ing the throne, the empire was split into pieces, by the revolt of the Bactrians and the Parthians, both of which peoples had virtually become independent by 250 B. C.
The Bactrians had adopted Greek civilization, and were probably fused with the Greeks. They were consequently called Greeks (Yavanas). The hero of the Bactrian revolution, Diodatus, conquered some parts of India, namely, Kabul, Punjab, and Sindh. Though victorious in India, he lost his control over Bactria, which was wrested from him by his general Eukratides. Soon after this event, Eukratides was murdered and Bactria fell to pieces and into a number of small principalities. Menander was the chief of one of them and his invasion is probably referred to by Patanjali. This king was Buddhist and he is identified with King Milinda, so well known in Buddhistic literature. These Greek princes were fighting amongst themselves in Bactria as well as in the northwestern part of India for the mastery of the soil.
"While the Greek princes and princelings were struggling in obscure wars which history has not condescended to record, a great deluge was preparing in the steppes of Mongolia which was destined to sweep them all into nothingness."[1] The Shakas or the Scythians, who were a horde of nomads, broke loose on Bactria in the period between 140 and 130 B. C., and extinguished the Greek monarchies north of Hindu Kush. Some of these tribes entered India and made settlements at Taxila and
- ↑ This quotation from Vincent Smith's should not be construed as a commitment, at least on my part, that I believe the Shakas or the Scythians to be of Mongolian race. See Proceedings of the Berlin Academy for 1908.
