostly in [[Sanskrit]]. Several guilds flourished in their kingdom, in which people invested large amounts for making endowments. This indicates peace, order and security in the kingdom of the Abhiras.<ref name="MR Majumdar 136">{{cite web |last1=Majumdar |first1=M R |title=Chronology of Gujarat |url=https://jainqq.org/explore/006799/136 |publisher=Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda}}</ref>

[[Patanjali]] in his ''[[Mahabhashya]]'' mentioned the Abhira kings. Abhira chieftains served as [[general]]s to the [[Saka]] rulers. In the second century A.D., an Ahir Chief Isvaradatta became the ''Mahakshatrapa'' (Supreme King). The Abhira played a key role in causing downfall of [[Satvahana]]s in third century A.D.<ref name="Gaṅgā Rām Garg">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w9pmo51lRnYC&dq=ahir+ruler+chief&pg=PA113 | title=Encyclopaedia of the Hindu World, Volume 1 | publisher=Concept Publishing Company | author=Gaṅgā Rām Garg | date=1992 | pages=114 | isbn=9788170223740}}</ref>

===Saka Satakarni===
Another king claiming to be a son of Mathari besides Abhira Ishwarsena is Sakasena. He is identified with Saka Satakarni, whose coins have been found over [[Andhra Pradesh]] and is taken to be a [[Satavahana dynasty|Satavahana king]] and successor of [[Yajna Sri Satakarni]]. However, K.Gopalchari thinks that Sakasena was an Abhira king. Reasons:
* The name of Sakasena or Saka Satakarni does not occur in the Puranic genealogies of the [[Satavahana dynasty|Satavahana]] kings. He claimed to be th son of Mathari, the wife of Abhira Sivadatta, as indicated by his epithet ''Mathariputra''.<ref name="Thosar"/>
* The traditional title of ''Siri'' which is found on most coins and inscriptions of the [[Satavahana dynasty|Satavahanas]] is significantly absent in the case of this ruler.<ref name="Thosar"/>
* Considering the dynastic rivalry between the Saka [[Kshatrapas]], the naming of a Satavahana prince with its main content as ''Saka'' is very unnatural and unlikely.<ref name="Thosar"/>
* The Abhiras were earlier in the service of the Saka rulers of Ujjaini, and in those days, feudatory chiefs used to name their sons after the names of their overlords. The name of Sakasena was probably a result of this practice. The suffix of ''Sena'' in his name also suggests that he was an Abhira king and related to Ishwarsena.<ref name="Thosar"/>

So this concludes that Ishwarsena's predecessor was his elder brother Sakasena, and Ishwarsena ascended the throne after his death.<ref name="Thosar"/>

Sakasena was probably the first great Abhira king. His inscriptions from the [[Konkan]] and coins from [[Andhra Pradesh]] suggest that he ruled over a large portion of the [[Satavahana dynasty|Satavahana Empire]].<ref name="Thosar"/>

===Abhira Ishwarsena===
Ishwarsena was the first independent Abhira king. He was the son of Abhira Sivadatta and his wife Mathari.<ref name="Thosar"/> Ashvini Agrawal thinks he was a general in the service of [[Rudrasimha I]] who deposed his master in 188 A.D and ascended the throne. Ashvini Agrawal further says that Rudrasimha I soon deposed him and regained the throne in 190 A.D.<ref name="imperial"/> He (Ishwarsena) started an era which later became known as the [[Kalachuris of Mahishmati|Kalachuri-Chedi era]]. His descendants ruled for nine generations.<ref name="Arun Kumar Sharma">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sDluAAAAMAAJ&q=Ishwarsena | title=Heritage of Tansa Valley | publisher=Bharatiya Kala Prakashan | author=Arun Kumar Sharma | year=2004 | pages=33, 92 | isbn=9788180900297}}</ref> Ishwarsena's coins are dated only in the first and second years of his reign and are found in [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]] and Southern [[Rajputana]].<ref name="India. Dept. of Archaeology">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mB4LAQAAMAAJ&q=abhiras+of+rajputana | title=Inscriptions of the Kalachuri-Chedi Era, Part 1 | publisher=Government Epigraphist for India Original from the University of Michigan | author=Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi| year=1955 | pages=xxx}}</ref>

The [[Traikutaka dynasty|Traikuta]] rule of Aparanta or Konkan begins in A.D. 248 (Traikuta era) exactly the time of Ishwarsena's rule, hence Traikutas are identified with the Abhira dynasty.<ref name="abhiras">{{cite book|last1=Mookerji|first1=Radhakumud|title=The gupta empire|date=2007|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|location=Delhi|isbn=9788120804401|edition=5th|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uYXDB2gIYbwC&pg=PA26 |access-date=19 July 2016|language=en|page=26}}</ref>

The [[Abhiras]] began to rule in Southern and western [[Saurashtra (region)|Saurashtra]] from the second half of the 10th century A.D their capital was vamanshtali, modern vanthali nine miles west of [[Junagadh]]. They became very powerful during the reign of [[Graharipu]] who defeated the Saindhavas and the [[Chaulukya dynasty|Chaulukyas]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra Nath |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wk4_ICH_g1EC&pg=PA344 |title=Ancient Indian History and Civilization |date=1999 |publisher=New Age International |isbn=978-81-224-1198-0 |language=en|page=344}}</ref>

==Territory==
The Abhiras ruled western Maharashtra which included [[Nasik]] and its adjoining areas,<ref name="early 1974">{{cite book | chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=78I5lDHU2jQC&pg=PA129| title= Some Early Dynasties of South India| publisher= Motilal Banarsidass| location= New Delhi |chapter=Chapter IX: Western Dynasties | date= 1974 | first= Sudhakar |last=Chattopadhyaya| pages=126–134 |isbn=978-81-208-2941-1}}</ref>{{rp|124}} Aparanta, [[Lata (region)|Lata]], [[Ashmaka]],<ref name="Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yScbAAAAIAAJ&q=Ishwarsena | title=Maharashtra State Gazetteers: Sholapur Gazetteer of India Volume 24 of Maharashtra State Gazetteers, Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept | publisher=Director of Government Printing, Stationery and Publications, Maharashtra State | author=Maharashtra (India). Gazetteers Dept | year=1977 | pages=40}}</ref><ref name="gazet">{{cite book |series=Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/dli.bengal.10689.12393/page/n87/mode/1up |volume=I (part I) |date=1896 |title=History of Gujarát |chapter= V: Early Gujarát |first1=Bhagvánlál |last1=Indraji|first2=A. M. T. |last2=Jackson |editor1= W. H. Crowe |editor2=((Bombay Gazetteer Committee)) |page=53|publisher=The Government Central Press,Bombay }} [https://books.google.com/books?id=RNA2AQAAMAAJ&q=Rudrasimha+ahir Alternative link{{snd}}via Google Books] {{free access}}</ref> and [[Khandesh]]<ref>{{cite book | title= Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography |volume=1 | publisher= Cosmo Publications | first= Subodh |last=Kapoor | pages=2| isbn= 9788177552980 | date= 2002 }}</ref> Their core territory included [[Nashik|Nasik]] and the adjoining areas.<ref name="early 1974"/>{{rp|124}}<ref name="5 Post Maurya Dynasties (In South India)">{{cite web |title=5 Post Maurya Dynasties (In South India) |url=https://www.historydiscussion.net/history-of-india/mauryas/5-post-maurya-dynasties-in-southern-india/5718 |website=History discussion |date=7 August 2015 |access-date=13 January 2021}}</ref> The Abhira territory also may have consisted of [[Malwa]], which they gradually seized from the [[Kshatrapas]].<ref name="Madhya pradesh">{{cite book |last1=Krishnan |first1=V. S. |last2=Shrivastav |first2=P. N. |last3=Verma |first3=Rajendra |title=Rajgarh By Madhya Pradesh (India) |date=1996 |publisher=Government Central Press |pages=18 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CyMLAQAAIAAJ&q=Abhira+dynasty}}</ref>

==Decline==
After the death of Abhira Vashishthiputra Vasusena, the Abhiras probably lost their sovereign and paramount status.<ref name="Thosar"/> The Abhiras lost most of their domains to the rising [[Vakataka dynasty|Vakatakas]] (north) and the [[Kadamba dynasty|Kadambas]] (south-west).<ref name="Hawkins">{{cite book |last1=Mitchiner |first1=Michael |title=The Ancient & Classical World, 600 B.C.-A.D. 650 |date=1978 |publisher=Hawkins Publications |isbn=9780904173161 |pages=634 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zuQLAQAAMAAJ&q=Abhira+dynasty}}</ref> The Abhiras were finally supplanted by their feudatories, the [[Traikutaka dynasty|Traikutakas]]. But still many petty Abhira chieftains and kings continued to rule until the fourth century, roughly till 370 AD, in the [[Vidarbha]] and [[Khandesh]] region. They continued to rule, but without sovereignty, until they came into conflict with the [[Kadamba dynasty|Kadamba king]] [[Mayurasharma|Mayurasarman]] and were defeated.<ref name="Origins and History of Jats and Other Allied Nomadic Tribes of India"/><ref name="Thosar"/>

==Descendants==

According to the historian Yaaminey Mubayi, several such dynasties, like the [[Kalachuris of Mahishmati|Kalachuris]], [[Chalukya dynasty|Chalukyas]], [[Rashtrakutas]] and later the [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seuna Yadavas]] trace their origin to [[Abhira people|Abhiras]], which highlights the integration of politically strong pastoral groups into Brahmanical caste order.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mubayi |first=Yaaminey |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p159EAAAQBAJ&dq=Abhira+pastoralists+clans&pg=PT19 |title=Water and Historic Settlements: The Making of a Cultural Landscape |date=13 September 2022 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-000-64163-9 |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[History of Nashik]]
*[[Abhira era]]
*[[Kalachuris of Tripuri]]
*[[Abhira people|Abhira]]
*[[Deccan Plateau|Deccan]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book |last= Banerjee |first=Biswanath |year=1999 |title=Shudraka |series=Makers of Indian Literature |publisher=Sahitya Academy |location=New Delhi |isbn=81-260-0697-8}}

[[Category:Hindu dynasties]]
[[Category:History of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in the 4th century]]

Abhira dynasty - Revision history

Freelaw67 at 15:22, 28 March 2026