v59_0037 - HUNOS HEPHTHALITOS Drachme

HEPHTHALITES HUNNIC

(4th-6th century AD)

The Hephthalite Huns are one of the three branches of the Huns, Ye-t'a of the Chinese. Confined to the north of the Great Wall of China, they were driven out in the 3rd century AD. They were first beaten in 425 by the Iranians, but Peroz, Sassanid king found death while fighting them in 484. They were also repulsed by Chandragupta, but they succeeded in seizing Gandhâra and reduced the Gupta Empire. Finally it was Chosroes I (539-579) who put an end to the Hephthalite hegemony in 567.