Persian Invasion (550 BC)-
- Contemporary to reign of Bimbisara, Persian attacked N-W front of India & Magadha continued to rise in N-E & Central-north in India
- In N-W front of India, several small provinces like Kamboja, Gandhara & Madra did not have a political unity & continuously fought with each other
- Archaemadian ruler of Iran, Cyprus took advantage of this political disunity & invaded west front of India.
- All Indian tribes west of Indus River submitted to him including Gandhar
- Darius 1, Grandson of Cyprus conquered Indus valley as a whole & annexed Punjab & Sindh (N W India)
- Xerxes, Successor of Darius, employed Indian infantry & cavalry in war against Greece but got defeated & hence could not move forward in India. However, control of Persians over India slackened only after Alexander’s invasion on India
Effects of Persian Invasion
- Impetus to Indo Iranian commerce & trade, which finally became the ground for Alexander’s invasion
- Use of Kharoshti script bought by Iranian gain popularity in N-W India & some inscription of Ashoka (250 BC) are written in this language (derived from Aramaic script, written from right to left)
- Influence of Persian art in India, Particularly monolithic pillars , & sculptures found on them along with inscriptions
