Faeelin
Banned
Part 1: Friend of the Dharma
By the time that the Mauryan Empire fell, it had lost control of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent. Areas that had once been core territories, such as Kalinga under the Chetas and the Deccan, had gone their own way under separate monarchies. This culminated, as I said in the last post, with the overthrow of the last of the Mauryan monarchs, Brihadratha, was assassinated by Pushyamitra in 185 BC.
Pushyamitra, a Vedic Brahman, is believed to have instituted a series of persecutions against Buddhists, or so it is believed. But there are some reasons to believe that he was responsible for this.
For one thing, Menander took the Title of the Savior King, printing it in Greek and Kharothsi, the script of northwest India. Archaeological evidence also indicates that many Buddhist stupas in India fell into disarray in this period, which certainly indicates that something happened to cause their destruction [2]. And finally, Buddhist works claim that the Sungas destroyed Buddhist monasteries and temples[3].
All sources agree that the forces of Menander took Pataliputra in the reign of Menander, which means the fall of the city was around 140 BC. The Yuga Purana, one of the most important works for the period, describes how the Greeks took Mathura, subdued the lands between the Ganges and the Jumna [3], and then besieged Pataliputra
Menander was forced to withdraw for two reasons. According to an inscription found in Orissa, Kharavala, a king of Kalinga in the middle of the 2nd century BC drove the Greeks from Pataliputra, and because fighting broke out amongst the Greeks. The reference to fighting amongst the Greeks likely refers to the fact that Menander probably turned about and attacked the dynasty of Eucratides in Bactria, who were critically weak and collapsing before the Saka nomads.
Thus, the Sunga dynasty was saved.
So, how does the ATL differ?
The invasion of India begins in 183 BC, with the armies of Bactria crossing the Indus. Demetrius II, like Menander, succeeds in taking Mathura and defeating Pushyamitra [5], who is killed in a battle along the Jumna. When Demetrius II reaches the walls of Pataliputra, he is in front of a city that’s in chaos as Pushyamitra’s son Agnimitra tries to keep his throne[6].
Unfortunately, he fails, and in 181 BC, the city of Pataliputra falls to Demetrius II, the Savior King.
However, unlike Menander, Demetrius II has no reason to leave Pataliputra. Bactria is under the rule of his younger brother Euthydemus II. Without the fear of barbarians moving through Bactria to attack his rear, Demetrius II feels confident enough to oppose the king of Kalinga, whom he defeats in battle.
By 180 BC, one thing is clear to the people of the Ganges. The Savior King is there to stay. He sets up a system of administration in which he appoints relatives to positions of importance, with the title of strategoi. Beneath them he appoints meridarchs, who rule over smaller provinces.
Demetrius II, it is worth noting, is not above using propaganda to gain the support of the natives, as witnessed by the titles he took OTL and the bilingual coinage of the Bactrians.
But, Demetrius was known by another title, aside from the Savior King. He was also known as the Way of Dharma, a title which is tied in with his conversion to Buddhism.
It was that conversion that was to have profound effects on the history of the world.
[1] Orissa
[2] Although this trend wasn’t unique to the lands ruled by the Sunga.
[3] There’s also an intriguing story that I feel is worth mentioning, although I wouldn’t use it as evidence. According to the legend, a white horse was sent free to roam across the lands of the Sungas before being sacrificed. It was guarded by Pushyamitra’s grandson, Asumitra, and a hundred princes who accompanied him. The only challengers were the Greeks, who tried to capture the horse as it traveled along the banks of the Sindhu. They were driven off, and the horse was sacrificed in an asvameda, a religious ceremony involving the sacrifice of the horse.
I think there’s some significance to the fact that the legend relates to the Greeks attacking the Sungas, who are performing a religious sacrifice that’s important in the Vedic tradition, but I’m not sure what.
[4] Essentially, territory around the city of Dehli.
[5] And this may have happened in OTL, although to a rather aged Pushyamitra. The Yuga Purana states that “Pushyamitra is said to have waged war against the Greek ruler of Sakala (Menander), for the sake of a beautiful damsel, and died fighting.”
[6] Narain is of the opinion that the Greek attack on Pataliputra under Menander was a relatively minor affair, and they were only there as allies of more important Indian kings, he’s pretty much alone in this view. After all, most of the sources focus on the invasion by the Yvanas (Greeks), and make little mention of Indian allies.
Thoughts?
By the time that the Mauryan Empire fell, it had lost control of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent. Areas that had once been core territories, such as Kalinga under the Chetas and the Deccan, had gone their own way under separate monarchies. This culminated, as I said in the last post, with the overthrow of the last of the Mauryan monarchs, Brihadratha, was assassinated by Pushyamitra in 185 BC.
Pushyamitra, a Vedic Brahman, is believed to have instituted a series of persecutions against Buddhists, or so it is believed. But there are some reasons to believe that he was responsible for this.
For one thing, Menander took the Title of the Savior King, printing it in Greek and Kharothsi, the script of northwest India. Archaeological evidence also indicates that many Buddhist stupas in India fell into disarray in this period, which certainly indicates that something happened to cause their destruction [2]. And finally, Buddhist works claim that the Sungas destroyed Buddhist monasteries and temples[3].
All sources agree that the forces of Menander took Pataliputra in the reign of Menander, which means the fall of the city was around 140 BC. The Yuga Purana, one of the most important works for the period, describes how the Greeks took Mathura, subdued the lands between the Ganges and the Jumna [3], and then besieged Pataliputra
Menander was forced to withdraw for two reasons. According to an inscription found in Orissa, Kharavala, a king of Kalinga in the middle of the 2nd century BC drove the Greeks from Pataliputra, and because fighting broke out amongst the Greeks. The reference to fighting amongst the Greeks likely refers to the fact that Menander probably turned about and attacked the dynasty of Eucratides in Bactria, who were critically weak and collapsing before the Saka nomads.
Thus, the Sunga dynasty was saved.
So, how does the ATL differ?
The invasion of India begins in 183 BC, with the armies of Bactria crossing the Indus. Demetrius II, like Menander, succeeds in taking Mathura and defeating Pushyamitra [5], who is killed in a battle along the Jumna. When Demetrius II reaches the walls of Pataliputra, he is in front of a city that’s in chaos as Pushyamitra’s son Agnimitra tries to keep his throne[6].
Unfortunately, he fails, and in 181 BC, the city of Pataliputra falls to Demetrius II, the Savior King.
However, unlike Menander, Demetrius II has no reason to leave Pataliputra. Bactria is under the rule of his younger brother Euthydemus II. Without the fear of barbarians moving through Bactria to attack his rear, Demetrius II feels confident enough to oppose the king of Kalinga, whom he defeats in battle.
By 180 BC, one thing is clear to the people of the Ganges. The Savior King is there to stay. He sets up a system of administration in which he appoints relatives to positions of importance, with the title of strategoi. Beneath them he appoints meridarchs, who rule over smaller provinces.
Demetrius II, it is worth noting, is not above using propaganda to gain the support of the natives, as witnessed by the titles he took OTL and the bilingual coinage of the Bactrians.
But, Demetrius was known by another title, aside from the Savior King. He was also known as the Way of Dharma, a title which is tied in with his conversion to Buddhism.
It was that conversion that was to have profound effects on the history of the world.
[1] Orissa
[2] Although this trend wasn’t unique to the lands ruled by the Sunga.
[3] There’s also an intriguing story that I feel is worth mentioning, although I wouldn’t use it as evidence. According to the legend, a white horse was sent free to roam across the lands of the Sungas before being sacrificed. It was guarded by Pushyamitra’s grandson, Asumitra, and a hundred princes who accompanied him. The only challengers were the Greeks, who tried to capture the horse as it traveled along the banks of the Sindhu. They were driven off, and the horse was sacrificed in an asvameda, a religious ceremony involving the sacrifice of the horse.
I think there’s some significance to the fact that the legend relates to the Greeks attacking the Sungas, who are performing a religious sacrifice that’s important in the Vedic tradition, but I’m not sure what.
[4] Essentially, territory around the city of Dehli.
[5] And this may have happened in OTL, although to a rather aged Pushyamitra. The Yuga Purana states that “Pushyamitra is said to have waged war against the Greek ruler of Sakala (Menander), for the sake of a beautiful damsel, and died fighting.”
[6] Narain is of the opinion that the Greek attack on Pataliputra under Menander was a relatively minor affair, and they were only there as allies of more important Indian kings, he’s pretty much alone in this view. After all, most of the sources focus on the invasion by the Yvanas (Greeks), and make little mention of Indian allies.
Thoughts?
Faeelin, this is an great start for this Bactrian Timeline. It has so much potential that I wan't to see it continued. Here is an few questions.