THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GREEK PRESENCE IN INDIA

The northwest of India has always been a place where the presence of foreigners has been strong.The first among them were the Bactrian Greeks, known in earlier Indian literature as Yavanas; the word was derived from the Old Persian 'Yauna', signifying originally Ionian Greeks but later all people of Greek nationality.
 The Greeks of Bactria ,or Bactrian Greeks, who were later called the Indo-Greeks, invaded India in the early 2nd century B.C.E. The history of the Indo-Greeks has been recon­structed mainly on the evidence of their coins bearing legends in Greek and later in Brahmi as well.

Demetrius, son of Euthydemus, King of Bactria was perhaps the first foreign (Indo-Greek) king after Alexander the Great ,who carried Greek arms to the interior of India. He reduced to submission a considerable portion of Afghanistan, the Punjab and Sind.

The most remembered of the Indo-Greek kings was Menander, (165-145 D C.) who, as Milinda, attained fame in the Buddhist text Milindapanho or 'The Question of Milinda' -a catechismal discussion in Buddhism, conducted by Menander and the Buddhist philosopher Nagasena, resulting in Menander’s conversion to Buddhism.
Menander stabilised Indo-Greek power, in addition to extending his frontiers in India.

He had his capital at Sakala (modern Sialkot) in Punjab. He may well have attacked the Sungas in the Yamuna region. A Brahmi inscription engraved on a Garuda Pillar found near Bhilsa records that Antialkidas of Taxila sent an ambassador, named Heliodorus, to the court of Kasiputra Bhagabhadra, identified with the last but one Sunga, Bhagavata.

Effects of the Indo-Greek presence in India 

Coinage

The coinage of Agathocles (circa 180 BCE) incorporated the Brahmi script and several deities from India, which have been variously interpreted as Vishnu, Shiva, Vasudeva, Balarama or the Buddha. 1. Zeus standing with goddess Hecate.Greek: "King Agathokles". 2. Deity wearing a long himation with a volume on the head, arm partly bent, and contrapposto pose. Greek: "King Agathokles".[7] This coin is in bronze. 3. Hindu god Balarama-Samkarshana with attributes. Greek: "King Agathokles". 4. Hindu god Vasudeva-Krishna with attributes Brahmi: “Rajane Agathukleyasa”, "King Agathokles". 5Goddess Lakshmi, holding a lotus in her right hand.Brahmi: “Rajane Agathukleyasa”, "King Agathokles".

The Indo-Greeks were the first to issue coins which can be definitely attributed to the Kings. They were the first to issue gold coins in India; gold coins increased in number under the Kushans.

Before the Greeks, the Indian coins from the Achaemenid empire were rough and punch-marked. These coins were not cast in moulds and only one side bore any inscription. The Indians learnt  the art of moulding coins from the Greeks and they began stricking beautiful coins bearing inscriptions on both sides. The gold coins of Kanishka were also beautiful and attractive, with artistic images of Gods and Goddesses on them.

Military organisation

The Greeks also introduced the practice of military governorship called strategos for maintaining the power of the new rulers over the conquered people.

Arts

 The Greek rule introduced features of Hellenistic art in the North-west frontier of India. The Gandhara art school was largely Hellenistic.The idea of representing the Buddha as a human being originated from the Greeks.

The Gandhara School of Art was developed as a result of interaction between the Greeks and the Indians. But during the Kushan rule, the Gandhara Art reached its zenith. This art had developed on the north-western regions of India known as Gandhara. It was therefore called the Gandhara School of Art or the Indo-Greek Art. The Gandhara artists built beautiful large-size images of the Buddha, Budhisatvas and the Kushan rulers.

They depicted scenes from the life of the Buddha in stone. Most of the specimens of the Ghandara Art relating to this period are executed in stone. But some of the specimens founded at Taxila are in stucco (lime), cement, terracota (baked clay) and clay. The Gandhara Art greatly influenced other schools of Indian sculpture.

Also, the Greeks contributed to the development of the Indian theatre by the use of curtains (known as Yavanika, Sutradhara (stage manger), Nepathya (back stage, etc.)

Astrology 

 Indian astrology came to be influenced by Greek ideas, and from the Greek term horoscope was derived the term horasastra used for astrology in Sanskrit. Some scholars even believe that the Indians learnt from the Greeks the entire science of casting horoscopes.

Astronomy

The Indians also learnt a lot from the Greeks in the field of astronomy. They honoured the learned Greek astronomers and were impressed by their knowledge in this field. The renowned Indian treatise on astronomy ‘Gargi Samhita’ asserts, “The Yavanas are barbarians yet the science of astronomy originated with them and for this they must be revered like Gods”. Of the different principles of astronomy, the Indians borrowed many from the contemporary Greeks. Several of the Greek terms are still prevalent in Indian astronomy. 

Architecture 

The Greek influence is discernible even in the field of temple and palace architecture. Some of the walls and pillars of the Sun Temple at Taxila are executed in the Greek Style. Moreover, stupas such as the one in Sanchi, have a lot of Greek architectural elements. The Indians also learnt the art of cutting rock caves. In Maharashtra, there are several rock-cut caves.

Botany and Medicine

In the field of botany, chemistry and medicine, the Greek contribution to India is significant along with Indian knowledge, as India in these fields, had already made sufficient progress. Charka, the great Indian physician of this time, wrote ‘Charka Samhita’ which deals with various diseases and the effective herbs (aushadhis) to cure them. The fact that these medical practices continue to this day, shows the effectiveness of the Greek knowledge. 

Conclusion

The above account would suffice to conclude that the Indians learnt many things from the Greeks. They adopted the new knowledge in the context of the indigenous conditions.