Successors of the Mauryas

After the great empire of the Maurya , there came a series of foreigners who invaded India after one another and ruled for some decades. We can make an abbreviation BSP-Kush for keeping in mind the order of these foreigners.This will become :

B = Bacterion Greeks
S = Scythians or Sakas 
P = Parthians from Iran and
Kush = Kushans 

Greeks (2nd century BC)

  • Bacterion Greeks or Indo-Greeks were the first foreign rulers of North-western India in the Post-Maurya period.
  • Minander was the most famous Indo-Greek ruler . He was also known as Milinda.
  • He ruled from 165-145 BC
  • He was converted to Budhism by Nagarjuna.
  • The Indo-Greeks were the first rulers to issue gold coins.  
Scythians or Sakas ( 1st century- 4th century BC)


  • They came after the Bacterion rulers and established their large empire in the North-Western region of India.
  • The most famous ruler among the Scythians rulers was Rudradaman.
  • Rudradaman ruled from 130-150 AD
  • He is well known for his public welfare works.
  • He is said to have repaired the Sudarshan Lake.
  • He also led expedition against Satvahanas
Parthians from Iran ( 1st CenturyBC- 1st Century AD )


  • They invaded and occupied the regions of the North-Western India after the end of Scythians or Sakas.
  • The only important event during their reign is the visit of St. Thomas who came to propogate Christianity in India.
Kushans (1st Century AD- 3rd Century AD )


  • The Kushans were from Central Asia
  • They occupied a large area and reached upto the Indo-Gangetic region.
  • Famous ruler of them was Kanishka.
  • Kanishka ruled over North-West region of India.
  • Peshawar and Mathura were his capital cities.
  • He started an Era in 78 AD which is known as Saka-Era.
  • This Saka-Era Calendar is used by the Govt. of India these days.
  • He also was converted to Budhism and became a great patron of this.
  • 4th Budhist Council was held during his period in Kashmir.
  • The Kushanas were having full control over the Silk-route.
  • They also issued gold coins on a wide scale.
  • Kanishka patronised many scholars in his court.
  • Some important scholars in his court were :- Nagarjuna, Vasumitra and Asvaghosha

After the Kushanas there comes the Gupta period in the History of India.


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