Page 72 - SST Class 06

Conquerors from

Distant Lands 11

q Indo-Greeks q Shakas
q Pahlavas (Parthians) q Kushanas
q Spread of Buddhism to Central Asia

Introduction on which the names, titles and pictures of kings
After the death of Ashoka, many kingdoms came were embossed.
into being all over India during the period circa
Info Bits
200 BC to 300 AD. These kingdoms were small and Info Bits
weak and could not withstand the invasions by
foreign invaders. The important invaders during Milind was converted to Buddhism by Nagasena
this period included the Indo-Greeks, the Shakas, who is also known as Nagarjuna. Menander asked
the Pahlavas and the Kushanas. At the same time, Nagasena many questions relating to Buddhism.
it was the period when Buddhism was spreading in These questions and Nagasena’s answers were
Central Asia. recorded in the form of a book known as Milinda
Panho, that means questions of Milinda.
INDO-GREEKS
Astronomy
The Indo-Greeks were the Greek generals who The Indians learnt many aspects of astronomy
ruled over the territories of Bactria (now Balkh in
from the Indo-Greeks and bettered their art of
Iran) and Parthia (Persia, Herat, Samarkand and
predicting the future.
Khwarizm). They attacked northern India under
the command of Demetrius II and conquered parts Art and Sculpture
of Sindh and Punjab. In India, they are known as As the Greeks embraced Buddhism and started to
Yavanas . After Demetrius II, Menander became worship the Buddha, they made statues of Buddha
the king. He is known as Milind in the Buddhist adopting the Greek styles. This
texts. He expanded his rule up to Kathiawar and style came to be known as the
Broach. Thus, his vast kingdom extended from Gandhara School of Art . In
Afghanistan to Mathura. Menander embraced Indian art, better known as the
Buddhism. Some Indo-Greeks also worshipped Mathura School of Art , the
Lord Vishnu. Their stay in India had a positive Buddha was shown much like
effect in many respects as the Indians and Greeks an ascetic with a shaven head,
came into close contact and thus ideas were but in the Gandhara School, he
exchanged between them. We can see the Greek had curly hair much like Greek
influence on Indian coins, astronomy, art, gods. Thus, the Gandhara
sculpture and medicine. School of Art was Indian in

Coins spirit and Greek in form.
The Indians learnt moulds and dyes from the Indo- Medicine
Greeks, and thus definite shape was given to coins You must have heard about the Unani system of
Contemporary Social Science-6
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