UPSC Prelims 2006 Q130: Ancient History – Post - Mauryan & Foreign Invasions
With reference to the invaders in ancient India,
which one of the following is the correct chronological order?
- (a) Greeks - Sakas - Kushans
- (b) Greeks - Kushans - Sakas
- (c) Sakas - Greeks - Kushans
- (d) Sakas - Kushans - Greeks
Answer: (a) Greeks - Sakas - Kushans
Explanation
Order of invaders in ancient India
| Invader | Approximate period of entry |
|---|---|
| Greeks (Indo-Greeks) | From about 180 BC, after Alexander and the Bactrian Greeks |
| Sakas | About the 1st century BC |
| Kushans | From about the 1st century AD |
The correct chronological order of these invaders is Greeks, Sakas, Kushans.
Answer: (a) Greeks - Sakas - Kushans.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Greeks came first, then the Sakas, and finally the Kushans.
- (b) Incorrect. This places the Kushans before the Sakas.
- (c) Incorrect. This places the Sakas before the Greeks.
- (d) Incorrect. This places the Greeks last, which is wrong.
Key point
The sequence of invaders into India was Greeks, then Sakas, then Kushans.
Remember
Invaders in order: Greeks, Sakas, Kushans.
Common mistakes
- Placing the Kushans before the Sakas because Kanishka is better known.
- Forgetting that the Indo-Greeks came first.
- Mixing these with the later Huna invaders.
Exam tip
Mnemonic: Greeks - Sakas - Parthians - Kushans (G-S-P-K).
Sources
- Romila Thapar — A History of India, Volume 1 (Penguin)
- R. S. Sharma — Ancient India (NCERT textbook for Class XI)