When did Demetrius invade India?
Summary
The article examines the timing of the Greek invasion of India led by Demetrius, utilizing evidence from the Yugapurana section of the Gargi-Sambiti. The main argument is that Demetrius invaded India around 185 B.C. during the weak rule of the last Maurya king, Brihadratha, and was forced to retreat due to a civil war with Eucratides. The author challenges the traditional view, supported by scholars like W.W. Tarn, D.C. Sircar, and A.S. Altekar, which places the invasion between 182 B.C. and 167 B.C. The author argues that Demetrius's stay in India was brief, likely a long-distance raid rather than a large-scale conquest, and that he died or was killed before 180 B.C. The evidence discussed includes the Yugapurana passages, which describe the Greeks attacking Sikat, Pataliputra, and Mathura, and ultimately leaving due to internal conflict. The author critiques Tarn's reconstruction, noting the lack of corroborative evidence and questioning the supposed connection between Eucratides and Antiochus IV. The author also disputes the idea that Demetrius occupied Pataliputra for seven years, pointing to the absence of Greek coins east of the North-West Frontier Province as evidence of a short, confined expedition. Additionally, the author uses coin portraits to argue that Demetrius was likely around 25 years old during the invasion and did not live much beyond 180 B.C., aligning with the Yugapurana's description of a fierce battle with Eucratides. The sources discussed include the Yugapurana manuscripts (Asiatic Society, Benares Sanskrit College, Dr. Kern, Bibliotheque Nationale, and D.R. Mankad), the Gargi-Sambiti, the Divyavadana, the Malavikagnimitra, and classical accounts by Justin, as well as numismatic evidence from coins of Demetrius, Agathocles, and others. The author also references medieval traditions, such as those found in the works of Boccaccio, Laurence de Premierfait, and Chaucer, to support the identification of Demetrius as the "King of the Indians."
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Conclusion
The article concludes that Demetrius invaded India during the weak rule of the last Maurya king, Brihadratha, around 185 B.C., rather than during the reign of the powerful Sunga usurper, Pusyamitra. This conclusion challenges W.W. Tarn’s reconstruction, which posits a long-term occupation of Pataliputra and a conflict with Pusyamitra. The author argues that the lack of corroborating classical evidence, the absence of Greek coins east of the North-West Frontier Province, and Pusyamitra’s demonstrated military strength make Tarn’s timeline highly improbable. Furthermore, numismatic evidence indicates Demetrius died before 180 B.C. Consequently, Demetrius’s expedition is recontextualized as a short-term, long-distance raid rather than a large-scale conquest, paving the way for later Greek incursions while leaving the Mauryan core intact.