SoA Forum

General Category => Army Research => Topic started by: Jim Webster on Aug 02, 2026, 01:04 PM

Title: Indian warrior from Berenice
Post by: Jim Webster on Aug 02, 2026, 01:04 PM
I was watching
The Lost World of Roman Buddhism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiYswtNs15Y

It mentioned a statuette of a warrior, about 3 inches tall. Initially thought to be a Roman Auxiliary soldier, but was later thought to be Indian.


At the same time we have another inscription which talks of the dedication of something by a member of the Indian Kshatriya Caste

The inscription mentions Philip the Arab and is dated about 248AD
This is a screen shot from the video

wwww.JPG

I confess to being reminded of the figures portrayed in this image

wwwww.jpg


I suspect others have spotted it but I thought it worth a mention  :)

Title: Re: Indian warrior from Berenice
Post by: Duncan Head on Aug 02, 2026, 02:38 PM
I'd not seen that myself. But yes, it does have a slight whiff of the Kushan era about it in the armour - though this article (https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2025/12/five-artifacts-and-the-only-known-sanskrit-inscription-mentioning-a-roman-emperor-prove-the-presence-and-worship-of-indians-in-the-port-of-berenike/) reckons Satavahana.
Title: Re: Indian warrior from Berenice
Post by: Jim Webster on Aug 02, 2026, 03:36 PM
To be fair to the video it too mentions Satavahanas, and they are probably contemporary.
I look at India and see a pretty big field to delve into :-[
I have a vague hope that at some point we'll get Indian members who can spearhead research in this area ;)