WI Buddhism a mayor religion in the west helenised world

there was certanly enough contact betveen India, Bactria and other helenised states for this not to be unprobbable

by west i mean the general region of the mediterran and the balkans

the idea is that it spreads ower between the 3. century BC and 1. century AD rooting itself mostly in isolated monasteries and smaler rural populations, but interacting with other schools of thought and philosophy
then from 2. century AD it begins to spread until it becomes more or less the equivalent of an oficiall religion by the mid 300eds

what comes of it?
 
Ooof.

This is a neat idea. But, I think the timing is off. IMO you need to wait til you get the Pro-Mahayana (which is early 1st century CE at best) before you can really get it to take off in the Western World.
 
I remember reading ages ago of a buddhist mission in Rome at one point but...I just can't remember where and can't find it again <_<
Anyone?
 
I remember reading ages ago of a buddhist mission in Rome at one point but...I just can't remember where and can't find it again <_<
Anyone?

Well, Ashoka boasted of sending missionaries to Syria and Egypt. They don't show up in the Classical sources, but that doesn't mean anything.

I think part of the problem is that, AFAIK, Buddhists were seen as philosophers in the classical world, rather than the leaders of a missionary religion.
 
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