750 Lassen on tM History traced [No. 104. 



year 40 B. c._, and limited to the north of the Caucasus, thence 

 conquering to the south of the mountains, Kipin, Kandahar, 

 Cabul, including a large portion of India. The subversion of 

 this empire coincides with the accession of the Sassanians. 



Thirdly, the empire of ^^ The Little Yuetchis^^ in Gandhara 

 and India, at the commencement of the fifth century. 



It is uncertain, whether we still have coins belonging to the 

 Yuetchis, whose dominion was only in the north. We could 

 only be inclined to assign to them those having on the reverse a 

 horse, and not Cabulian legends. 



Euthydemos and Eukratides as sovereigns of Bactria, famous 

 for the fine breed of its horses, appear to have likewise adopted 

 this symbol on their coins. And supposing even that coins with 

 elephants belonged to the earlier period of the Yuetchis, we 

 must ascribe this to the fact, that some of their hordes boasted 

 of having penetrated to India. 



Numismatology apparently profits us more for the history of 

 the Scythians in the south of the Caucasus ; but we must first 

 take up again the thread of the Greek dynasties. 



§ 17. 



Greco-Indian empires. 



We first call to mind, that the campaigns of the Greek kings 

 from Bactria against India, can have but commenced about 

 200 B. c ; that they originated with Euthydemos or his son De- 

 metrios, and were directed against the power of the kings of 

 Palibothra, the descendants of Chandragupta. This latter asser- 

 tion must be more exactly detailed. 



We know from ancient writers, that Chandragupta in his 

 conclusion of peace with Seleucos Nicator acquired parts of 

 Gedrosia, Arachosia, and of the country of the Paropamisades, 

 and that their friendly relations continued under the sons of both 

 kings, Amitrajata and Antiochos Soter.* The third king of the 

 Indian dynasty, Dharmazoka, is a name very celebrated with 



* De Pentap. Ind. p. 44. Zeit-schrift fuer die Kunde des Morgen- 

 landes i. 109. 



I 



