Eastern Iranian peoples

Eastern Iranian peoples appears on the timeline as a people or culture of Afghanistan and the northwest (South Asia) from c. 1500 BCE to 1000 CE, a span of 2,499 years. Its people spoke Iranian languages (Median, Persian, Parthian, Scythian, Sogdian, Pashto, Kurdish).

Bactrians, Arachosians, Drangians and other Iranian-speaking herders and oasis farmers of the Hindu Kush. The Avesta names several of their lands, and Pashtuns and Tajiks count them among their ancestors.

See Eastern Iranian peoples on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

c. 1500 BCE to 1000 CE

Duration

2,499 years

Type

People or culture

Region

Afghanistan and the northwest, South Asia

Language family

Iranian

Events in South Asia during its time

• 1500 BCE Rigveda hymns composed
• 1000 BCE Iron spreads across the Ganges plain
• 483 BCE Death of the Buddha
• 326 BCE Alexander at the Hydaspes
• 261 BCE Ashoka's Kalinga war
• 247 BCE Buddhism reaches Sri Lanka
• 127 Kanishka becomes Kushan emperor
• 499 Aryabhata writes the Aryabhatiya

Neighbours in South Asia

• Chola Empire 848 to 1279 CE
• Kushan Empire c. 30 to 375 CE
• Gupta Empire c. 320 to 550 CE
• Maurya Empire 322 to 185 BCE
• Anuradhapura Kingdom 377 BCE to 1017 CE
• Kuru Kingdom c. 1200 to 500 BCE
• Pallava dynasty c. 275 to 897 CE
• Pala Empire c. 750 to 1161 CE
• Western Satraps c. 35 to 415 CE
• Satavahana dynasty c. 100 BCE to 220 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Minoan civilization c. 3100 to 1450 BCE, Europe
• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Middle East
• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Ghana Empire (Wagadu) c. 300 to 1200 CE, North and West Africa
• Holy Roman Empire 962 to 1806 CE, Europe
• Kingdom of Aksum c. 100 to 940 CE, North and West Africa
• Srivijaya c. 650 to 1377 CE, Southeast Asia
• Moche (Mochica) c. 100 to 800 CE, South America

Questions