January
19
/ 2019
Gandhara was an ancient kingdom located in what is the region that is today northwestern Pakistan and northeastern Afghanistan. The history Gandhara can be traced all the way back to the Vedic period, when it was an independent kingdom. Subsequently, it was conquered by various powers, including the Achaemenid Empire, the Macedonian Empire, and the Mauryan Empire. It was due to Gandhara’s central geographical location, i.e. at the crossroads between India, Central Asia, and the Middle East, that it was targeted by so many conquerors. Nevertheless, it was also due to this factor that its greatest legacy, i.e. its art, was formed. Occupation of the Region Since the Stone Age The Gandhara region was occupied by human beings as early
