Kamboja Janapada Coin

PICT0278
Originally uploaded by vk_i_maverick

Kamboja Janapada

It was adjoining the country in the extreme north - west. It was generally associated with Gandhara in ancient literature. Kambojas occupy roughly the province of Rajauri, Hazara district and Kafiristan.

metal: silver
weight: 43.1 grains
deno: 1/4 shatamana

Legend:

Kambojas are also included in the Uttarapatha. In ancient literature, the Kamboja is variously associated with the Gandhara, Darada and the Bahlika (Bactria).

Ancient Kamboja is known to have comprised regions on either side of the Hindukush. The original Kamboja was located in eastern Oxus country as neighbor to Bahlika, but with time, some clans of Kambojas appear to have crossed Hindukush and planted colonies on its southern side also. These latter Kambojas are associated with the Daradas and Gandharas in Indian literature and also find mention in the Edicts of Ashoka.

The evidence in Mahabharata and in Ptolemy's Geography distinctly supports two Kamboja settlements.

The capital of Kamboja was probably Rajapura (modern Rajori) in south-west of Kashmir.

The Kambojas were also a well known republican people since Epic times. Mahabharata refers to several Ganah (or Republics) of the Kambojas. Kautiliya's Arthashastra and Ashoka's Edict No. XIII also attest that the Kambojas followed republican constitution. Panini's Sutras , though tend to convey that the Kamboja of Panini was a Kshatriya Monarchy, but the special rule and the exceptional form of derivative he gives to denote the ruler of the Kambojas implies that the king of Kamboja was a titular head (king consul) only.