Ancient site · City
Taxila
Also known as Takshashila
A city of ancient Gandhara near Rawalpindi, Pakistan, at the meeting of routes from India, Central Asia and Iran. Its three cities, the Bhir Mound (from about the 6th century BCE), Sirkap (laid out by Indo-Greek kings) and Sirsukh (founded by the Kushans), together with Buddhist stupas and monasteries such as Dharmarajika, span about a thousand years.
Its king submitted to Alexander in 326 BCE, and it was famous for learning. The Huns devastated it in the 5th century CE.
- Dates
- c. 1000 BCE–5th century CE
- Still standing
- Yes
- UNESCO World Heritage
- Yes
- Location
- 33.75° N, 72.79° E
How we know
Named by the grammarian Panini, by Greek writers who came with Alexander, and in inscriptions; its three city sites are excavated.
Nearby sites
- Takht-i-Bahi 1st–7th century CE
- Burzahom c. 3000–1000 BCE
- Harappa c. 3300–1300 BCE; city at its height c. 2600–1900 BCE
- Ai-Khanoum c. 290–145 BCE
- Kalibangan c. 3500–1750 BCE
- Shortugai c. 2000–1700 BCE