Question

Who started the saka era and why?

Answer 1

Hint: After the decline of the Mauryan Empire, northwest India was constantly under attack from various invaders from Central and West Asia. The ascent of the king Chashtana can be related to the saka era.

Complete answer:
In the second century, the emperor of the Kushan dynasty was Kanishka the Great. For his military, political, and spiritual accomplishments, he is famous. In 78 AD/ CE, Kanishka ascended the throne, and this date was used as the start of the era of the Saka calendar.

The beginning of the Shaka period is now commonly equated with the rise of King Chashtana in 78 CE. His inscriptions were found in Andhau in the Kutch region, dating from years 11 and 52. These years are interpreted as 11 (89 CE) and 52 (130 CE) years of Shaka. A historically more popular view was that the beginning of the Shaka period corresponds to the rise of Kanishka I in 78 CE.However, Henry Falk's new research shows that Kanishka rose to the throne in 127 CE.

Northwest India was continuously under attack from different invaders from Central and West Asia after the fall of the Mauryan Empire. From about 180 BC until about 55 BC, the Indo-Greek rule persisted. In the first century BC, the Sakas (also written Shakas), alternatively known as Indo-Scythians, invaded northwest India.

Note: The history of the Shaka period is highly controversial.[3] In academic usage, there are two Shaka era systems, one is called the Old Shaka Era, the other is called the 78 CE Saka Era, or just Saka Era.

The Western Satraps, the Shaka (Indo-Scythian) rulers of Ujjain, are the earliest known users of the period. They recorded the date of minting their coins in the Shaka era from the reign of Rudrasimha I (178-197), typically written on the obverse behind the king's head in Brahmi numerals.