Powerful Hellenistic states were established in the areas of Bactria and Sogdiana, and later northern India for three centuries following the conquests of Alexander the Great around 330 BCE: the Seleucid empire until 250 BCE, followed by the Greco-Bactrian kingdom until 130 BCE, and the Indo-Greek kingdom from 180 BCE to around 10 BCE. The clearest examples of Hellenistic art are found in the coins of the Greco-Bactrian kings of the period, such as Demetrius I of Bactria. Many coins of the Greco-Bactrian kings have been unearthed, inc ...

See also:

Greco-Buddhist art, Greco-Buddhist art - Hellenistic art in southern Asia, Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist artistic interaction, Greco-Buddhist art - Artistic model, Greco-Buddhist art - Stylistic evolution, Greco-Buddhist art - Architecture, Greco-Buddhist art - The Buddha, Greco-Buddhist art - Gods and Bodhisattvas, Greco-Buddhist art - Cupids, Greco-Buddhist art - Devotees, Greco-Buddhist art - Fantastic animals, Greco-Buddhist art - The Kushan contribution, Greco-Buddhist art - Southern influences of Greco-Buddhist art, Greco-Buddhist art - The art of the Sunga, Greco-Buddhist art - The art of Mathura, Greco-Buddhist art - Art of the Gupta, Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist art expansion in Central Asia, Greco-Buddhist art - Bactria, Greco-Buddhist art - Tarim Basin, Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist influences in Eastern Asia, Greco-Buddhist art - China, Greco-Buddhist art - Japan, Greco-Buddhist art - Influences on South-East Asian art, Greco-Buddhist art - Cultural significance of Greco-Buddhist art, Greco-Buddhist art - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhist art: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhist art - Hellenistic art in southern Asia

Greco-Buddhist artistic influences naturally followed Buddhism in its expansion to Central and Eastern Asia from the 1st century BCE. Greco-Buddhist art - Bactria. Bactria was under direct Greek control for more than two centuries from the conquests of Alexander the Great in 332 BCE to the end of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom around 125 BCE. The art of Bactria was almost perfectly Hellenistic as shown by the archeological remains of Greco-Bactrian cities such as Alexandria on the Oxus (Ai-Khanoum), or the num ...

See also:

Greco-Buddhist art, Greco-Buddhist art - Hellenistic art in southern Asia, Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist artistic interaction, Greco-Buddhist art - Artistic model, Greco-Buddhist art - Stylistic evolution, Greco-Buddhist art - Architecture, Greco-Buddhist art - The Buddha, Greco-Buddhist art - Gods and Bodhisattvas, Greco-Buddhist art - Cupids, Greco-Buddhist art - Devotees, Greco-Buddhist art - Fantastic animals, Greco-Buddhist art - The Kushan contribution, Greco-Buddhist art - Southern influences of Greco-Buddhist art, Greco-Buddhist art - The art of the Sunga, Greco-Buddhist art - The art of Mathura, Greco-Buddhist art - Art of the Gupta, Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist art expansion in Central Asia, Greco-Buddhist art - Bactria, Greco-Buddhist art - Tarim Basin, Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist influences in Eastern Asia, Greco-Buddhist art - China, Greco-Buddhist art - Japan, Greco-Buddhist art - Influences on South-East Asian art, Greco-Buddhist art - Cultural significance of Greco-Buddhist art, Greco-Buddhist art - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhist art: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist art expansion in Central Asia

Greco-Buddhist artistic influences naturally followed Buddhism in its expansion to Central and Eastern Asia from the 1st century BCE. Greco-Buddhist art - Bactria. Bactria was under direct Greek control for more than two centuries from the conquests of Alexander the Great in 332 BCE to the end of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom around 125 BCE. The art of Bactria was almost perfectly Hellenistic as shown by the archaeological remains of Greco-Bactrian cities such as Alexandria on the Oxus (Ai-Khanoum), or the nu ...

See also:

Greco-Buddhist art, Greco-Buddhist art - Hellenistic art in southern Asia, Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist artistic interaction, Greco-Buddhist art - Artistic model, Greco-Buddhist art - Stylistic evolution, Greco-Buddhist art - Architecture, Greco-Buddhist art - The Buddha, Greco-Buddhist art - Gods and Bodhisattvas, Greco-Buddhist art - Cupids, Greco-Buddhist art - Devotees, Greco-Buddhist art - Fantastic animals, Greco-Buddhist art - The Kushan contribution, Greco-Buddhist art - Southern influences of Greco-Buddhist art, Greco-Buddhist art - The art of the Sunga, Greco-Buddhist art - The art of Mathura, Greco-Buddhist art - Art of the Gupta, Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist art expansion in Central Asia, Greco-Buddhist art - Bactria, Greco-Buddhist art - Tarim Basin, Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist influences in Eastern Asia, Greco-Buddhist art - China, Greco-Buddhist art - Japan, Greco-Buddhist art - Influences on South-East Asian art, Greco-Buddhist art - Cultural significance of Greco-Buddhist art, Greco-Buddhist art - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhist art: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Buddhist art - Greco-Buddhist art expansion in Central Asia

Nevertheless, even before Seleucus' death, the vast eastern domains of the Seleucids were proving difficult to assert control over. Seleucus had invaded India (modern Punjab in northern India and Pakistan) in 304 BC, leading to conflict with the Mauryan empire ruled by Chandragupta Maurya. It is said that Chandragupta fielded an army of 100,000 men and 9,000 war elephants, and forced Seleucus to conclude an alliance and give him his daughter in marriage. In exchange Chandragupta gave him no less than 500 elephants, an addition to his army ...

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Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - The partition of Alexander's empire 323-281 BC, Seleucid Empire - An overextended domain, Seleucid Empire - Greco-Bactrian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Parthian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Eclipse and revival, Seleucid Empire - The power of Rome and renewed disintegration, Seleucid Empire - Civil war and further decay, Seleucid Empire - Collapse of the Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - Seleucid rulers, Seleucid Empire - In modern media

Read more here: » Seleucid Empire: Encyclopedia II - Seleucid Empire - An overextended domain

After the death of Azes II, the rule of the Indo-Scythians in northwestern India finally crumbled with the conquest of the Kushans, one of the five tribes of the Yuezhi who had lived in Bactria for more than a century, and who were then expanding into India to create a Kushan Empire. Soon after, the Parthians invaded from the west. Their leader Gondophares temporarily displaced the Kushans and founded the Indo-Parthian Kingdom that was to last until the middle of the 1st century CE. The Kushans ultimately regained northwestern India circa 75 C ...

See also:

Azes II, Azes II - Decline of the Scythians, Azes II - Coinage, Azes II - The Bimaran casket

Read more here: » Azes II: Encyclopedia II - Azes II - Decline of the Scythians

Coin of Azes I on a Bactrian camel. Coin of Azes I depicting Poseidon trampling a horned river god. On the reverse, a Yakshi Goddess standing amidst vines. ...

See also:

Azes I, Azes I - History, Azes I - The Azes Era, Azes I - Other coins

Read more here: » Azes I: Encyclopedia II - Azes I - Other coins

The Seleucid Empire is one of a number of factions in the 2004 PC game Rome: Total War. The Jewish Maccabees, who expelled the Seleucid, are the name of a beer and several sports teams (including basketball and football) in Israel as of 2006. ...

See also:

Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - The partition of Alexander's empire 323-281 BC, Seleucid Empire - An overextended domain, Seleucid Empire - Greco-Bactrian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Parthian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Eclipse and revival, Seleucid Empire - The power of Rome and renewed disintegration, Seleucid Empire - Civil war and further decay, Seleucid Empire - Collapse of the Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - Seleucid rulers, Seleucid Empire - In modern media

Read more here: » Seleucid Empire: Encyclopedia II - Seleucid Empire - In modern media

Azes most lasting legacy was the foundation of the Azes era. It was widely believed that the era was begun by Azes successors by simply continuing the counting of his regnal years. However, Prof. Harry Falk has recently presented an inscription at several conferences which dates to Azes reign, and suggests that the era may have been begun by Azes himself. Most popular historians date the start of the Azes era to 58 BC and believe it is the same as the later era known as the Malwa or Vikrama era. However, a recently discovered inscription dat ...

See also:

Azes I, Azes I - History, Azes I - The Azes Era, Azes I - Other coins

Read more here: » Azes I: Encyclopedia II - Azes I - The Azes Era

The Seleucid Empire is one of a number of factions in the 2004 PC game Rome: Total War. The Jewish revolt Maccabee who expelled the Seleucid, are given name to an Israel Basketball team from Tel Aviv in present day. ...

See also:

Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - The partition of Alexander's empire 323-281 BC, Seleucid Empire - An overextended domain, Seleucid Empire - Greco-Bactrian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Parthian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Eclipse and revival, Seleucid Empire - The power of Rome and renewed disintegration, Seleucid Empire - Civil war and further decay, Seleucid Empire - Collapse of the Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - Seleucid rulers, Seleucid Empire - In modern media

Read more here: » Seleucid Empire: Encyclopedia II - Seleucid Empire - In modern media

After the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid Empire became increasingly unstable. Frequent civil wars made central authority tenuous at best. Epiphanes' young son, Antiochus V Eupator, was first overthrown by Seleucus IV's son, Demetrius I Soter in 161 BC. Demetrius I attempted to restore Seleucid power in Judea particularly, but was overthrown in 150 BC by Alexander Balas -- an impostor who (with Egyptian backing) claimed to be the son of Epiphanes. Alexander Balas reigned until 145 BC, when he was overthrown by Demetrius I's son ...

See also:

Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - The partition of Alexander's empire 323-281 BC, Seleucid Empire - An overextended domain, Seleucid Empire - Greco-Bactrian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Parthian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Eclipse and revival, Seleucid Empire - The power of Rome and renewed disintegration, Seleucid Empire - Civil war and further decay, Seleucid Empire - Collapse of the Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - Seleucid rulers, Seleucid Empire - In modern media

Read more here: » Seleucid Empire: Encyclopedia II - Seleucid Empire - Civil war and further decay

In the following century, the Yuezhi tribe of the Guishuang (Ch: 貴霜) gained prominence over the others, and welded them into a tight confederation. The name Guishuang was adopted in the West and modified into Kushan to designate the confederation, although the Chinese continued to call them Yuezhi. Gradually wresting control of the area from the Scythian tribes, the Kushans expanded south into the region traditionally known as Gandhara (An area lying primarily in Pakistan's Pothowar, and NWFP region but ...

See also:

Kushan Empire, Kushan Empire - Origins, Kushan Empire - A multi-cultural Empire, Kushan Empire - Heraios 1-30 CE, Kushan Empire - Kujula Kadphises 30-80 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Taktu 80-105 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Kadphises 105-127 CE, Kushan Empire - Kanishka I 127-147 CE, Kushan Empire - The Kushans and Buddhism, Kushan Empire - Depiction of Kushan devotees in the art of Gandhara, Kushan Empire - Contacts with Rome, Kushan Empire - Contacts with China, Kushan Empire - Decline, Kushan Empire - Main Kushan rulers

Read more here: » Kushan Empire: Encyclopedia II - Kushan Empire - A multi-cultural Empire

Azes II's coins use Greek and Kharoshti, depict a Greek goddess as his protector, and thereby essential follow the numismatic model of the Greek kings if the Indo-Greek kingdom, suggesting a high willingness to accommodate Greek culture. An originality of the Indo-Scythians is to show the king on a horse, rather than his bust in profile as did the Greeks. Other coins of Azes depict the Buddhist lion and the Brahmanic cow of Shiva, suggesting religious tolerance towa ...

See also:

Azes II, Azes II - Decline of the Scythians, Azes II - Coinage, Azes II - The Bimaran casket

Read more here: » Azes II: Encyclopedia II - Azes II - Coinage

Azes II is also connected to the Bimaran casket, one of the earliest representations of the Buddha. The casket, probably Greek work, was used for the dedication of a stupa in Bamiran, near Jalalabad in Afghanistan, and placed inside the stupa with several coins of Azes II. This event may have happened during the reign of Azes (35-12 BCE), or slightly later. The Indo-Scythians are otherwise connected with Buddhism (see Mathura lion capital), and it is indeed possible they would have commend ...

See also:

Azes II, Azes II - Decline of the Scythians, Azes II - Coinage, Azes II - The Bimaran casket

Read more here: » Azes II: Encyclopedia II - Azes II - The Bimaran casket

But Antiochus' glory was not to last for long. Following his erstwhile ally Philip's defeat at the hands of Rome in 197 BC, Antiochus now saw the opportunity for expansion into Greece. Encouraged by the exiled Carthaginian general Hannibal, and making an alliance with the disgruntled Aetolian League, Antiochus invaded Greece. Unfortunately, this decision led to his downfall: he was defeated by the Romans at Thermopylae (191 BC) and Magnesia (190 BC), and was forced to make peace with the Romans by the embarrassing Treaty of Apamia (188 BC) - ...

See also:

Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - The partition of Alexander's empire 323-281 BC, Seleucid Empire - An overextended domain, Seleucid Empire - Greco-Bactrian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Parthian secession 250 BC, Seleucid Empire - Eclipse and revival, Seleucid Empire - The power of Rome and renewed disintegration, Seleucid Empire - Civil war and further decay, Seleucid Empire - Collapse of the Seleucid Empire, Seleucid Empire - Seleucid rulers, Seleucid Empire - In modern media

Read more here: » Seleucid Empire: Encyclopedia II - Seleucid Empire - The power of Rome and renewed disintegration

Although Maues and his successors had conquered the areas of Gandhara, as well as the area of Mathura from 85 BCE, they were unsuccessful against the Indo-Greek kings remaining behind the Jhelum River in eastern Punjab. The Indo-Greek Hippostratos (65-55 BCE) finally lost to Azes I after a long resistance. Some coins of Azes I depict the god Poseidon vanquishing a horned river god, suggesting a naval victory ...

See also:

Azes I, Azes I - History, Azes I - The Azes Era, Azes I - Other coins

Read more here: » Azes I: Encyclopedia II - Azes I - History

Numerous artifacts and structures were found, pointing to a high Hellenistic culture, combined with Eastern influences. "It has all the hallmarks of a Hellenistic city, with a Greek theater, gymnasium and some Greek houses with colonnaded courtyards" (Boardman). Overall, Aï-Khanoum was extremely important Greek city (1.5 sq kilometer), characteristic of the Seleucid Empire and then the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. It seems the city was destroyed, never to be rebuilt, during the time of the Greco-Bactrian king Eucratides around 150 BCE.See also:

Ai-Khanoum, Ai-Khanoum - Strategic location, Ai-Khanoum - A Greek city in Bactria, Ai-Khanoum - Architecture, Ai-Khanoum - Sculptural remains, Ai-Khanoum - Epigraphic remains, Ai-Khanoum - Artifacts, Ai-Khanoum - Nomadic invasions, Ai-Khanoum - Significance, Ai-Khanoum - Notes

Read more here: » Ai-Khanoum: Encyclopedia II - Ai-Khanoum - A Greek city in Bactria

Several Roman sources describe the visit of ambassadors from the Kings of Bactria and India during the 2nd century CE, probably referring to the Kushans: Historia Augusta, speaking of Emperor Hadrian (117–138 CE) tells: "Reges Bactrianorum legatos ad eum, amicitiae petendae causa, supplices miserunt" "The kings of the Bactrians sent supplicant ambassadors to him, to seek his friendship." Also in 138, according to Aurelius Victor (Epitome‚ XV, 4), and Appian (Praef., 7), Antoninus Pius, successor to Hadrian, received some ...

See also:

Kushan Empire, Kushan Empire - Origins, Kushan Empire - A multi-cultural Empire, Kushan Empire - Heraios 1-30 CE, Kushan Empire - Kujula Kadphises 30-80 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Taktu 80-105 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Kadphises 105-127 CE, Kushan Empire - Kanishka I 127-147 CE, Kushan Empire - The Kushans and Buddhism, Kushan Empire - Depiction of Kushan devotees in the art of Gandhara, Kushan Empire - Contacts with Rome, Kushan Empire - Contacts with China, Kushan Empire - Decline, Kushan Empire - Main Kushan rulers

Read more here: » Kushan Empire: Encyclopedia II - Kushan Empire - Contacts with Rome

Maues had his capital in Sirkap and minted most of his coins in Taxila. Maues did not manage however to conquer the Punjab territories of the Indo-Greeks east of the Jhelum, which remained under Greek control. After his death the Indo-Greeks regained most of their territory. Maues is mainly known through his coins, which are often very closely inspired from Indo-Greek coinage. He represented Greek and Indian deities ...

See also:

Maues, Maues - Conqueror of Gandhara, Maues - Maues and Buddhism

Read more here: » Maues: Encyclopedia II - Maues - Conqueror of Gandhara

Chinese sources describe the Guishuang (Ch:貴霜), i.e. the "Kushans" as one of the five tribes of the Yuezhi (Ch:月氏), a loose confederation of Indo-European peoples, possibly speaking versions of the Tocharian language. They were the easternmost Indo-Europeans, who had been living in the arid grasslands of the Tarim Basin in modern-day Xinjiang, until they were driven west by the Xiongnu in 176–160 BCE. The five Yuezhi tribes are known in Chinese history as Xiūmì (Ch:休密), Guishuang (Ch:貴霜), Shuangmi (Ch:雙靡), X ...

See also:

Kushan Empire, Kushan Empire - Origins, Kushan Empire - A multi-cultural Empire, Kushan Empire - Heraios 1-30 CE, Kushan Empire - Kujula Kadphises 30-80 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Taktu 80-105 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Kadphises 105-127 CE, Kushan Empire - Kanishka I 127-147 CE, Kushan Empire - The Kushans and Buddhism, Kushan Empire - Depiction of Kushan devotees in the art of Gandhara, Kushan Empire - Contacts with Rome, Kushan Empire - Contacts with China, Kushan Empire - Decline, Kushan Empire - Main Kushan rulers

Read more here: » Kushan Empire: Encyclopedia II - Kushan Empire - Origins

During the 1st and 2nd century, the Kushan Empire expanded militarily to the north and occupied parts of the Tarim Basin, their original grounds, putting them at the center of the profitable Central Asian commerce with the Roman Empire. They are related to have collaborated militarily with the Chinese against nomadic incursion, particularly when they collaborated with the Chinese general Ban Chao against the Sogdians in 84 CE, when the latter were trying to support a revolt by the king of Kashgar. Around 85 CE, they also assisted the Chinese gen ...

See also:

Kushan Empire, Kushan Empire - Origins, Kushan Empire - A multi-cultural Empire, Kushan Empire - Heraios 1-30 CE, Kushan Empire - Kujula Kadphises 30-80 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Taktu 80-105 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Kadphises 105-127 CE, Kushan Empire - Kanishka I 127-147 CE, Kushan Empire - The Kushans and Buddhism, Kushan Empire - Depiction of Kushan devotees in the art of Gandhara, Kushan Empire - Contacts with Rome, Kushan Empire - Contacts with China, Kushan Empire - Decline, Kushan Empire - Main Kushan rulers

Read more here: » Kushan Empire: Encyclopedia II - Kushan Empire - Contacts with China

Cultural exchanges also flourished, encouraging the development of Greco-Buddhism, a fusion of Hellenistic and Buddhist cultural elements, that was to expand into central and northern Asia as Mahayana Buddhism. Kanishka is renowned in Buddhist tradition for having convened a great Buddhist council in Kashmir. This council is attributed with having marked the official beginning of the pantheistic Mahayana Buddhism and its schism with Nikaya Buddhism. Kanishka also had the original Gandhari vernacular, or Prakrit, Mahayana Buddhist text ...

See also:

Kushan Empire, Kushan Empire - Origins, Kushan Empire - A multi-cultural Empire, Kushan Empire - Heraios 1-30 CE, Kushan Empire - Kujula Kadphises 30-80 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Taktu 80-105 CE, Kushan Empire - Vima Kadphises 105-127 CE, Kushan Empire - Kanishka I 127-147 CE, Kushan Empire - The Kushans and Buddhism, Kushan Empire - Depiction of Kushan devotees in the art of Gandhara, Kushan Empire - Contacts with Rome, Kushan Empire - Contacts with China, Kushan Empire - Decline, Kushan Empire - Main Kushan rulers

Read more here: » Kushan Empire: Encyclopedia II - Kushan Empire - The Kushans and Buddhism

A few of the coins of Maues, struck according to the Indian square standard, seamingly depict a King in a cross-legged seated position. This may represent Maues himself, or possibly one of his divinities. It has been suggested that this might also be one of the first representations of the Buddha on a coin, in an area where Buddhism was flourishing at the time. Also, Maues struck some coins incorporating Buddhist symbolism, such as the one representing Herakles with a club resting on his arm (the protector deity of the Indo-Greek king ...

See also:

Maues, Maues - Conqueror of Gandhara, Maues - Maues and Buddhism

Read more here: » Maues: Encyclopedia II - Maues - Maues and Buddhism