Indo-Scythians

Indo-Scythians (also called Indo-Sakas) were a group of nomadic Iranian peoples of Scythian origin who migrated from Central Asia southward into modern day Afghanistan, Pakistan and Northwestern India from the middle of the 2nd century BCE to the 4th century CE.

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Indo-Scythian Kingdom
c. 150 BC–400 AD
Territories and expansion of the Indo-Scythians at their greatest extent, including territories of the Northern Satraps and Western Satraps.
Capital	Sigal Taxila Mathura
Common languages	Saka,[1] Greek, Pali (Kharoshthi script), Sanskrit, Prakrit (Brahmi script)
Religion	Hinduism[2] Buddhism Ancient Greek religion
Government	Monarchy
King
• 85–60 BC	Maues
• 10 AD	Hajatria
Historical era	Antiquity
• Established	c. 150 BC
• Disestablished	400 AD
Area
20 est.[3]	2,600,000 km2 (1,000,000 sq mi)
Preceded by Succeeded by Greco-Bactrian Kingdom Indo-Greek Kingdom Maurya Empire Kushan Empire Sassanid Empire Indo-Parthians Paratarajas Gupta Empire

The first Saka king of India was Maues/Moga (1st century BCE) who established Saka power in Gandhara, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and the Indus Valley. The Indo-Scythians extended their supremacy over north-western India, conquering the Indo-Greeks and other local kingdoms. The Indo-Scythians were apparently subjugated by the Kushan Empire, by either Kujula Kadphises or Kanishka.[4] Yet the Saka continued to govern as satrapies,[5] forming the Northern Satraps and Western Satraps. The power of the Saka rulers started to decline in the 2nd century CE after the Indo-Scythians were defeated by the Satavahana emperor Gautamiputra Satakarni.[6][7] Indo-Scythian rule in the northwestern Indian subcontinent ceased when the last Western Satrap Rudrasimha III was defeated by the Gupta emperor Chandragupta II in 395 CE.[8][9]

The invasion of northern regions of the Indian subcontinent by Scythian tribes from Central Asia, often referred to as the Indo-Scythian invasion, played a significant part in the history of the Indian subcontinent as well as of nearby countries. In fact, the Indo-Scythian war is just one chapter in the events triggered by the nomadic flight of Central Asians from conflict with tribes such as the Xiongnu in the 2nd century CE, which had lasting effects on Bactria, Kabul, and the Indian subcontinent as well as far-off Rome in the west, and more nearby to the west in Parthia.

Ancient Roman historians, including Arrian[10] and Claudius Ptolemy, have mentioned that the ancient Sakas ("Sakai") were nomadic people.[11]

The first rulers of the Indo-Scythian Kingdom were Maues, c. 85–60 BCE, and Vonones, c. 75–65 BCE.[12]