Question: The Shakas were defeated by which tribal group before entering India?
A) The Huns
B) The Yueh-chis
C) The Parthians
D) The Greeks
Answer: B) The Yueh-chis
Indo-Scythians is a term used to refer to Scythians (Sakas), who migrated into parts of Central Asia and north-western South Asia, from the middle of the 2nd century BCE to the 4th century CE.
Patanjali, in his Mahabhasya, calls the Sakas 'Anirvasita (pure) Shudras'.
The Saka Era is a historical calendar system in India that was started by Chashtana in 78 CE.
The first Saka King in India was known as Maues or Moga. Sirkap was his capital (Punjab, Pakistan).
Many Maues coins have been discovered. They include Buddhist and Hindu symbols. Greek and Kharoshti were the languages used on these coins.
The Sakas ruled over the north-west frontier, and in Punjab, Sindh, Kashmir, western Uttar Pradesh, Saurashtra, Kathiawar, Rajputana, Malwa, and the north Konkan belt of Maharashtra.
They also fought against the Satvahanas in India, and later entered into matrimonial alliances with them.
The Sakas kings employed the Greek system of rule and appointed kshatrapas (satraps, governors) to govern each region.
After their defeat at the hands of Satavahana Emperor Gautamiputra Satakarni, the Saka Empire began to decline.
The Sakas ruled northwest India and Pakistan until the death of Azes II (12 BC), when the territory was taken over by the Kushanas.
Their dominion in western India ended in the 4th century AD, when the last Western Satrap Saka monarch, Rudrasimha III, was defeated by Chandragupta II of the Gupta dynasty.
Shakas are mentioned multiple times in writings such as the Puranas, Manusmriti, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Patanjali's Mahabhasya, Vraha Mihira's Brihat Samhita, Kavyamimamsa, Brihat-Katha-Manjari, Katha-Saritsagara.
