Bactrians
Bactria and Parthia became independent from the Syrian
empire in the middle of the third century B.C. Demetrius, the Greek
ruler of Bactria invaded Afghanistan and Punjab and occupied them.
From Taxila, he sent two of his commanders, Appolodotus and
Menander for further conquests. Appolodotus conquered the Sindh
and marched up to Ujjain. Menander extended his rule up to Mathura
and from there he made attempts to capture Pataliputra. But he
was stopped by the army of Vasumitra, the grandson of Pushyamitra
Sunga.
Menander was also known as Milinda and the capital of his
kingdom was Sakala (Sialcot). He evinced much interest in
Buddhism and his dialogues with the Buddhist monk Nagasena was
compiled in the Pali work, Milindapanho (Questions of Milinda).
He also embraced Buddhism. A Greek ambassador Heliodorus
became a Vaishnavite and erected the Garuda Pillar at Besnagar.
The Greek influence in India lasted for more than a century after the
death Menander.
.Sakas
The Sakas or the Scythians attacked Bactria and Parthia and
captured them from the Greek rulers. Following the footsteps of
the Greeks, the Sakas gradually extended their rule over
northwestern India. There were two different groups of Sakas –
the Northern Satraps ruling from Taxila and the Western satraps
ruling over Maharashtra.
The founder the Saka rule in India in the first century B.C.
was Maues. His son and successor was Azes I, who was considered
to be the founder of the Vikrama era.
Sakas rulers of Taxila were overthrown by the Parthians.
Bactria and Parthia became independent from the Syrian
empire in the middle of the third century B.C. Demetrius, the Greek
ruler of Bactria invaded Afghanistan and Punjab and occupied them.
From Taxila, he sent two of his commanders, Appolodotus and
Menander for further conquests. Appolodotus conquered the Sindh
and marched up to Ujjain. Menander extended his rule up to Mathura
and from there he made attempts to capture Pataliputra. But he
was stopped by the army of Vasumitra, the grandson of Pushyamitra
Sunga.
Menander was also known as Milinda and the capital of his
kingdom was Sakala (Sialcot). He evinced much interest in
Buddhism and his dialogues with the Buddhist monk Nagasena was
compiled in the Pali work, Milindapanho (Questions of Milinda).
He also embraced Buddhism. A Greek ambassador Heliodorus
became a Vaishnavite and erected the Garuda Pillar at Besnagar.
The Greek influence in India lasted for more than a century after the
death Menander.
.Sakas
The Sakas or the Scythians attacked Bactria and Parthia and
captured them from the Greek rulers. Following the footsteps of
the Greeks, the Sakas gradually extended their rule over
northwestern India. There were two different groups of Sakas –
the Northern Satraps ruling from Taxila and the Western satraps
ruling over Maharashtra.
The founder the Saka rule in India in the first century B.C.
was Maues. His son and successor was Azes I, who was considered
to be the founder of the Vikrama era.
Sakas rulers of Taxila were overthrown by the Parthians.
Kushanas
The Kushanas were a branch of Yuchi tribe, whose original
home was central Asia. They first came to Bactria displacing the
Sakas. Then they gradually moved to
the Kabul valley and seized the
Gandhara region. The founder of the
Kushana dynasty was Kujula
Kadphises or Kadphises I. He
occupied the Kabul valley and issued
coins in his name. His son Wima
Kadphises or Kadphises II conquered the whole of northwestern
India as far as Mathura. He issued gold coins with high-sounding
titles like the ‘Lord of the Whole World’. He was a devotee of
Lord Siva.
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