AKushanas
BParthians
CBactrian Greeks
DSakas
Answer:
C. Bactrian Greeks
Read Explanation:
Bactrian Greeks in Northwest India
Background:
Following the decline of the Mauryan Empire (c. 185 BCE), the northwest frontier of India experienced a period of political fragmentation and foreign incursions.
This period saw the rise of several successor states and invasions from Central Asia.
First Foreign Rulers:
The Bactrian Greeks, also known as the Indo-Greeks, were among the first significant foreign rulers to establish a strong presence in northwest India after the Mauryans.
They were of Greek origin, descended from the soldiers of Alexander the Great, who had settled in the region of Bactria (modern-day northern Afghanistan).
Around the 2nd century BCE, they began to expand their influence and territory into parts of the Indian subcontinent, particularly the Punjab and adjacent regions.
Key Rulers and Contributions:
Menander I (Milinda) is the most famous Indo-Greek ruler.
He is known for his military campaigns, expanding the Indo-Greek kingdom to its greatest extent.
His conversion to Buddhism is famously recorded in the 'Milinda Panha' (Questions of Milinda), a Buddhist text.
The Indo-Greeks were instrumental in the Greco-Buddhist art, a fusion of Greek and Indian artistic styles.
They introduced Demetrius Poliorcetes, who is often credited with initiating the Greek invasion of northwestern India.
Their rule facilitated cultural exchange, particularly in coinage, administration, and urban planning.