Vedic and Achaemenid period
Between the Indus cities and Alexander, the north-west shifts to pastoral and early Vedic society, then to imperial administration. Taxila and the Gandhara plain become the eastern edge of the Achaemenid Persian empire, paying tribute and adopting Aramaic script, which later shaped Kharosthi writing across the region.
- Period
- 1500 BCE to 330 BCE
- Focus
- Gandhara under Persian rule
Last updated
| Period | 1500 BCE to 330 BCE[1] |
|---|---|
| Focus | Gandhara under Persian rule[1] |
Vedic and Achaemenid period: overview
Between the Indus cities and Alexander, the north-west shifts to pastoral and early Vedic society, then to imperial administration. Taxila and the Gandhara plain become the eastern edge of the Achaemenid Persian empire, paying tribute and adopting Aramaic script, which later shaped Kharosthi writing across the region.
Timeline
- -1500
Vedic period begins
Early Vedic society spreads across the Punjab river plains.
- -518
Achaemenid annexation
Darius I incorporates Gandhara and the Indus satrapy.
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Sources
- [1]Vedic period — Encyclopaedia Britannica. Accessed 2026-08-30.
- [2]Achaemenian Dynasty — Encyclopaedia Britannica. Accessed 2026-08-30.