CHAPTER 7 - FOREIGN INVASION in Ancient India

 FOREIGN INVASION

Persian/Iranian Invasion

• Cyrus of Persia (588 BC - 530 BC): He was the first foreign invader who penetrated well into India. He destroyed Capsia and enrolled Indian soldiers in Persian Army.
• Darius 1 of Persia (516 BC): He was the grandson of Cyrus. He invaded Punjab and west of Indus and Sindh in 516 BC.
• Xerxes: He was the successor of Darius and enrolled Indian soldiers against Greek Army.

Effect of Iranian Invasion: 

• Started Indo-Iranian Trade.
• Cultural exchange: Kharoshthi Script from Iran to India. (Ashoka's inscriptions in North-west in this script)
• in Later times, Islam spread across Indian sub-continent.

Greek Invasion (Alexander)

• Alexander was the great King and General of Macedonia from Greek. he first conquered Persia, then traveled towards India.
• Firstly, he conquered Kabul valley and reached Ohind near Attock in 326 BC.
• Rulers of Taxila and Abhisara surrendered to him, but Porus refused to do so. Alexander then crossed Jhelum, and defeted Porus in battle of Hydaspes.
• But when learned about the vast army of Magadha empire, he had to return in 325 BC, after making some administrative arrangements of his victorious territory.
• He reached Babylon in 323 BC, where he died at the age of 33.

Effect of Alexander Invasion:

• New trade route from India to north-west sub-continent.
• Indians learned new western tech, coinage, architecture etc.
• Greek influences in the western region like Punjab valley.
• The conquered area of Alexander became part of Hellenistic world, leading to the spread of greek culture, languages and costumes.
• Buddhist art and Gandhara art, which combined both Indian and Greek elements can be seen in this time.

Historical Records of Alexander Invasion: Greek accounts, such by those historians like Arrian and Plutarch, mentioned a unique perspective of Indian Sub-continent.

Causes: Due to non-unity of Indian regional Rulers, the foreign attacks happened in ancient history. when causes damages to the Indian sub-continent, in the same time, it gave some valuable knowledge also.