Asvakas (Sanskrit:
Aśvaka) were an ancient people from Gandhara, in the present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Etymology
The Sanskrit term aśva, Prakrit assa and Avestan aspa means horse. The name Aśvaka/ Aśvakan or Assaka is derived from the Sanskrit Aśva or Prakrit Assa and it denotes someone connected with the horses, hence a horseman, or a .[
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Ethnology
In the Major Rock Edicts of Ashoka, Asvakas are described as Gandhari people (Gandharians)[ Adapted from ][ who are recorded separately from Kambojas.]
History
The Assakenoi fielded 2,000 cavalry, 30 elephants and 30,000 infantry against Alexander during his campaign in India, which began in 327 BCE, but they eventually had to surrender after losses at places such as Barikot, Massaga and Udegram. The Aspasioi chose to flee into the hills but destroyed their city of Arigaion before doing so; 40,000 of them were captured, along with 230,000 oxen.
The Asvayanas have been attested to be good cattle breeders and agriculturists by classical writers. Arrian said that, during the time of Alexander, there were a large number of bullocks - 230,000 - of a size and shape superior to what the Macedonians had known, which Alexander captured from them and decided to send to Macedonia for agriculture.
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