Trade and Trade Routes in Ancient India c9.2

c9.2

IN THE second Century B.C. there occurred an important event on the Grand Route in the shape of the invasion of the Indo-Greeks of Bactria of Pāṭaliputra. We have already observed that after the departure of Alexander from India the Mauryas rose to the zenith of power. From Chandragupta Maurya to Aśoka, the Mauryas occupied most of India and also in that period the Greeks had relation with this country. However, after Aśoka the Mauryan empire began breaking up and the country was divided into many states. Taking advantage of this state of affairs, Demetrius, the ruler of Bactria crossing the Hindukush led a military expedition against India. But his expedition was different in nature than that of Alexander, as he confined his expedition to Western Panjab only, but the Indo-Greeks of Bactria penetrated the very heart of India and reached as far as Pāṭaliputra. It is difficult to ascertain the exact date of this expedition, but according to Tarn, this event took place in about 175 B.C.