Home Region: Pakistan (South Asia)

Indo-Greek Kingdom

180 BCE 10 BCE

D G SC WF

EQ 2020 pk_indo_greek_k / PkIndGr

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom] [None] Update here

Succeeding Entity:

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General Description

The Indo-Greek ’kingdom’ was created after the Greco-Bactrians invaded northern India from 180 BCE. It consisted of a number of dynastic polities that ruled from regional capitals and formed a single entity only to the extent their rulers were able to collaborate. More than 30 kings are known, who were often in conflict with each other. ^[1]
Bopearachchi suggests the period was founded by two kings, Demetrius I and Agathocles, who ruled around 185 BCE, but Jakobsson (2009) believes that a later king known as Menander was "instrumental in the creation of the era." ^[2] The lack of consistent or reliable sources from either Western or Chinese sources means that much of what we know is speculative and reliant on numismatic evidence. ^[3]
It is likely the rulers, who simultaneously produced their own coinage, ruled different parts of the Indo-Greek polity and employed their own administrators. ^[4] Governance of the Indo-Greek region was for the most part through personal kingship and organization extended only to the limits of a particular king’s power. ^[5]
After 145 BCE, Successive nomadic invasions by Scythians and other nomads isolated the Indo-Greeks from the wider Hellenic world. By the beginning of the first century CE, the Greco-Bactrian state was extinguished as an independent entity. ^[1]
Of the legacy of the civilization, the Greek alphabet survived until the Islamic conquest as the script of the Bactrian language, and the conversion of a Indo-Greek King to Buddhism became a part of the zeitgeist of the Indian collective historical memory. ^[1]

[1]: (Bernard 2012, 42-52) Paul Bernard. ’Ai Khanum: A Greek Colony in Post-Alexandrian Central Asia, or How to Be Greek in an Oriental Milieu.’ in Elisabetta Valtz Fino. Joan Aruz. ed. 2012. Afghanistan: Forging Civilizations Along the Silk Road. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York.

[2]: (Jakobsson 2009) Jakobsson, Jens. Who Founded the Indo-Greek Era of 186/5 B.C.E.? Dec 2009. The Classical Quarterly. New Series. Vol. 59. No.2. pp. 505-510.

[3]: (Guillaume 1986, 1-16) Olivier Guillaume. 1986. "An Analysis of the Modes of Reconstruction of the Graeco-Bactrian and Indo-Greek History." Studies in History 2, no. 1

[4]: (Jakobsson 2009. 505-510) Jens Jakobsson. Who Founded the Indo-Greek Era of 186/5 B.C.E.? Dec 2009. The Classical Quarterly. New Series. Vol. 59. No.2.

[5]: (Jakobsson 2009, 505-510) Jens Jakobsson, Jens. Who Founded the Indo-Greek Era of 186/5 B.C.E.? Dec 2009. The Classical Quarterly. New Series. Vol. 59. No.2.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

5 Language

Religion

1 Religion Genus

1 Alternate Religion Genus

1 Alternate Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

1 Occupational Complexity

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Merit Promotion

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

1 Non Phonetic Writing

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

2 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Dog

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

1 Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k) was in:
(145 BCE 96 BCE)	Kachi Plain

Home NGA: Kachi Plain

General Variables

Identity and Location Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	43 S	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Original Name	Indo-Greek Kingdom	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Capital	Taxila (Sirkap)	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Alternative Name	Graeco-Indian Kingdom	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	[155 BCE ➜ 130 BCE]
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Duration	[180 BCE ➜ 10 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	none	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Parthian Empire I	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Preceding Entity	Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom [None] Update here
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Degree of Centralization	nominal	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Language Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Language	Prakrit	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Language	Greek	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Language	Sanskrit	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Language	Bactrian	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Language	Aramaic	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Religion Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religion Genus	Graeco-Bactrian Religions	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Alternate Religion Genus	Buddhism	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Alternate Religion	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Polity Territory	105,226 km²	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Polity Population	60,000 people	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[2 to 3]	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Religious Level	- Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Military Level	4	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Administrative Level	[4 to 5]	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Professions Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Occupational Complexity	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Merit Promotion	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Law Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Judge	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Court	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Food Storage Site	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Port	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Canal	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Bridge	- Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Information / Writing System Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Script	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Sacred Text	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Religious Literature	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Practical Literature	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Philosophy	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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History	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Fiction	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Calendar	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Information / Money Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Paper Currency	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Information / Postal System Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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General Postal Service	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Courier	Uncoded Undecided	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Moat	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Fortified Camp	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Ditch	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Military use of Metals Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present Uncertain	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Steel	Absent Uncertain	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Iron	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Copper	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Bronze	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Projectiles Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Sling	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Javelin	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Composite Bow	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Handheld weapons Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Sword	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Spear	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Polearm	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Dagger	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Battle Axe	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Elephant	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Donkey	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Dog	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Camel	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Armor Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Shield	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Plate Armor	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Limb Protection	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Unknown Suspected	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Helmet	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Chainmail	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Breastplate	Present	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Naval technology Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Absent Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Merchant Ships Pressed Into Service	Absent Inferred	180 BCE 10 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Human Sacrifice Indo-Greek Kingdom (pk_indo_greek_k)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More