The second city site of ancient Taxila presently known as �Sirkap� after the name of a wicked character of a folk legend, �Raja Rasalu and seven demons�, who lived and ruled here. H. Hargreaves excavated the ancient city remains during 1912-30 under the direction of Sir John Marshall and in 1944-45 by Sir Mortimer wheeler and his colleagues.
The remains belong to four distinet super-imposed periods of Pre-Greek, Greeks, Scythians and Parthians. The city founded approximately in the first quarter of the second century B.C. by the Bactrian Greek King Menander. The city was well planned and fortified. The builders introduced their lonic and Corinthian orders of architecture at Sirkap. The Greek influence enhanced further under their successors Seythians and Parthian. King Gondophares following the Greek pattern rebuilt the city with its main street in the middle studded with shops and places of worship like Apsidal Temple, Sun Temple and Double Headed Eagle Stupa and king�s palace close to the eastern gate. Christian Apostle Saint Thomas came to Sirkap in 40 A.D. and was received by the king in his Royal Palace. The famous traveler Apollonius of Tyana who visited Taxila in 44 A.D. mentions �Taxila about the size of Nineveh and walled like Greek city. The narrow streets arranged well like that the Athens�. It was under Parthian that �Gandhara Art�, gradually emerged out of the classical forms and local iconographic traditions. A third century B.C. Aramaic inscription of Asoka and other objects like coins and household objects all indicate more indebtedness to the western contacts.
In about 60 A.D., the Great Kushanas completely swept away the Parthians and carved a mighty empire in India extending up to river Ganges. They laid the foundation of the third city site of Taxila at Sirsukh in about 80 A.D.
The ancient remains of Sirkap (Taxila) for their outstanding historic and architectural importance have been declared �protected antiquity� under the Antiquities Act-1975. And who so ever will destroy, break, damage, alter, injure, deface or mutilate or scribble, write or engage any inscription or sign on any antiquity shall be punishable under Section 19 of the said Act with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine or Rupees 200,000/- or with both.