More Related Content
Similar to A brief history of Indo-Greeks In India with special reference to Demetrius and Menander
A brief history of Indo-Greeks In India with special reference to Demetrius and Menander
- 1. Indo Greeks By Dr. PrachiVirag Sontakke
- 2. Who are IndoGreeks? • Bactria = northern part of modern Afghanistan. • The Greeks of Bactria = satraps of the Seleucid Empire of West Asia. • Mid-3rd cent BCE: Diodotus I revolted against Seleucid king Antiochous II = king of Syria • Established an independent Greek kingdom. • Only those Bactrian Greeks who ruled over parts of NW India between the 2nd century BCE and the early 1st century CE = Indo-Greeks or Indo-Bactrians.
- 5. The Yavana problem •Indo-Greeks = Those Bactrian Greeks who included north-west India in their domain. • Indian sources refer to them as Yavanas. • This term makes no distinction between Hellenic Greeks & Hellenistic Greeks. • Hellenic Greeks = living on the mainland of the peninsula of Greece • Hellenistic Greeks = of Greek descent or of mixed descent, but broadly conforming to Greek culture and living in the eastern Mediterranean and west Asia. • Indians more familiar with Hellenistic Greeks than with the Greeks of the peninsula. • The term Yavana continued to be used in later times for all those who came from west Asia.
- 6. Indo Greek kingdom •The term "Indo-Greek Kingdom" loosely describes a number of various Hellenistic states, ruling from regional capitals like Taxila, Sagala, Pushkalavati, and Alexandria in the Caucasus (now Bagram). • The Indo-Greek Kingdom = covering various parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan and northwestern India. • The kingdom was founded when the Graeco-Bactrian king Demetrius I of Bactria invaded India from Bactria in about 200 BCE.
- 7. Sources • The historyof the Indo-Greeks has been reconstructed mainly on the evidence of their coins besides few relic casket inscriptions. • Bilingual. • Die struck • Fixed Obverse Reverse. • Monogram • Coins, Joint coins, Commemorative coins.
- 9.
- 11. Coin of kingEuthydemus 230–200 BCE
- 13.
- 14.
- 15. Kharoshthi legend on the reverseof a coin of Indo- Greek king Artemidoros Aniketos.
- 16.
- 19. Shinkot casket containingBuddhist relics: dedicated "in the reign of the Great King Menander"
- 20. The coinage ofAgathocles (circa 180 BCE)
- 21. Backdrop: Formation ofIndo Greek Kingdom • 250 BCE: Antiochous II = king of Syria. • Diodotus = governor of Antiochus II in Bactria. • Diodotus revolted and became the new king. • 248 BCE: Diodotus II • 235 BCE: Euthydemus: Established a new dynasty. • Battle between Antiochus III & Euthydemus. • Treaty: Antiochus III’s daughter married the son of Euthydemus-Demetrius.
- 22. Demetrius I (200-190BCE?) •Son of Euthydemos and son-in law of Antiochos the Great. • Identified by some with king Dattamitra in Mahabharata. • Took his armies to the SE of the Hindu Kush where he successfully acquired territory. • Came to rule a large area in southern Afghanistan, the Punjab and the Indus Valley, thus establishing Indo-Greek power in north-western India. • Wide extent of his conquests: Existence of several cities named after him/his father in Afghanistan & India.
- 23. Demetrius II (175-170BCE) •A.K.Narain: Demetrius II = S/O or grandson of Demetrius I. • Issued coins with Greek & Kharoshthi scripts. • His coins recovered from Taxila. • His generals: Menander & Apollodotus
- 24. Conquests • Forays intothe Ganges heartland, but the power base remained the north- west and possibly the Punjab. • Strabo: Greek invaders after Alexander reached till Ganga and Patiliputra. • S.Konow: Hathigumpha inscription refers to Yawanraj Dimit fleeing Pataliputra. • Mahabhashya: Yavana raids in the western Ganges Plain and in Rajasthan. • Justin: Demetrius = king of India. • Bhandarkar: read a sealing from Vidisha as belonging to Demetrius.
- 25. Greek Invasion: Theevent • Patanjali: अरुणद् यवनः साक े तम्, अरुणद् यवनों माध्यममकाम् • A certain Yavana had besieged Saketa (Ayodhya) and place called Madhyamika (Chittor). • Malavikagnimitram: refers to a conflict between the Sunga prince Vasumitra & a Yavana on the southern bank of the Sindhu. • Yuga Purana of Gargi samhita: Then, after having approached Saket together with the Panchalas and the Mathuras, the Yavanas, valiant in battle, will reach Kusumadhvaja (Pataliputra).
- 26. Greek Invasion: Theinvader • Mahabhashya+ Malvikagnimitram: The name of the invader is not given. • Considerable divergence of opinion with regard to his identity. • But all agree that he was a Bactrian Greek: Either Menander or Demetrius. • Smith + Rapson: invader = Menander • Bhandarkar + Raichaudhary + Jayaswal: invader was Demetrios.
- 27. Number of Greekattacks One/Joint attack: Tarn , A.K.Narain 1. Demetrius & Menander • Demetrius reached Patiliputra after wining Madhyamika. • Menander reached there after defeating Mathura, Panchal, Saket. • 2. Menander: Narain Two attacks: N.N.Gosh 1. Menander. • One as army commander of Demetrius. • Second as king of Sialkot. Three attacks 1. Demetrius + his commander Menander. 2. Menander as king. 3. Others after the death of Menander
- 28. Demetrius II &Eucratides • Eucratides (commander of army of king of Syria) invaded Bactria. • Justin: Demetrius surrounded 300 soldiers of Eucratides with 60,000 soldiers. • Still Demetrius lost: 167 BCE. • Coins of Eucratides recovered from Kapisha and Gandhar. • Justin: Demetrios was deprived of his Indian possessions by Eukratides.
- 29. Two branches ofIndo Greeks • Euthydemus branch • Demertius • Menander • Apollodotos, Pantaleon, Agathokles, Agathokleia, Stratos • Eucratides branch • Heliokles • Hermeas • Literary and numismatic evidence: existence of two rival Greek kingdoms in India and their mutual dissensions. • Eucratides branch vs Euthydemus branch (Demetrius). • Double succession, one derived from Demetrios holding Sakala (Sialkot) with a considerable portion of the Indian interior, the other derived from Eukratides.
- 30. Menander (c. 150to 135 BCE) • The best remembered of the Indo-Greek king. • Identified with the king Milinda mentioned in the Milindapanho. • Stabilized Indo-Greek power, in addition to extending its frontiers in India.
- 31. Conquests • The extentof his conquest: indicated by the great variety & wide diffusion of his coins over a very wide extent of country, as far west as Kabul, and as far east as Mathura. • Known to have held Swat Valley & Hazara district as well as Punjab. • Attacked Sungas in the Yamuna region, if not closer to Pataliputra itself. • Conquered territory in the Ganges Plain, but failed to retain it. • Periplus: small silver coins, inscribed with Greek characters and bearing the name of Menander were still current in his time (cir. 60-80 CE) at the port of Barygaza (Broach). • Capital at Sagala or Sakala, modern Siillkot, in Punjab.
- 32. Invading India One/Joint attack: Tarn, A.K.Narain 1. Demetrius & Menander • Demetrius reached Patiliputra after wining Madhyamika. • Menander reached there after defeating Mathura, Panchal, Saket. • 2. Menander: Narain Two attacks: N.N.Gosh 1. Menander. • One as army commander of Demetrius. • Second as king of Sialkot. Three attacks 1. Demetrius + his commander Menander. 2. Menander as king. 3. Others after the death of Menander
- 33. Menander and Buddhism •A discussion on Buddhism between Menander and the Buddhist philosopher Nagasena is claimed to have resulted in Menander's conversion to Buddhism. • A fragmentary Kharoshthi inscription on a casket found at Bajaur in NWFP Pakistan: refers to relics of the Buddha being enshrined (presumably in a stupa) during the reign of a king named Minedra (= Menander?). • His popularity gave rise to legends. • Plutarch: Various cities of the north-west vied with each other for his ashes after his cremation, then built monuments over the relics. • Elephant depiction on his coins.
- 34. Eucratides(170-145 BCE) • Strabo:Eucratides didn’t cross Hydaspes. • Bi-lingual coins from Kapisha, Taxila, western Punjab. • Gandhar and Herat taken away by Menander. • Strabo: Taking advantage on maladministration of Eucratides, Parthian king attacked & snatched away parts of his kingdom. • In later days: Eucratides ruling over a small part of Bactria. • Succeeded by his son Heliocles.
- 35. Yavans in India •Several depictions of Greeks in Central India dated to the 2nd-1st century BCE are known. • The Greek soldier in Bharhut. • A frieze in Sanchi which describes Greek- looking foreigners honoring the Sanchi stupa with gifts, prayers and music. • Heliodorus pillar inscription. • Reh inscription: 350 km south-east of Mathura mentions Menander.
- 36. Pillar of theGreat Chaitya at Karla Caves, Maharashtra mentioning its donation by a Yavana. Below: detail of the word "Ya- va-na-sa" in old Brahmi script: , circa CE 120.
- 37. Indo Greek signatures •Marked their presence by monumental buildings & by small, finely crafted objects. • Excavation of the cities of Ai-Khanoum, on the confluence of the Oxus and the Kokcha and of Sirkap at Taxila reveals a characteristic talent for urban planning. • Ai-Khanoum was built on the usual city-plan, the citadel differentiated from the lower city with predictable features such as temples, theatres, buildings embellished with pillars and patterned mosaic floors. • Coins excellent examples of minting, with portraiture of a high aesthetic quality.
- 38. Indian hostility forYavanas • Brahman author of the Yugapurana section of the Gargi Samhita: hostile to the Yavanas who are said to behave in a brutal and inhuman manner. • Demonizing of the Yavanas = curious, since they were familiar from Mauryan times. • The source of irritation: much of the patronage of Indo greeks went to the Buddhists. • Vedic Brahmanism by the very nature of its belief & practice: closed for the Yavanas. • Puranas: There will be Yavanas here by reason of ambition or plunder ; they will not be kings solemnly anointed but will follow evil customs by reason of the corruptions of the age. Massacring women and children and killing one another, kings will enjoy the earth at the end of the Kali age.
- 39. Decline of IndoGreeks Puranas: The fiercely fighting Greeks will not stay in the Madhya there will be a cruel, dreadful war in their own kingdom, caused between themselves. Justin: " Bactrians harassed by various wars lost not only their dominions but their liberty ; for having suffered from contentions with the Sogdians, the Drangians and the Indians they were at last overcome as if exhausted by the weaker Parthians. Romila Thapar: The decline of the Greek kingdoms in the north-west coincided with an attack on Bactria itself by nomadic peoples from central Asia- Parthians and the Scythians - referred to as the Pahlavas and Shakas in Indian sources. End: Rise of Sakas-Pahalavas + struggles with Euthydemus branch. • Last known king = Hermeas.
- 40. Influence of IndoGreeks • Astrology: 1. Gargi Samhita- Yavan malechchha are well versed in astrology & hence are to be revered like sages. 2. Varahamihira: Yavanas are Malechchha but they are scholars of Jyotish. 3. Division of week into 7 days, Greek calender, names of planets. • Medicinal science: Vogel- Charak rules for conduct of doctors inspired by Indo Greeks. • Gandhar art: Greek influence. • Coinage: introduced innovations in Indian numismatics- die-striking, the use of legends, portraits of rulers, monograms and the representation of deities.
- 41. Influence • Religion &philosophy: 1.Besnagar pillar inscription erected by a Heliodorus, envoy of King Antialkidas of Taxila to the King of Besnagar, perhaps one of the later Shungas. He professes to be a follower of Vasudeva and obviously, though Greek, had become a Vaishnava. 2. Menander’s interest in Buddhism. • Literature: acculturation of language + Sanskrit Drama?
- 42. Remarks • V.A. Smith& W.W.Tarn: No question of Greek influence. • Attacks of Indo Greeks were just momentary flickers. • Didn’t leave any impact on Indian culture. • Jha & Shrimali: Indians may have been impressed by the warrior kings like Menander but did not look upon them to be followed.