India’s association with foreign invaders is as old as India’s history. India has always been very susceptible to foreign invasion either because of its natural bounty or its weakness to defend itself from foreign aggression. The Aryans are possibly the first to invade India. However Alexander was the first foreign ruler who attacked India with a large mercenary army. The Indian invasion by the Bactrians was the next foreign attack in the series that engulfed India throughout its history.

Bactria was a province lying to the north of Hindukush correspo- nding to modern Afghanistan where some Greeks had settled. Although they were ruling themselves as an independent unit they had offered allegiance to the Seleukidian dynasty of Syria. These Bactrians were known as ‘Yavanas’ in India. The word Yavana is derived from the Persian term ‘Yauna’ which meant the Greeks. When the Maurayan Empire was under decline, these Greeks made wide inroads into Indian soil. Their infiltration into India may not be termed as invasion in true sense as they did not invade India with vast mercenary army. Nor did they intend to conquest India. Like the Aryans they came to India in order to permanently settle on Indian soil. It can be truly termed as a sort of migration of some foreign people to this country who got assimilated with Indians both in flesh and blood and were known as Indo-Greeks. As they finally ruled India for sometime historians were compelled to call them as invaders.

Alexander was the first Yavana to attack India.But the actual Yavana invasion took place in 206 BC when Antiochus III marched to Indian boarder land after crossing Hindukush. Antiochus marched down the Kabul valley but faced severe opposition from a local Indian ruler Subhagasena. However Subhagasena was forced to succumb and made heavy payment to Antiochus including 500 war elephants. Antiochus III’s victory was short lived as he had to hastily retire after being informed about severe domestic problems in Syria. In short, Antiochus’s Indian expedition was a triumph without success. It was a successful raid which failed to yield any tangible result.

The second phase of Bactrian invasion of India began in about 197 BC when Euthydemus and his successors started infiltrating into Indian territory. After the death of Euthydemus his son and successor Demetrious made considerable advance into Indian heart land. Under the able guidance of Demetrious, his army conquered a large part of India. However Demetrious did not enjoy any lasting success. Back home, his Bactrian crown was wrested by a war lord Eucratides. He also lost his control over most of his Indian conquests and his areas were regained by Pushyamitra Sunga.

After Demetrious, Appolodotus another Yavana scion held his sway over north India. His exact relationship with Demetrious although not known he is presumed to be the brother of Demetrious. It is ascertained from the literary sources that his rule extended over Kapisa, Gandhara ,Western Punjab and Sindh.

The next Yavana ruler was Menander or Milinda who conquered more areas in India than Alexander. His sway extended from Kabul to Mathura, from Gandhara to Bundelkhand. His dominion consisted of central Afghanistan, North-west frontier province, Punjab, Sindh, Rajputna, Kathiawar and western U.P. Menander ruled such a vast kingdom by vassals or sub-kings as his own Greek man power was inadequate to handle this extensive area. His kingdom in that sense was an Indian kingdom ruled by a Greek minority. Menander was a benevolent ruler whose reign was based on the principles of justice, goodwill and good governance. Menander was the only Indo-Greek king who has been extensively hailed in Indian literature. He was well versed in Indian Sastras. He had a great debate with the Buddhist saint Nagasena on the basic principles of Buddhism. After being satisfied with the replies of Nagasena he embraced Buddhism and developed deep reverence for it. Menander’s rule came to an end in about 90 B.C. and he was succeeded by Strabo-12 and Strabo-II. Eucratides another Indo-Greek ruler made a thrust in India in about 130 A.D. Eucratides was assassinated by his own son Heliocles in about 150-51 A.D.  Heliocles and his successors adopted India as their home land after they lost their grip over Bactria. During this period there were 30 Yavana kings who ruled simultaneously over different parts of Indo-Greek dominions. Among the successors of Heliocles the name of Antialcidas is prominently mentioned in epigraphic sources. Antialcidas had his headquarter at Taxila. The Greek princes were engaged in constant wars among themselves and were reduced to petty vassals. Hermeus was the last notable Indo-Greek king in the Kabul valley who was hemmed in all sites by the barbarian invaders. Despite his all out efforts, Hermeus was finally over thrown by the Parthians sometimes in the second half of first century A.D. which marked the end of Yavana rule in India.

The second Greek conquest had far more permanent result than the first invasion by Alexander. For two centuries the Greeks and the Indians had an intense cultural interaction which immensely influenced each other. The Greeks in India were so influenced by Indian religious ideals that some of them embraced Buddhism while some others accepted Vaishnabism as their religion. The Indian art and coinage got a tremendous boost during Indo-Greek rule. Indian literature and astronomy was also greatly influenced by the Greeks. Trade and commerce received an impetus due to Indo-Greeks intercourse. Indianisation of Greeks is also the most important achievement of this period.