Short essay on the North Indian From 200 BC to 300 AD

The downfall of the Mauryan empire led to the breakup of the political unity of India. As a result, various foreign powers poured into India and made their settlements in this region. They were the Indo-Bacterians, Indo-Parthians, the Sakas and the Kushanas. They held sway in north-western regions of India till the third century AD.

The Greeks (The Indo-Bacterians):

After Alexander’s death, Seleucus became an independent ruler of the eastern part of his master. The region between Iran and Afghanistan was known as Bacteria. The Greeks of this region was called Bacterian Greeks or Indo-Bacterians. The fourth ruler of Bacterian, Demetrius subdued Afghanistan and attacked India and occupied the region from Kabul to Punjab. Thus the Indo-Bacterians were those Greek rulers who set up independent kingdoms ‘” in north-west of India on the ruins of the Mauryan Empire. Menander or Milinda was the most famous of the Indo-Bacterian rulers. He issued a number of coins. He ruled from 160 BC to 120 BC. Antialkidas was another important Indo-Bacterian king. Bacterian kingdom was ultimately annexed by the Kushanas in about 50 BC.

Indo-Parthians (Pahalavas)

Satrapas. There were four lines of Satrapas. The western Satrapas of Ujjain occupied a prominent place and played an important role in the history of India. Rudradaman was the famous ruler of this line. He ruled from 150 AD to 130 AD. Ultimately this dynasty came to an end in the fourth century AD.

The kushanas:

The Kushanas were a branch of the Yeuh-chi tribe of China; they marched towards south-west and settled in the north-west of India after. Defeating Bacterians, Parthians and the Sakas. In the course of time they dominated over other branches and laid the foundation of the rule of the Kushana dynasty in India.

Kajula Kadphises was the first great ruler of this dynasty. He consolidated his position in Kabul, Qandhar and Afghanistan. Kanishka was the most famous and greatest king of this dynasty. After taking the throne he began to increase his power and extended his kingdom. Kanishka ruled a vast empire like Ashoka. He spent his life and used state machinery for the propagation of Buddhism. He was a great patron and lover of art and literature. Many scholars flourished during his reign. Kanishka had trade relations with China and Roman empire. The last Kushana king was Vasudeva 1.

(Important questions)

1.Who was Menander (Milinda)?

Ans. He was the most famous of the Indo-Bacterian rulers.

2. Where was Menanders capital?

Ans. Sakala (Sialkot).

3.Which religion did Menander embrace?

Ans. Buddhism, Buddhist called him Milinda.

4. What is Milindapanha?

Ans. Menander is said to have asked many questions about Buddhism which were answered by a Bhikshu Naoasena. These questions and answer are compiled in the form of a book called Milindapanha.

5.Where did Antialkidas make his capital?

Ans. Taxila.

6.Under whose influence did Gondopherinis embrace Christianity?

Ans. An apostle St. Thomas.

7. Who was the most famous king of Saka dynasty?

Ans. Rudradaman.

8.Where was the capital of the western Sakas?

Ans. Ujjain.

9. Who was the first great ruler of Kushanas?

Ans. Kaiula Kadphises.

10. Who was the greatest and most famous king of this dynasty ?

Ans. Kanishka.

11. Which city did Kanishka build in Kashmir ?

Ans. Kanishkapura.

12. Where was the capital of Kanishka?

Ans. Purushapura or Peshawar.

13. Under whose influence did Kanishka embrace Buddhism?

Ans. Buddhist Monk Ashvaghosha.

14. At which place and during whose reign the fourth Buddhist council was held?

Ans. At Kundalvan in Kashmir during the reign of Kanishka.

15. Who did preside over the fourth Buddhist council at Kundalvan?

Ans. Vasumitra.

16. At which Buddhist council Buddhism split up into two parts?

Ans. At fourth Buddhist council Buddhism split into Mahayana and Hinayana.

17. Of which Buddhist sect Kanishka was the follower?

Ans. Mahayana.

18. Who were the great scholar of literature in the court of Kanishka?

Ans. Ashvaghosha and Vasumitra.

19. Who were the famous persons in the court of Kanishka?

Ans. Nagarajuna, Ashavaghosha, Vasumitra and Charak.

20. What was Nagarjuna?

Ans. He was a great scientist and philosopher.

21. Who is known as Einstien of India?

Ans. Nagarajuna.

22. Who wrote the famous book Madhyamic Sutra?

Ans. Nagarajuna.

23. Who was Charak?

Ans. Charak was a famous Ayurvedic Physician.

24. Who wrote the famous book “Charak Samhita”?

Ans. Charak.

25. Who and when started the Saka Era?

Kanishka, _in 78 AD.

26. At which place the headless bronze statue of Kanishka has been found?

Ans. Mathura.

27. By which style the Gandhara School of art was influenced during Kushana’s reign?

Ans. Indo-Greek style.

28. By which style the Mathura school of art was influence during Kushana’s reign?

Ans. It was purely an Indian style.

29. Which town was the main centre of art (making statue) during Kushana’s period?

Ans. Mathura.

30. Which were the most important cities during Kushana’s period?

Ans. Mathura, Taxila and Ujjain.

31. When did Kanishka die?

Ans. 102 AD.

32. Who was the last ruler of Kushana’s dynasty?

Ans. Vasudeva