Ig99.] on the Civilization of Ancient India. 159 



The known facts of the external relations between the Roman 

 empire and India, therefore, apart from all aesthetic criticism, suggest 

 that, if Indian art was influenced by Roman art, the influence would have 

 been most active during the period which may be defined, in round num- 

 bers, as extending from A. D. 100 to 350. It would hardly be reasonable 

 to expect that the partial interruption of intercourse between A. D. 273 

 and 306 should be traceable in Indian art history, and it is not trace- 

 able. 



I liave named A. D. 100 as the approximate earliest possible 

 anterior limit for Roman influence on Indian ai't, but, as a matter of fact, 

 that date is too early. The name of Rome must of course have been 

 lono- known to a greater or less extent in India, but I doubt if the 

 Oriental would know much about the Roman empire, before the reign 

 of Hadrian (A. D. 117—138), whose expeditions to Syria (circa A. D. 

 130), and passion for building great edifices must have spread the fame 

 of his power among the merchants of the east. I consider it impro- 

 bable that Roman models could have affected Indian art before A. D. 

 150. On the other hand, Roman influence continued to be felt by the 

 arts of India after A. D. 350, aud may not have completely disappeared 

 for a century later. 



The ground has now been cleared for an examination in some detail 

 of the Roman elements in the art of the Gandhara or Peshawar school. 

 The general aspect of the figure sculptures aud architectural decora- 

 tions of that school is, as Mr. Fergusson perceived, distinctly Roman, 

 but a vague assertion to that effect cannot convince anybody who has 

 not acquired some familiarity with the art both of Rome aud Gandhara. 

 Detailed proofs are necessary to carry conviction to the mind of the 

 ordinary reader. I shall now proceed to give some. 



" Roman architecture, as we know it, dates only from about the 

 Christian era, and the rapidity with which it spread from that time is 

 something marvellous. Through nearly the whole extent of the Roman 

 empire, through Asia Minor, Sicily, Britain, France, Syria, Africa,— 

 with one great exception, Egypt,— all was Roman in moulding, orna- 

 ment, details, the very style of carving, and the construction. No 

 matter what the country of the architect, all seem to have lost their 

 nationality when the Roman came, and to have adopted implicitly his 



system of design and decoration 



" It is not uncommon to find examples of Roman architecture 

 completely overdone with ornament, every moulding carved, and every 

 Straight surface, whether vertical or horizontal, sculptured with foliage 

 or characteristic subjects in relief."* 



* Lewis and Street, article Architecture in Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th edi- 

 tion, pp. 418, 421. 



