6th century BCE  5th century BCE  4th century BCE  3rd century BCE  2nd century BCE  1st century BCE  1st century CE  2nd century CE  3rd century CE  4th century CE  5th century CE  6th century CE  7th century CE  8th century CE & ...

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 - Main Kushan rulers

From the 3rd century the Kushan empire began to fragment. Around 225 Vasudeva I died and the Kushan empire was divided into western and eastern halves. Around 224–240, the Sasanians invaded Bactria and Northern India, where they are known as the Indo-Sassanians. Around 270, the Kushans lost their territories on the Gangetic plain, where the Gupta Empire was established around 320. During the middle of the 4th century CE a Kushan vassal in Pakistan, named Kidara, rose to power and overthrew the old Kushan dynasty. He cr ...

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 - Decline

The ancestors of the Indo-Scythians are thought to be Sakas (Scythian) tribes, originally settled in southern Siberia, in the Ili river area. Around 175 BCE, the Yuezhi tribes (probable ancestors to the Tocharians) who lived in the Tarim Basin (modern Xinjiang and Kansu areas), were defeated by the Xiongnu (Huns) tribes, and had to migrate towards the West into the Ili river area. There, they displaced the Sakas, who had to migrate south into Ferghana and Sogdiana. According to the Chinese historical c ...

See also:

Indo-Scythians, Indo-Scythians - Origins, Indo-Scythians - Indo-Scythian kingdoms, Indo-Scythians - Abiria to Surastrene, Indo-Scythians - Gandhara and Punjab, Indo-Scythians - Mathura, Indo-Scythians - Kushan and Indo-Parthian conquests, Indo-Scythians - Western Kshatrapas legacy, Indo-Scythians - The Indo-Scythians and Buddhism, Indo-Scythians - Mathura lion capital, Indo-Scythians - Coinage, Indo-Scythians - Indo-Scythians in Ancient Indian Litterature, Indo-Scythians - Degraded Kshatriyas from the northwest, Indo-Scythians - Invasion of India 180 BCE onward, Indo-Scythians - Extinction in the 5th century CE, Indo-Scythians - Main Indo-Scythian rulers

Read more here: » Indo-Scythians: Encyclopedia II - Indo-Scythians - Origins

In the areas west of the Indian subcontinent, neighboring Greek kingdoms had been in place in Bactria (today's northern Afghanistan) since the time of the conquests of Alexander the Great around 326 BCE: first the Seleucids from around 323 BCE, then the Greco-Bactrian kingdom from around 250 BCE. The Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius I invaded India in 180 BCE as far as Pataliputra, establishing an Indo-Greek kingdom that was to last in various part of northern India until the end of the 1st century BCE. Buddhism flourished under the Indo ...

See also:

History of Buddhism, History of Buddhism - Life of the Buddha, History of Buddhism - Early Buddhism, History of Buddhism - 1st Buddhist council 5th c. BCE, History of Buddhism - 2nd Buddhist council 383 BCE, History of Buddhism - Ashokan proselytism c. 260 BCE, History of Buddhism - 3rd Buddhist council c.250 BCE, History of Buddhism - Hellenistic world, History of Buddhism - Asian expansion, History of Buddhism - Sunga persecutions 2nd–1st c.BCE, History of Buddhism - Greco-Buddhist interaction 2nd c. BCE–1st c. CE, History of Buddhism - Rise of Mahayana 1st c.BCE–2nd c.CE, History of Buddhism - Mahayana expansion 1st c.CE–10th c.CE, History of Buddhism - India, History of Buddhism - Central and Northern Asia, History of Buddhism - South-East Asia, History of Buddhism - Emergence of the Vajrayana 5th century, History of Buddhism - Theravada Renaissance 11th century CE—, History of Buddhism - Expansion of Buddhism to the West, History of Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » History of Buddhism: Encyclopedia II - History of Buddhism - Greco-Buddhist interaction 2nd c. BCE–1st c. CE

The Indo-Scythians seem to have been followers of Buddhism, and many of their practices apparently continued those of the Indo-Greeks. Indo-Scythians - Mathura lion capital. The Mathura lion capital, which associates many the Indo-Scythian rulers from Maues to Rajuvula, mentions a dedication of a relic of the Buddha in a stupa. It also bears centraly the Buddhist symbol of the triratana, and is also filled with mentions of the bhagavat Buddha Sakyamuni, and characteristically Buddhist phrases such as: ...

See also:

Indo-Scythians, Indo-Scythians - Origins, Indo-Scythians - Indo-Scythian kingdoms, Indo-Scythians - Abiria to Surastrene, Indo-Scythians - Gandhara and Punjab, Indo-Scythians - Mathura, Indo-Scythians - Kushan and Indo-Parthian conquests, Indo-Scythians - Western Kshatrapas legacy, Indo-Scythians - The Indo-Scythians and Buddhism, Indo-Scythians - Mathura lion capital, Indo-Scythians - Coinage, Indo-Scythians - Indo-Scythians in Ancient Indian Litterature, Indo-Scythians - Degraded Kshatriyas from the northwest, Indo-Scythians - Invasion of India 180 BCE onward, Indo-Scythians - Extinction in the 5th century CE, Indo-Scythians - Main Indo-Scythian rulers

Read more here: » Indo-Scythians: Encyclopedia II - Indo-Scythians - The Indo-Scythians and Buddhism

Northwestern India: Maues, c. 90-60 BCE Coin Vonones, c. 75-65 BCE Coin Spalahores, c. 75-65 BCE Coin Spalarises, c. 60-57 BCE Coin Azes I, c. 57-35 BCE Coin Azilises, c. 57-35 BCE Coin Azes II, c. 35-12 BCE Coin Zeionises, c.10 BCE-10 CE Kharahostes, c.10 BCE- 10 CE Hajatria Liaka Kusuluka, satrap of Chuksa Kusulaka Patika, satrap of Chuksa and son of Liaka Kusulaka Bajaur area (Apracharaja rulers): Vijayamitra (12 BCE - 15 CE) < ...

See also:

Indo-Scythians, Indo-Scythians - Origins, Indo-Scythians - Indo-Scythian kingdoms, Indo-Scythians - Abiria to Surastrene, Indo-Scythians - Gandhara and Punjab, Indo-Scythians - Mathura, Indo-Scythians - Kushan and Indo-Parthian conquests, Indo-Scythians - Western Kshatrapas legacy, Indo-Scythians - The Indo-Scythians and Buddhism, Indo-Scythians - Mathura lion capital, Indo-Scythians - Coinage, Indo-Scythians - Indo-Scythians in Ancient Indian Litterature, Indo-Scythians - Degraded Kshatriyas from the northwest, Indo-Scythians - Invasion of India 180 BCE onward, Indo-Scythians - Extinction in the 5th century CE, Indo-Scythians - Main Indo-Scythian rulers

Read more here: » Indo-Scythians: Encyclopedia II - Indo-Scythians - Main Indo-Scythian rulers

As soon as the Greeks invaded India to form the Indo-Greek kingdom, a fusion of Hellenistic and Buddhist elements started to appear, encouraged by the benevolence of the Greek kings towards Buddhism. This artistic trend then developed for several centuries and seemed to flourish further during the Kushan Empire from the first century CE. Greco-Buddhist art - Artistic model. Greco-Buddhist art depicts the life of the Buddha in a visual manner, probably by incorporating the real-l ...

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 artistic interaction

The term Tocharians has a somewhat complicated history. It is based on the ethnonym Tokharoi (Greek Τόχαροι) used by Greek historians (e.g. Ptolemy VI, 11, 6). The first mention of the Tocharians appeared in the 1st century BCE, when Strabo presented them as a Scythian tribe, and explained that the Tokharians — together with the Assianis, Passianis and Sakaraulis — took part in the destruction of the Greco-Bactrian kingdom in the second half of the 2nd century BCE: "Most of the Scythians, beginning fr ...

See also:

Tocharians, Tocharians - Archaeology, Tocharians - Language, Tocharians - Historic role, Tocharians - Naming

Read more here: » Tocharians: Encyclopedia II - Tocharians - Naming

The Greco-Bactrians were known for their high level of Hellenistic sophistication, and kept regular contact with both the Mediterranean and neighbouring India. They were on friendly terms with India and exchanged ambassadors. Their cities, such as Ai-Khanoum in northeastern Afghanistan (probably Alexandria on the Oxus) demonstrate a sophisticated Hellenistic urban culture. This site gives a snapshot of Greco-Bactrian culture around 145 BCE, as the city was burnt to the ground around that date during nomadic invasions and never re-sett ...

See also:

Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Greek culture in Bactria, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Geographic expansion, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with Eastern Central Asia and China, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with India 250–180, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Expansion into India after 180 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Defeat against Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Nomadic invasions, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - First Yueh-Chih expansion c. 162 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Second Yueh-Chih expansion c. 120 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Main Greco-Bactrian kings and territories, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Diodotus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Euthydemus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Bactrian Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Greek culture in Bactria

Euthydemus overthrew Diodotus II around 230 BCE and started his dynasty. Euthydemus's control extended to Sogdiana, reaching and going beyond the city of Alexandria Eschate founded by Alexander the Great in Ferghana. Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia. Euthydemus was attacked by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III around 210 BCE. Although he commanded 10,000 horsemen, Euthydemus initially lost a battle on the Arius [4] and had to ret ...

See also:

Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Greek culture in Bactria, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Geographic expansion, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with Eastern Central Asia and China, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with India 250–180, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Expansion into India after 180 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Defeat against Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Nomadic invasions, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - First Yueh-Chih expansion c. 162 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Second Yueh-Chih expansion c. 120 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Main Greco-Bactrian kings and territories, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Diodotus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Euthydemus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Bactrian Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE

Back in Bactria, Eucratides, either a general of Demetrius or an ally of the Seleucids, managed to overthrow the Euthydemid dynasty and establish his own rule around 170 BCE, probably dethroning Antimachus I and Antimachus II. The Indian branch of the Euthydemids tried to strike back. An Indian king called Demetrius (very likely Demetrius II) is said to have returned to Bactria with 60,000 men to oust the usurper, but he apparently was defeated and killed in the encounter: "Eucratides led many wars with great courage, and, wh ...

See also:

Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Greek culture in Bactria, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Geographic expansion, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with Eastern Central Asia and China, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with India 250–180, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Expansion into India after 180 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Defeat against Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Nomadic invasions, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - First Yueh-Chih expansion c. 162 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Second Yueh-Chih expansion c. 120 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Main Greco-Bactrian kings and territories, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Diodotus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Euthydemus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Bactrian Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides

Back in Bactria, Eucratides, either a general of Demetrius or an ally of the Seleucids, managed to overthrow the Euthydemid dynasty and establish his own rule around 170 BCE, probably dethroning Antimachus I and Antimachus II. The Indian branch of the Euthydemids tried to strike back. An Indian king called Demetrius (very likely Demetrius II) is said to have returned to Bactria with 60,000 men to oust the usurper (Justin XL ...

See also:

Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Greek culture in Bactria, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Geographic expansion, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with Eastern Central Asia and China, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with India 250–180, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Expansion into India after 180 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Defeat against Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Nomadic invasions, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - First Yueh-Chih expansion c. 162 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Second Yueh-Chih expansion c. 120 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Main Greco-Bactrian kings and territories, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Diodotus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Euthydemus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Bactrian Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides

The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom was founded by the Seleucid military governor of Bactria Diodotus around 250 BCE when he wrestled independence for his territory from the Seleucid Empire. "The Greeks who caused Bactria to revolt grew so powerful on account of the fertility of the country that they became masters, not only of Ariana, but also of India, as Apollodorus of Artemita says: and more tribes were subdued by them than by Alexander... Their cities were Bactra (also called Zariaspa, through which flows a river bearing the same ...

See also:

Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Greek culture in Bactria, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Geographic expansion, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with Eastern Central Asia and China, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with India 250–180, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Expansion into India after 180 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Defeat against Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Nomadic invasions, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - First Yueh-Chih expansion c. 162 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Second Yueh-Chih expansion c. 120 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Main Greco-Bactrian kings and territories, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Diodotus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Euthydemus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Bactrian Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE

Euthydemus overthrew Diodotus II around 230 BCE and started his dynasty. Euthydemus's control extended to Sogdiana, reaching and going beyond the city of Alexandria Eschate founded by Alexander the Great in Ferghana. Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia. Euthydemus was attacked by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III around 210 BCE. Although he commanded 10,000 horsemen, Euthydemus initially lost a battle on the Arius ^{See also:}

Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Greek culture in Bactria, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Geographic expansion, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with Eastern Central Asia and China, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with India 250–180, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Expansion into India after 180 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Defeat against Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Nomadic invasions, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - First Yueh-Chih expansion c. 162 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Second Yueh-Chih expansion c. 120 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Main Greco-Bactrian kings and territories, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Diodotus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Euthydemus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Bactrian Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE

The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom was founded around 250 BCE when the Seleucid military governor of Bactria, Sogdiana and Margiana, named Diodotus (Theodotos), wrestled independence for his territory from the Seleucid Empire: Theodotus, the governor of the thousand cities of Bactria (Latin: "Theodotus, mille urbium Bactrianarum praefectus"), defected and proclaimed himself king; all the other people of the Orient followed his example and seceded from ...

See also:

Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - The Euthydemid dynasty 230 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Conflict with the Seleucid empire and Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Greek culture in Bactria, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Geographic expansion, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with Eastern Central Asia and China, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Contacts with India 250–180, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Expansion into India after 180 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Usurpation of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Defeat against Parthia, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Nomadic invasions, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - First Yueh-Chih expansion c. 162 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Second Yueh-Chih expansion c. 120 BCE, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Main Greco-Bactrian kings and territories, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Diodotus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Euthydemus, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - House of Eucratides, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Bactrian Kingdom: Encyclopedia II - Greco-Bactrian Kingdom - Independence from the Seleucid Empire 250 BCE