264 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. [N.S., XVIII, 
tion of his capital in Sakala. He must have been a great ruler. 
His coins were found in circulation by the author of the Peri- 
plus (c. 80. A.D.) in Barygaza. Strabo in his Geography! 
mentions Menander as one of the two kings who were instru- 
mental in spreading Greek dominion farthest to the east in 
India and as one who conquered more nations than Alexander. 
He crossed the Hypanis (Sutlej) and penetrated as far as the 
‘Isamos (?). Plutarch? tells us that he was as a ruler noted 
Yavana rulers of Madra. The identification of Menander with 
king Milinda is now no longer in dispute and Milindapanho 
was surely based upon the tradition that lingered and kept 
alive the memory of the great Indo-Greek king who was also 
an admirer of the Law of Buddha. From the same book we 
know that the king was born in the island of Alasanda.? 
Madra attained great prosperity under the Euthydemean 
line. There is a vivid description of the prosperity of the 
city of Sagala in Milindapaiho from which we shall quote a 
few lines :— 
‘There is a country of the Yonakas a great centre of trade, 
a city that is called Sagala, situated in a delightful country .... 
wise architects have laid it out and its people know of no 
oppression.... Brave is its defence with many and various 
strong towers and ramparts .... well displayed are the 
innumerable sorts of costly merchandise with which its shops 
are filled ..... Its streets resound with cries of welcome to 
the teachers of every creed.. ... Shops there are for the 
sale of Benares muslin .... and other clothes of various kinds 
ea Gy guilds of traders in all sorts of finery display their goods 
in the bazars.... So full is the city of money and of gold 
and of silver ware, of copper and stone ware that it is a very 
mine of dazzling treasures .... In wealth it rivals the Uttara 
Kurus and in glory it is as Alakamanda, the city of the gods.’* 
With Menander probably passed away the glory of the 
EKuthydemean House of Madra and the Sialkot region gradually 
passed in the hands of the Sakas who about this time poured 
into the Indus valley possibly from Sakasténé (mod. Sistan). 
Two Satrapal families of these Sakas ruled at Taxila and 
Mathura. The seat of the imperial power probably lay some- 
where south of these settlements on the Indus. The P eriplus 
mentions Minnagara on the Indus as the metropolis of Scythia.’ 
The identification of this city is not yet certain, The Saka 


! Ed., Falconer. XI, xi, 1. 2 Num chron, 1869, p. 229. 
8 Alexandria; S.B.E. XXXV, p. 127. 
4 S.B.E. XXXV, pp. 2-3. 6 Edited by Schoff, p. 37. 


Be erie en ls Lboys ao eS pasa Panniers 
hai tempeh da IEA Asc \\ Pk TR eae rae renal 



