It’s Time to Take Seriously Greek Influences on Buddhism

We have long known from ancient geographers and historians that a huge amount of trade passed through Berenike. As our sources were Greek, they seemed to imply that it was Greek ships with Greek sailors going to India and bringing back the goods. These new archeological discoveries complicate that view. Indians were far more directly engaged than previously imagined. They were a major presence in Berenike, particularly during the spring when sailors would be waiting for the monsoon winds to reverse the wind’s usual direction and allow ships to sail quickly to India.