Northern Satraps

Northern Satraps
60 BCE–2nd century CE
The Northern Satraps ruled the area from Eastern Punjab to Mathura.
Capital		Sagala/ Mathura
Religion		Buddhism
Government		Monarchy
Historical era		Antiquity
•	Established	60 BCE
•	Disestablished	2nd century CE
Preceded by Succeeded by Indo-Greeks Kushan Empire
Today part of		India  Pakistan

The Northern Satraps are a dynasty of Indo-Scythian rulers who held sway over the area of Mathura and Eastern Punjab in the beginning of our era (1st century BCE to 1st century CE). They are called "Northern Satraps", in opposition to the "Western Satraps" ruling in Gujarat and Malwa at roughly the same time. They are thought to have replaced the last of the Indo-Greek kings in the Eastern Punjab, as well as the Mitra dynasty of Indian rulers in Mathura.

In central India, the Indo-Scythians are thought to have conquered the area of Mathura over Indian kings around 60 BCE, thus founding the Northern Satraps. Some of their first satraps were Hagamasha and Hagana, who were in turn followed by Rajuvula, but according to some authors, Rajuvula may have been first.

Rajuvula is considered as one of the main Northern Satraps ruler. He was a Great Satrap (Mahakshatrapa, a sub-ruler to a king) who ruled in the area of Mathura in northern India in the years around 10 CE, under the authority of the Indo-Scythian king Azilises. In Mathura, he sometimes using the term "Basileus" (king) next to his title of Satrap, which implies a higher level of autonomy from the Indo-Scythian center in northwestern India.

In Mathura, Rajuvula established the famous Mathura lion capital, now in the British Museum, which confirms the presence of Northern Satraps in Mathura, and sheds some light on the relationships between the various satraps of Northern India. His coins are found near Sankassa along the Ganges and in Eastern Punjab. Their style is derived from the Indo-Greek types of Strato II. Rajuvula apparently replaced the last of the Indo-Greek kings Strato II around 10 CE, and took his capital city, Sagala. Numerous coins of Rajuvula have been found in company with the coins of the Strato group in the Eastern Punjab (to the east of the Jhelum) and also in the Mathura area: for example, 96 coins of Strato II were found in Mathura in conjonction with coins of Rajuvula, who also imitated the designs of Strato II in the majority of his ussues.