Saka Dynasty

After the Indo-Greeks, the Saka people established dominance in the northwestern parts of India. The Scythians, a tribe of Central Asia, are referred to as Saka in Indian records. The Saka people were nomads and herders. Later, they turned to agriculture. The Saka people, who had an extraordinary skill in using animals for transportation, became masters of the trade routes. When the pastures of Central Asia began to dry up, they moved east. However, the Chinese emperor Shi Huangdi built the Great Wall and stopped the Saka people from advancing. With this, the Saka people turned towards Bactria. A section of them settled in Afghanistan, while other branches made raids into India.

The Sakas invaded India in the 1st century BC. They conquered more territory in India than the Indo-Greeks. The Sakas ruled over Punjab, Gandhara, Mathura, western India, and the highlands of the Deccan. The first Saka king in India, Maus, ruled Gandhara (80 BC). Maus' successor, Ases, conquered the Indo-Greek territories. He is associated with the year 58 BC. The most prominent and longest-ruling of the Sakas who came to India was the Sakas of Western India. The Saka rule here lasted for four centuries. The most famous of the Shakas of Western India was Rudradaman (130-150 AD). He is known in history for his renovation of the Sudarshana Lake. This brought great relief to the farmers of Kathiawar who were suffering from drought. Although a foreigner, Rudradaman was the first to compose a long inscription in pure Sanskrit (the Girnar inscription).

The Sakas introduced the "Kshatrapa" (Satrap) system of government in India. According to this, the country was divided into several provinces. The responsibility of provincial administration was entrusted to a military governor known as the "Mahakshatrapa". The provinces were divided into sub-divisions and placed under the control of "Satrapas". The Sakas issued coins. Some of them bear the names of two kings. The arrival of the Sakas, although indirect, paved the way for the beginning of the Vikrama era. It is believed that in 58 BC, a king named Vikramaditya of Ujjain defeated the Sakas (Ases) and a new year called Vikrama era began to celebrate his victory. It is also known as Kritavarsham and Malavavarsham.