he Hamadan, Persepolis and Naqsh-I-Rustam Inscriptions of Persian monarch Darius mention a people 'Hidu' as included in his empire. These inscriptions are dated between 520-485 B.C. This fact establishes that the term 'Hi(n)du' was current more than 500 years before Christ. Xerexes, successor of Darius, in his inscriptios4 at Persepolis, gives names of countries under his rule. The list includes 'Hidu'. Xerexes was ruling between 485-465 B.C. On a tomb in Persepolis, another inscription assigned to Artaxerexes (404-395 B.C.), there are three figures above which are inscribed 'iyam Qataguviya' (this is Satygidian), 'iyam Ga(n)dariya' (this is Gandhara) and 'iyam Hi(n)duviya' (this is Hi(n)du).
The Asokan inscriptions (3rd century B.C.)5, repeatedly use expressions like 'Hida' (हिद) for 'India' and 'Hida loka' (हिद लोक) for 'Indian nation'. 'Hida' and its derivative forms are used more than 70 times in the Ashokan inscriptions.
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