Gandhara was a historic region of ancient India (which corresponds to areas
of north west Pakistan including Attock). Situated astride the middle Indus
River, the region had Taxila and Peshawar as its chief cities. It was
originally a province of the Persian Empire and was reached (327 B.C.) by
Alexander the Great. The region passed to Chandragupta, founder of the Maurya
empire, in the late 4th century B.C., and under Asoka was converted (mid-3d
cent.) to Buddhism. It was part of Bactria from the late 3d cent. to the 1st
cent. B.C. Under the Kushan dynasty (1st cent.–3d cent. A.D.), and especially
under Kanishka,
