Backdrop of Foreign Invasions
After the death of Alexander the Great, his vast empire — which stretched from Greece to parts of India — began to fragment . His generals took control of various regions and set up their own kingdoms. Among them was Seleucus Nicator, who founded the Seleucid Empire in West Asia — right next to the Mauryan Empire in India.
Now, hold on to that thread — because this disintegration triggered a domino effect of invasions, migrations, and battles that ultimately led to a new phase in Indian history.
Who Were These Invaders? Let’s Meet the Key Players
1. Greco-Bactrians and Parthians
- Where?
- Greco-Bactrians: Ruled parts of northern Afghanistan (Bactria).
- Parthians: Dominated parts of eastern Iran (Parthia).
- How did they emerge?
Around the mid-3rd century BCE, these regions broke away from the Seleucid Empire, forming independent kingdoms. - Why are they important to India?
They created a power vacuum and instability in Central Asia — which attracted nomadic tribes like the Shakas and Kushanas — and eventually led to invasions into India.
2. Shakas (Scythians)
- Who were they?
Nomadic, horse-riding tribes from Central Eurasia, always in motion — like drifting sandstorms looking for fresh pastures and wealth. - What role did they play?
Their movement exerted pressure on existing kingdoms — especially the Indo-Greeks and Parthians. Eventually, the Shakas invaded India, settled down, and became part of its political fabric.
3. Kushanas (Yuechi Tribe)
- Origin:
The Yuechi (also spelled Yuezhi or Yuchi) were another nomadic tribe, living near northwestern China — especially along the borders of modern-day Xinjiang. - What happened to them?
They were pushed out of China by other tribes (like the Xiongnu), and they moved westward, defeating the Shakas and ultimately establishing the Kushana Empire in India.
The Scythian Movements and the Domino Effect
Now let’s see how these tribal movements created massive geopolitical changes:
1. Shakas vs. China
- The Scythians (Shakas) were constantly attacking Chinese territories in search of:
- Pasture lands for their animals.
- Wealth of the settled Chinese empires.
- Their constant raids were so severe that the famous Chinese emperor Shih Huang Ti (247–210 BCE) decided to build a massive barrier to protect his empire — what we now call the Great Wall of China (built around 220 BCE).
2. The Push Chain: A Cycle of Migration and Conquest
- The building of the Great Wall pushed the Yuechi tribe westward into Central Asia.
- The Yuechi defeated the Shakas and took over Uzbekistan.
- Displaced Shakas, in turn, moved southward into:
- Greco-Bactrian territory – which weakened the Greeks there.
- Some entered Parthian lands to the west.
- Eventually, the weakened Indo-Greeks, unable to hold their power, invaded India.
- Later, the Shakas too entered India, particularly through the Indus plains, and established kingdoms in western India.
Conclusion: A Giant Geopolitical Ripple
The story of foreign invasions in India is not about sudden battles — it’s about cascading migrations, pressures on empires, and shifting boundaries across Asia.
So when we see Indo-Greeks, Shakas, and Kushanas ruling parts of India, understand that:
- They didn’t just “come” — they were pushed, pulled, and redirected by large-scale geopolitical forces.
- Their presence reflects a highly interconnected ancient world — where actions in China had consequences in Bactria, Parthia, and even India.