Misplaced Pages

#726273

68-647: The Soan River drains much of the water of Pothohar . It starts in the foothills of Patriata in Murree and provides water to the Simly Dam , which is a water reservoir for Islamabad . Near Pharwala Fort, Ling stream , following a relatively long course through Lehtrar and Kahuta , joins the Soan near Sihala on the southern side of Village Gagri . The Soan river is more than 250 kilometres (160 mi) long. The Islamabad Highway crosses this stream near Sihala at

136-583: A Buddhist stupa near the village of Tope Mankiala, in the Pothohar region of Pakistan 's Punjab province. The stupa was built to commemorate the spot, where according to the Jataka tales , an incarnation of the Buddha called Prince Sattva sacrificed himself to feed seven hungry tiger cubs. Mankiala stupa's relic deposits were discovered by Jean-Baptiste Ventura in 1830. The relics were then removed from

204-611: A Seleucid princess, in accordance with contemporary Greek practices to form dynastic alliances. An Indian Puranic source, the Pratisarga Parva of the Bhavishya Purana , described the marriage of Chandragupta with a Greek (" Yavana ") princess, daughter of Seleucus, before accurately detailing early Mauryan genealogy: " Chandragupta married with a daughter of Suluva , the Yavana king of Pausasa . Thus, he mixed

272-459: A composite and powerful army made up of Yavanas (Greeks), Kambojas , Shakas (Scythians), Kiratas (Nepalese), Parasikas (Persians) and Bahlikas (Bactrians) who took Pataliputra . In 305 BC, Seleucus I led an army to the Indus , where he encountered Chandragupta . The confrontation ended with a peace treaty, and "an intermarriage agreement" ( Epigamia , Greek: Ἐπιγαμία), meaning either

340-568: A danger to both; and that if they admitted them into the country, it would certainly be utterly barbarised. Following the departure of the Seleucid army, the Bactrian kingdom seems to have expanded. In the west, areas in north-eastern Iran may have been absorbed, possibly as far as into Parthia , whose ruler had been defeated by Antiochus the Great . These territories possibly are identical with

408-657: A dynastic marriage or an agreement for intermarriage between Indians and Greeks. Accordingly, Seleucus ceded his eastern territories to Chandragupta, possibly as far as Arachosia and received 500 war elephants (which played a key role in Seleucus's victory at the Battle of Ipsus ): The Indians occupy in part some of the countries situated along the Indus, which formerly belonged to the Persians: Alexander deprived

476-800: A great proselytizer in the line of the traditional Pali canon of Theravada Buddhism, directing his efforts towards the Indian and the Hellenistic worlds from around 250 BC. According to the Edicts of Ashoka , set in stone, some of them written in Greek, he sent Buddhist emissaries to the Greek lands in Asia and as far as the Mediterranean. The edicts name each of the rulers of the Hellenistic world at

544-461: A new area for exploitation of hydrocarbon potential (e.g., Meyal Field ). With an estimated production of 5,500 barrels per day, the Ghauri X-1 oil well is expected to be the country’s largest oil-producing well and is likely to start contributing its output to the system by the end of June 2014. Due to low rain fall , extensive deforestation , coal mining , oil and gas exploration, the area

612-530: A nickeliferous copper ore was the source from mines at Anarak . Copper-nickel would not be used again in coinage until the 19th century. The presence of Chinese people in the Indian subcontinent from ancient times is also suggested by the accounts of the " Ciñas " in the Mahabharata and the Manu Smriti . The Han dynasty explorer and ambassador Zhang Qian visited Bactria in 126 BC, and reported

680-613: A pond named Katas which is regarded as sacred by Hindus. The temples' pond is said in the Puranas to have been created from the teardrops of Shiva , after he wandered the Earth inconsolable after the death of his wife Sati . The pond occupies an area of two kanals and 15 marlas, with a maximum depth of 20 feet. The temples play a role in the Hindu epic poem, the Mahābhārata , where

748-576: A quarter Greek." Also several Greeks, such as the historian Megasthenes , followed by Deimachus and Dionysius , were sent to reside at the Mauryan court. Presents continued to be exchanged between the two rulers. The intensity of these contacts is testified by the existence of a dedicated Mauryan state department for Greek ( Yavana ) and Persian foreigners, or the remains of Hellenistic pottery that can be found throughout northern India. On these occasions, Greek populations apparently remained in

SECTION 10

#1732765200727

816-477: A reduced rate, while sea trade between Greek Egypt and Bactria developed. Diodotus was succeeded by his son Diodotus II , who allied himself with the Parthian Arsaces in his fight against Seleucus II : Soon after, relieved by the death of Diodotus, Arsaces made peace and concluded an alliance with his son, also by the name of Diodotus; some time later he fought against Seleucos who came to punish

884-596: A river bearing the same name and emptying into the Oxus ), and Darapsa, and several others. Among these was Eucratidia , which was named after its ruler. When the ruler of neighbouring Parthia , the former satrap and self-proclaimed king Andragoras , was eliminated by Arsaces , the rise of the Parthian Empire cut off the Greco-Bactrians from direct contact with the Greek world. Overland trade continued at

952-616: A three-year siege in the fortified city of Bactra (modern Balkh ), before Antiochus finally decided to recognize the new ruler, and to offer one of his daughters to Euthydemus's son Demetrius around 206 BC. Classical accounts also relate that Euthydemus negotiated peace with Antiochus III by suggesting that he deserved credit for overthrowing the original rebel Diodotus, and that he was protecting Central Asia from nomadic invasions thanks to his defensive efforts: ...for if he did not yield to this demand, neither of them would be safe: seeing that great hordes of Nomads were close at hand, who were

1020-768: Is a plateau in the northern region of Punjab , Pakistan , located between the Indus and Jhelum rivers. Pothohar Plateau is bounded on the east by the Jhelum River , on the west by the Indus River , on the north by the Kala Chitta Range and the Margalla Hills , and on the south by the Salt Range . The southern end of the plateau is bounded by the Thal desert . The 5000 square miles of

1088-700: Is an abandoned Hindu temple and monastic complex located on the summit of the Tilla Jogian mountain in the Salt Range of Pakistan 's Punjab province. The complex was the most important centre for Hindu jogis in Punjab prior to 1947, and had housed hundreds of ascetics . The site is also important in Sikhism for its association with the founder of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak . The Khewra Salt Mine in Khewra

1156-438: Is becoming devoid of vegetation. Taxila 's archaeological sites lie near modern Taxila about 35 km (22 mi) northwest of the city of Rawalpindi . The sites were first excavated by John Marshall , who worked at Taxila over a period of twenty years from 1913. The vast archaeological site includes neolithic remains dating to 3360 BCE, and Early Harappan remains dating to 2900–2600 BCE at Sarai Kala . Taxila, however,

1224-459: Is found in the Hathial section, which yielded pottery shards that date from as early as the late 2nd millennium BCE to the 6th century BCE. The Bhir Mound ruins at the site date from the 6th century BCE, and are adjacent to Hathial. The ruins of Sirkap date to the 2nd century BCE, and were built by the region's Greco-Bactrian kings who ruled in the region following Alexander the Great's invasion of

1292-584: Is most famous for ruins of several settlements, the earliest dating from around 1000 BCE. It is also known for its collection of Buddhist religious monuments, including the Dharmarajika stupa , the Jaulian monastery, and the Mohra Muradu monastery. The main ruins of Taxila include four major cities, each belonging to a distinct time period, at three different sites. The earliest settlement at Taxila

1360-473: Is sometimes less clear. For example, Artemidoros (80 BC) was supposed to have been of Indo-Scythian descent, although he is now seen as a regular Indo-Greek king. Menander I Soter , being the most well known amongst the Indo-Greek kings, is often referred to simply as "Menander," despite the fact that there was indeed another Indo-Greek King known as Menander II. Menander I's capital was at Sagala in

1428-727: Is the location of major Pakistani oil fields, the first of which were discovered at Khaur in 1915 and Dhuliān in 1935; the Tut field was discovered in 1968, Missa Keswal was discovered in 1992 and exploration continued in the area in the 1990s. The oil fields are connected by pipeline to the Attock Refinery in Rawalpindi. Major reserves of oil and gas has been discovered at Chak Beli Khan near Rawalpindi in Punjab . A major oil reserve has been discovered near Jhelum in Punjab, opening up

SECTION 20

#1732765200727

1496-451: Is the second largest salt mine in the world. The mine is famous for its production of pink Khewra salt, often marketed as Himalayan salt , and is a major tourist attraction, drawing up to 250,000 visitors a year. Its history dates back to its discovery by Alexander 's troops in 320 BC, but it started trading in the Mughal era . The Manikyala Stupa ( Urdu : مانكياله اسٹوپ ) is

1564-638: The Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-Gods' instructions in Dharma . In his edicts, Ashoka mentions that he had sent Buddhist emissaries to Greek rulers as far as the Mediterranean ( Edict No. 13 ), and that he developed herbal medicine in their territories, for the welfare of humans and animals ( Edict No. 2 ). The Greeks in India even seem to have played an active role in

1632-755: The Kak Pul bridge. The Ling Stream joins the Soan river just before the Kak Pul. Two other streams, the Korang River and the Lai stream, join the Soan just before and after the Soan Bridge, respectively. After following a path along a big curve, the stream reaches the Kalabagh proposed Dam Site close to Pir Piai where it falls into the Indus River . The marine life of the river are currently endangered due to

1700-593: The Punjab were left to the rule of Porus and Taxiles , who were confirmed again at the Treaty of Triparadisus in 321 BC, and the remaining Greek troops in these satrapies were left under the command of Alexander's general Eudemus . After 321 BC Eudemus toppled Taxiles, until he left India in 316 BC. To the south, another general also ruled over the Greek colonies of the Indus: Peithon, son of Agenor , until his departure for Babylon in 316 BC. Around 322 BC,

1768-651: The Seleucid Empire , a dynastic alliance or the recognition of intermarriage between Greeks and Indians were established (described as an agreement on Epigamia in Ancient sources), and several Greeks, such as the historian Megasthenes , resided at the Mauryan court. Subsequently, each Mauryan emperor had a Greek ambassador at his court. Chandragupta's grandson Ashoka converted to the Buddhist faith and became

1836-811: The Seres (Chinese) and the Phryni Several statuettes and representations of Greek soldiers have been found north of the Tien Shan , on the doorstep to China, and are today on display in the Xinjiang museum at Urumqi (Boardman ). Greek influences on Chinese art have also been suggested ( Hirth , Rostovtzeff ). Designs with rosette flowers, geometric lines, and glass inlays, suggestive of Hellenistic influences, can be found on some early Han dynasty bronze mirrors. Numismatics also suggest that some technology exchanges may have occurred on these occasions:

1904-584: The University of ancient Taxila is considered to be one of the earliest universities in the world. Because of the extensive preservation efforts and upkeep, Taxila is one of Punjab's popular tourist spots , attracting up to one million tourists every year. During the Mughal Period , the Pothohar was a part of the Subah of Lahore . "The land is beautiful, its scented air is that of spring, and

1972-455: The partition of India , other biradaris including the Khatris , Mohyal Brahmins , and Aroras were also present in large numbers throughout the region. The plateau covers about 7 percent of all the cultivated land of Pakistan and most of it is very fertile, but the region does not have any proper irrigation system, with the agriculture being largely dependent on rainfall. The plateau

2040-533: The second Ice Age , from which remnants of stone and flint tools have been found. The Sivapithecus indicus fossil skull of an extinct ape species was discovered in Potohar plateau. Taxila was the capital city of ancient Gāndhāra , situated on the eastern shore of the Indus River —the pivotal junction of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia ; it was founded around 1000 BCE. Some ruins at Taxila date to

2108-514: The Ariani of them, and established there settlements of his own. But Seleucus Nicator gave them to Sandrocottus in consequence of a marriage contract, and received in return five hundred elephants. The details of the marriage agreement are not known, but since the extensive sources available on Seleucus never mention an Indian princess, it is thought that the marital alliance went the other way, with Chandragupta himself or his son Bindusara marrying

Soan River - Misplaced Pages Continue

2176-561: The Bactrian satrapies of Tapuria and Traxiane . To the north, Euthydemus also ruled Sogdiana and Ferghana , and there are indications that from Alexandria Eschate the Greco-Bactrians may have led expeditions as far as Kashgar and Ürümqi in Chinese Turkestan , leading to the first known contacts between China and the West around 220 BC. The Greek historian Strabo too writes that: they extended their empire even as far as

2244-703: The Buddhists and the Yavanas. He ruled for 60 years. From him, Vindusara was born and ruled for the same number of years as his father. His son was Ashoka ." Chandragupta , however, followed Jainism until the end of his life. He got in his court for marriage the daughter of Seleucus Nicator , Berenice ( Suvarnnaksi ), and thus, he mixed the Indians and the Greeks. His grandson Ashoka , as Woodcock and other scholars have suggested, "may in fact have been half or at least

2312-587: The Caucasus (now Bagram ). Other centers are only hinted at; e.g. Ptolemy 's Geographia and the nomenclature of later kings suggest that a certain Theophilus in the south of the Indo-Greek sphere of influence may also have been a royal seat at one time. The kingdom was founded when the Graeco-Bactrian king Demetrius I of Bactria invaded India from Bactria in about 200 BC. The Greeks to

2380-545: The Chinese people, and placing great value on the rich produce of China A number of Chinese envoys were then sent to Central Asia, triggering the development of the Silk Road from the end of the 2nd century BC. The Indian emperor Chandragupta , founder of the Mauryan dynasty , had re-conquered northwestern India upon the death of Alexander the Great around 322 BC. However, contacts were kept with his Greek neighbours in

2448-570: The Greco-Bactrians were the first in the world to issue cupro-nickel (75/25 ratio) coins, an alloy technology only known by the Chinese at the time under the name "White copper" (some weapons from the Warring States period were in copper-nickel alloy ). The practice of exporting Chinese metals, in particular iron, for trade is attested around that period. Kings Euthydemus, Euthydemus II, Agathocles and Pantaleon made these coin issues around 170 BC and it has alternatively been suggested that

2516-724: The Greeks (described as Yona or Yavana in Indian sources) may then have participated, together with other groups, in the uprising of Chandragupta Maurya against the Nanda dynasty , and gone as far as Pataliputra for the capture of the city from the Nandas. The Mudrarakshasa of Visakhadutta as well as the Jaina work Parisishtaparvan talk of Chandragupta's alliance with the Himalayan king Parvatka, often identified with Porus , and according to these accounts, this alliance gave Chandragupta

2584-407: The Northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent during the time of the Persian Achaemenid empire . Darius the Great conquered the area, but along with his successors also conquered much of the Greek world, which at the time included all of the western Anatolian peninsula . When Greek villages rebelled under the Persian yoke, they were sometimes ethnically cleansed, by relocation to the far side of

2652-407: The Pothwar is an appealing and beautiful garden." The Punjab played a major role in the war effort of World War II , and a large proportion of these soldiers came from the Pothohar as well as the Salt Range . Punjabis are the native people of Pothohar, speaking Punjabi in forms of various dialects . Major dialects or varieties spoken in the region include Pothwari , predominantly spoken in

2720-435: The Punjab (present-day Sialkot). Following the death of Menander, most of his empire splintered and Indo-Greek influence was considerably reduced. Many new kingdoms and republics east of the Ravi River began to mint new coinage depicting military victories. The most prominent entities to form were the Yaudheya Republic, Arjunayanas , and the Audumbaras . The Yaudheyas and Arjunayanas both are said to have won "victory by

2788-401: The advantage of explaining why the Seleucid king Antiochus II issued very few coins in Bactria, as Diodotos would have become independent there early in Antiochus' reign. On the other hand, the low chronology, from the mid-240s BC, has the advantage of connecting the secession of Diodotus I with the Third Syrian War , a catastrophic conflict for the Seleucid Empire. Diodotus, the governor of

Soan River - Misplaced Pages Continue

2856-402: The discharge of chemicals of the Sihala Industrial State and effluent water of Rawalpindi city into it. The oldest evidence of human activity in Pakistan has been found in the Soan River valley. It was here that some of the earliest signs of pre-modern humans, known as Soanians , have been discovered during the excavations of prehistoric mounds. Some relics found in the Soan Valley area during

2924-439: The duty of taking home the treasure which this king had agreed to hand over to him. Alexander had also established several colonies in neighbouring Bactria , such as Alexandria on the Oxus (modern Ai-Khanoum ) and Alexandria of the Caucasus (medieval Kapisa , modern Bagram ). After Alexander's death in 323 BC, Bactria came under the control of Seleucus I Nicator , who founded the Seleucid Empire . The Greco-Bactrian Kingdom

2992-421: The east between the Oxus River, which forms the boundary between the Bactrians and the Sogdians, and the Iaxartes River. And the Iaxartes forms also the boundary between the Sogdians and the nomads. Euthydemus was attacked by the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III around 210 BC. Although he commanded 10,000 horsemen, Euthydemus initially lost a battle on the Arius and had to retreat. He then successfully resisted

3060-483: The east of the Seleucid Empire were eventually divided from the Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom and the Indo-Greek Kingdoms in the North Western Indian Subcontinent. During the two centuries of their rule, the Indo-Greek kings combined the Greek and Indian languages and symbols , as seen on their coins, and blended Greek and Indian ideas, as seen in the archaeological remains. The diffusion of Indo-Greek culture had consequences which are still felt today, particularly through

3128-476: The empire. Thus there came to be many Greek communities in the Indian parts of the Persian empire. In the fourth century BC, Alexander the Great defeated and conquered the Persian empire. In 326 BC, this included the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent as far as the Hyphasis River . Alexander established satrapies and founded several settlements, including Bucephala ; he turned south when his troops refused to go further east. The Indian satrapies of

3196-481: The excavation process are believed to have originated over 500,000 years ago, during the Stone Age . 33°01′19″N 71°43′19″E  /  33.02194°N 71.72194°E  / 33.02194; 71.72194 Pothohar Europe North America Oceania The Pothohar Plateau ( Punjabi : پوٹھوار پٹھار , romanized:  Pо̄ṭhvār Paṭhār ; Urdu : سطح مرتفع پوٹھوہار , romanized :  Satāh Murtafā Pо̄ṭhōhār ), also known as Pothwar ,

3264-448: The influence of Greco-Buddhist art . The ethnicity of the Indo-Greek may also have been hybrid to some degree. Euthydemus I was, according to Polybius, a Magnesian Greek . His son, Demetrius I , founder of the Indo-Greek kingdom, was therefore of Greek ethnicity at least by his father. A marriage treaty was arranged for the same Demetrius with a daughter of the Seleucid ruler Antiochus III . The ethnicity of later Indo-Greek rulers

3332-444: The level of sophistication of the urban civilizations of Ferghana, Bactria and Parthia, who became interested in developing commercial relationships with them: The Son of Heaven on hearing all this reasoned thus: Ferghana ( Dayuan ) and the possessions of Bactria ( Daxia ) and Parthia ( Anxi ) are large countries, full of rare things, with a population living in fixed abodes and given to occupations somewhat identical with those of

3400-408: The local king Sophagasenus : He (Antiochus) crossed the Caucasus (the Caucasus Indicus or Paropamisus: mod. Hindú Kúsh ) and descended into India; renewed his friendship with Sophagasenus the king of the Indians; received more elephants, until he had a hundred and fifty altogether; and having once more provisioned his troops, set out again personally with his army: leaving Androsthenes of Cyzicus

3468-473: The northern and central areas of the plateau, with Dhanni being spoken in the southern areas, Majhi in the eastern and Hindko (specifically Ghebi and Chachhi ) in the western areas. Other Punjabi dialects, as well as other languages, are also spoken in major urban centres like Islamabad and Rawalpindi . The major biradaris of the region (Punjabi: برادری) include Rajputs , Jatts , Awans , Janjuas , Gujjars , Khokhars , and Gakhars . Prior to

SECTION 50

#1732765200727

3536-411: The northwest of the Indian subcontinent under Mauryan rule. Chandragupta's grandson Ashoka , who had converted to the Buddhist faith declared in the Edicts of Ashoka , set in stone, some of them written in Greek, that Greek populations within his realm also had converted to Buddhism: Here in the king's domain among the Greeks, the Kambojas , the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas,

3604-418: The plateau range from an average height of 1200 to 1900 feet above the sea level. Sakesar in the Salt Range is the highest mountain of the region and Tilla Jogian is the second highest. The earliest evidence of human habitation in Punjab traces to the Soan valley of the Pothohar, where Soanian culture developed between 774,000 BC and 11,700 BC. This period goes back to the first interglacial period in

3672-428: The presence of Chinese products in the Bactrian markets: "When I was in Bactria ( Daxia )", Zhang Qian reported, "I saw bamboo canes from Qiong and cloth made in the province of Shu (territories of southwestern China). When I asked the people how they had gotten such articles, they replied, "Our merchants go buy them in the markets of Shendu (India)." Upon his return, Zhang Qian informed the Chinese emperor Han Wudi of

3740-486: The propagation of Buddhism, as some of the emissaries of Ashoka such as Dharmaraksita , or the teacher Mahadharmaraksita , are described in Pali sources as leading Greek (" Yona ", i.e., Ionian) Buddhist monks, active in Buddhist proselytism (the Mahavamsa , XII). It is also thought that Greeks contributed to the sculptural work of the Pillars of Ashoka , and more generally to the blossoming of Mauryan art. Some Greeks (Yavanas) may have played an administrative role in

3808-477: The rebels, and he prevailed: the Parthians celebrated this day as the one that marked the beginning of their freedom Euthydemus , a Magnesian Greek according to Polybius and possibly satrap of Sogdiana , overthrew Diodotus II around 230 BC and started his own dynasty. Euthydemus's control extended to Sogdiana, going beyond the city of Alexandria Eschate founded by Alexander the Great in Ferghana : "And they also held Sogdiana, situated above Bactriana towards

3876-472: The region in 326 BCE. The third and most recent settlement is that of Sirsukh , which was built by rulers of the Kushan empire, who ruled from nearby Purushapura (modern Peshawar ). Rohtas Fort is a 16th-century fortress located near the city of Jhelum in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The fort is one of the largest and most formidable in the subcontinent . Rohtas Fort was never taken by force, and it has remained remarkably intact. The fortress

3944-488: The site during the British Raj , and are now housed in the British Museum . Indo-Greek Kingdom The Indo-Greek Kingdom , also known as the Yavana Kingdom , was a Hellenistic-era Greek kingdom covering various parts of modern-day Afghanistan , Pakistan and northwestern India . The term "Indo-Greek Kingdom" loosely describes a number of various Hellenistic states, ruling from regional capitals like Taxila , Sagala , Pushkalavati , and Alexandria in

4012-499: The sword". The Datta dynasty and Mitra dynasty soon followed in Mathura . The Indo-Greeks ultimately disappeared as a political entity around 10 AD following the invasions of the Indo-Scythians , although pockets of Greek populations probably remained for several centuries longer under the subsequent rule of the Indo-Parthians , the Kushans , and the Indo-Scythians , whose Western Satraps state lingered on encompassing local Greeks , up to 415 CE. Greeks first began to settle

4080-403: The temples are traditionally believed to have been the site where the Pandava brothers spent a significant portion of their exile. Rawat Fort is an early 16th century fort in the Pothohar plateau of Pakistan , near the city of Rawalpindi in the province of Punjab . The fort was built to defend the Pothohar plateau from the forces of the Pashtun king Sher Shah Suri . Tilla Jogian

4148-415: The territories ruled by Ashoka: the Junagadh rock inscription of Rudradaman records that during the rule of Ashoka, a Yavana King/ Governor named Tushaspha was in charge in the area of Girnar , Gujarat , mentioning his role in the construction of a water reservoir. Again in 206 BC, the Seleucid emperor Antiochus led an army to the Kabul valley, where he received war elephants and presents from

SECTION 60

#1732765200727

4216-407: The thousand cities of Bactria ( Latin : Theodotus, mille urbium Bactrianarum praefectus ), defected and proclaimed himself king; all the other people of the Orient followed his example and seceded from the Macedonians. The new kingdom, highly urbanized and considered one of the richest of the Orient ( opulentissimum illud mille urbium Bactrianum imperium "The extremely prosperous Bactrian empire of

4284-464: The thousand cities" Justin, XLI,1 ), was to further grow in power and engage into territorial expansion to the east and the west: The Greeks who caused Bactria to revolt grew so powerful on account of the fertility of the country that they became masters, not only of Ariana , but also of India , as Apollodorus of Artemita says: and more tribes were subdued by them than by Alexander... Their cities were Bactra (also called Zariaspa, through which flows

4352-417: The time of the Achaemenid Persian Empire , followed successively by the Maurya Empire , the Indo-Greek Kingdom , the Indo-Scythians , and the Kushan Empire . Owing to its strategic location, Taxila has changed hands many times over the centuries, with many polities vying for its control. When the great ancient trade routes connecting these regions ceased to be important, the city sank into insignificance and

4420-456: The time. The conquest by Dharma has been won here, on the borders, and even six hundred yojanas (4,000 miles) away, where the Greek king Antiochos rules, beyond there where the four kings named Ptolemy , Antigonos , Magas and Alexander rule, likewise in the south among the Cholas , the Pandyas , and as far as Tamraparni . Some of the Greek populations that had remained in northwestern India apparently converted to Buddhism: Here in

4488-465: Was built by Raja Todar Mal on the orders of Sher Shah Suri . The fort is known for its large defensive walls and several monumental gateways. Rohtas Fort was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, as an "exceptional example of the Muslim military architecture of Central and South Asia." The Katas Raj Temples also known as Qila Katas, is a complex of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways. The temple complex surrounds

4556-405: Was finally destroyed in the 5th century by the invading Hunas . In the 15th century, Pothohar became part of Malik Jasrat 's kingdom who had conquered most of Punjab from the Delhi Sultanate. In mid-19th century British India , ancient Taxila's ruins were rediscovered by British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham . In 1980, UNESCO designated Taxila as a World Heritage Site . By some accounts,

4624-419: Was founded when Diodotus I, the satrap of Bactria (and probably the surrounding provinces) seceded from the Seleucid Empire around 250 BC. The preserved ancient sources (see below) are somewhat contradictory and the exact date of Bactrian independence has not been settled. Somewhat simplified, there is a high chronology (c. 255 BC) and a low chronology (c. 246 BC) for Diodotos' secession. The high chronology has

#726273