The Pre-Gupta Period

Sungas (185 BC -75 BC)

The Sungas succeeded the Mauryas.
Sungas were brahmanas.
Patanjali performed an Ashvamedha yajna for Pushyamaitra Sunga.
Pushyamitra was succeeded by his son Agnimitra, the hero of Kalidasa's drama, Malvikagnimitram.
The Puranas talk of ten kings of the Sunga dynasty.
One of the rulers among the later kings was Bhagavata, whose court Heliodorous, the ambassador of Antialkidas, stayed. Heliodoorous and Bhagavata erected the Besnagar Pillar.
The last Sunga king was Devabhuti.
Sungas were replaced by Kanvas.

Some important Indo-Greek rulers were Euthydemus, Demetrius, Eucratides and Menander.
Menander (165-145 BC) ruled from Pakistan's capital Sakala (modern Sialkot).
Antialias was an Indo-greek king, and Heliodorous came from his court.
Milindpanho is the book containing the question of Menander (Milinda) to Nagasena and the answers of Nagasena. Later, Menander was converted to Buddhism by Nagasena.
The Indo-Greek rulers were the first ones whose coins carried the portrait of kings and their names.
They were the first rulers to issue gold coins.
They influenced Indian science and astronomy.
Gandhara School of Art was developed under Indo-Greeks.

Scythians or Sakas were nomadic tribes of Central Asia. They destroyed the Indo-Greek rule in northwest India.
Sakas entered India through Bolan pass.
Sakas ruled from 1st century B.C. to 4th century A.D.
The Sakas were divided into five branches and established themselves in various parts of India.
The first branch settled in Afghanistan. The second branch settled in Punjab with Taxila as its capital. The third branch settled in Mathura.
The fourth branch established its hold over western India, where the Sakas continued to rule until the 4th century A.D.
The fifth branch of Sakas established its power in upper Deccan.
Rudradaman-I was the most important king who ruled from Ujjain around 150AD.
The Sakas fought a war with a king, who called himself Vikramaditya. Vikramaditya emerged victorious in the war, and an era called Vikram Samvat is reckoned from his victory over the Sakas in 57 B.C.
Rudradaman-I issued the first-ever inscription in Chaste Sanskrit in Junagarh. From the Junagarh rock inscription, it appears that he undertook the repairs of the Sudarshana Lake.
The last Saka ruler Rudrasimha-III was defeated by Chandragupta -II of the Gupta Dynasty in about 390 AD.

The Parthians are also known as Pahalavas. They were the Iranian people. They ruled from Peshwar.
The earliest king of this dynasty was Vonones, who adopted the title of the great king of kings.
Gondophernes (19-45 A.D.) was the greatest of the Parthian kings.
St. Thomas, a Christian missionary, visited during the reign of Gondophernes.

The Kushanas were the most potent foreign invaders who came to India.
The Kushanas were one of the five clans into which the Yuechis tribe was divided.
The first great Yuechi king was Kujala Kadphises or Kadphises I. He issued many coins with Indian gods and goddesses.
Vima Kadphises or Kadphises II succeeded Kadphises I. He issued gold and copper coins.
Shiva's devotee was as his coins showed Shiva holding a trident and a bull.

Kanishka (78 AD -101 AD) succeeded Kadphises-II. Kanishka was the most well-known and most significant king among the Kushana kings.
Kanishka founded the Saka era (78AD).
His capital was Purushapur, i.e., modern Peshwar.
Kanishka was a follower of Mahayana Buddhism. The Fourth Buddhist Council was held during Kanishka's reign.
He sent missionaries outside India for the propagation of Buddhism.
He constructed the Peshawar Stupa.
Kanishka's court was adorned by eminent scholars such as Parsva, Nagarjuna, Ashvaghosh, Vasumitra, chakra etc.
Mathura and Gandhara school of Arts attained their peak in his reign.
Sushruta Samhita, a book on surgery, was written by Sushruta during his time.