Aśvaka

The Aśvakas (also known as Aśvakayanas or Asvayanas, classically called the Assacenii/Assacani (Sanskrit: अश्वक)), is the Sanskrit name of a people who lived in what is now northeastern Afghanistan and the Peshawar Valley. The region in which they lived is also called Aśvaka and should not be confused with the similarly named mahajanapada (great country) of south India that is recorded in ancient Buddhist texts. The word is also used as a generic descriptor for nomadic pastoral people of ancient north-western India who were known for their skills as horse breeders and riders.

Etymology

The Sanskrit term aśva, Iranian aspa and Prakrit assa 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 cavalryman or horse breeder. The Aśvakas were especially engaged in the occupation of breeding, raising and training war horses, as also in providing expert cavalry services.

Ethnology