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Large bronze drachm of Narendra (Narana)
(ca.570-600 AD), Alchon Huns - Hunnic tribes
| Notes: |
Bust right, crowned with floriate crown, holding flowers before
him, Brahmi Sri in
front of the bust, a number of uncertain (NaRaNa?) letters in
the right field / Blank. 24mm, 2.39 grams. Kabul mint? Göbl
Dokumente, Em. 150.
Alchon or Alχon (Uarkhon) became
the new name of the Xionites in 460 when Khingila I united the
Uar with the Xionites under his Hephthalite ruling élite. At the
end of the 5th century the Alchon invaded northern India where
they became known as the Huna. In India the Alchon were not
distinguished from their immediate Hephthalite predecessors and
both are known as Sveta-Hunas there. Perhaps complimenting this
term, Procopius (527-565) wrote that they were white skinned,
had an organized kingship, and that their life was not
wild/nomadic but that they lived in cities.Although the power of
the Alchon in Bactria was shattered in the 560's by a
combination of Sassanid and proto-Turkic forces, the last
Hephthal king Narana/Narendra managed to maintain some kind of
rule between 570 and 600 AD over the 'nspk' or 'napki' or 'nezak'
tribes that remained after most of the Alchon had fled to the
west, where they became known as the Avars. The Alchon were
called Varkhon or Varkunites (Ouar-Khonitai) by Menander
Protector (538-582) literally referring to the Uar and Hunnoi.
Around 630, Theophylact Simocatta wrote that the European "Avars"
were initially composed of two nations, the Uar and the Hunnoi
tribes. He wrote that: "...the Barsilt, the Unogurs and the
Sabirs were struck with horror... and honoured the newcomers
with brilliant gifts..." when the Avars first arrived in their
lands in 555AD. |
| Stock # |
w15304 |
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