Achaemenid invasion of the Indus Valley

The Achaemenid invasion of the Indus Valley is the Achaemenid military conquest of territories of Ariana or Pakistan. Achaemenid penetration into the area of Pakistan occurred in stages, starting from northern parts of the River Indus and moving southward. The Persian empires generally considered the Punjab as their easternmost boundary.

The important communities in the region were the people of Punjab, the Kambojas and Sindhis. Punjab consisted of Taksas of Gandhara, the Madras and Kathas (Kathaioi) on Akesines, the Mallas on Hydraotis and the Tugras on Hesidros. In the first half of the sixth century, these several small principalities fought against one another. This region did not have any powerful state to wield the warring communities into one organized kingdom. The area was wealthy, and could be entered through the passes of the Hindu Kush. The Achaemenids took advantage of the political disunity and penetrated into the region.

Gandhara/Taxila in Punjab was conquered by Achaemenid empire in 518 BC. During this time, Pushkarasakti, a contemporary of King Bimbisara (558–491 BC) of Magadha empire of Haryanka dynasty, was the king of Gandhara. Pushkarasakti was engaged in power struggles against his local rivals. Achaemenids under Darius penetrated to the region in 516 BC, and annexed other parts of Punjab west to Indus river and Sindh.

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