The Pre-Gupta

Period
By- Manish Shrivastava
 Introduction

The period that began in after 200 BC did not see the
emergence of a large empire, but it was important for
intimate and widespread contacts between Central
Asia and India. North-western India saw a number of
ruling dynasties from central Asia such as
Indo-Greeks, Shakas, Pahlavas and Kushans. Of
them, the Kushans became the most famous.
Why N-W Vulnerable to attack?

❏ Instability in Central Asia

❏ Seleucid Empire was weak.
❏ Great wall of China by
Huang ti in 220 B.C
➢ It also helps in
❏ Spread of Kharosthi script.
❏ Trade flourished & Silk
route developed
 Foreign Dynasties
The Indo-Greeks or Bactrian Greeks

❏ The first to invade India were the Greeks, who were called Indo - Greeks
or Indo-Bactrians.
❏ Greek expansion in India was initially done by Demetrius I. Two Greek
dynasties - that of Demetrius and Lucratides - simultaneously ruled
north- western India on parallel lines.
❏ Menander (165 - 145 BC), also known as Milinda was the most famous
Indo -Greek ruler. His capital was at Sakala (modern Sialkot) in Punjab.
❏ The Indo-Greek rulers are the first ones whose coins carried the portrait
of kings & their names.
 Foreign Dynasties
The Indo-Greeks or Bactrian Greeks

❏ Menander was converted to Buddhism by Nagasena (who is also known

as Nagarjuna). Menander asked Nagasena many questions relating to
Buddhism.These questions and Nagasena answers were recorded in a book
written in Pali language known as Milindapanho or the Questions of
Milinda. Kshemendra mentions him in Avadana Kalpalata
❏ Heliocles was the last Greek king to rule over Bactria and India. Heliocles
was immediately followed by Antialcidas.
❏ The Garuda Pillar Inscription (in Brahmi script) at Besnagar states that
Antialcidas sent an ambassador Heliodorus to the court of Bhagabhadra.
Importance of Greek Invasion

❏ The Indo-Greeks issued a large number of coins.

They were the first rulers in India to issue coins that
can be definitely attributed to particular Kings. They
were also the first to issue gold coins in India.
❏ The concept of Greek satrapies for provincial
organisation was given by the Indo-Greeks.
❏ They also introduced Hellenistic art in north-west
frontier of India best of this was Gandhara art.
❏ Started Gandhara School of Art where idol
making started, first idol was of Gautama Buddha.
Foreign Dynasties
The Sakas

❏ Scythians or Sakas were nomadic tribes of

Central Asia. They destroyed the Indo-Greek
rule in the North-west India.
❏ Sakas entered India through Bolan pass.
❏ Sakas ruled from 1st century B.C to 4th century
A.D.
❏ The Sakas were divided in five branches and
established themselves in various parts of India.
 Foreign Dynasties
The Sakas

❏ Maues or Moga were probably the earliest Saka rulers of India. Maues
issued a large number of coins mostly of copper and a few of silver. They
adopted the title maharaja mahatma (the great king of kings); which is an
exact Prakrit translation of title basileos megalou, adopted by several Indo
- Greek kings.
❏ The rulers belonging to all these branches were called kshatrapas or
mahaksatraps
❏ Rudradaman-I was the most important king who ruled from Ujjain
around 150AD.
 Foreign Dynasties
The Sakas

❏ His rule extended not only over Sindh but also over a great part of Gujarat,
Konkan, Narmada valley, Malwa and Kathiawar. He undertook the repair of
Sudarshana lake in Kathiawar (which was dated back to the Mauryas).
❏ The Sakas fought a war with a king, who called himself Vikramaditya.
Vikramaditya emerged victorious in this war & an era called Vikram
Samvat is reckoned from the event of his victory over the Sakas in 57 BC.
❏ Rudradaman was a lover of Sanskrit and he issued the first ever long
Junagarh inscription in Sanskrit.
❏ The last Saka ruler Rudrasimha-III was defeated by Chandragupta II of
the Gupta Dynasty in about 390 AD.
Thank You