History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.Campbell, James M.
History
History of Gujarát: Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Volume I, Part I.
Campbell, James M.
Gujarat (India) -- History
After Samprati, whose reign ended about B.C. 197, a blank of seventeen
years occurs in Gujarát history. The next available information shows
traces of Baktrian-Greek sway over parts of Gujarát. In his description
of Surastrene or Suráshtra the author of the Periplus (A.D. 240) says:
'In this part there are preserved even to this day memorials of the
expedition of Alexander, old temples, foundations of camps, and large
wells.' [38] As Alexander did not come so far south as Káthiáváda
and as after Alexander's departure the Mauryas held Káthiáváda till
about B.C. 197, it may be suggested that the temples camps and wells
referred to by the author of the Periplus were not memorials of the
expedition of Alexander but remains of later Baktrian-Greek supremacy.
Demetrius, whom Justin calls the king of the Indians, is believed
to have reigned from B.C. 190 to B.C. 165. [39] On the authority
of Apollodorus of Artamita Strabo (B.C. 50-A.D. 20) names two
Baktrian-Greek rulers who seem to have advanced far into inland
India. He says: 'The Greeks who occasioned the revolt of Baktria (from
Syria B.C. 256) were so powerful by the fertility and advantages of the
country that they became masters of Ariana and India.... Their chiefs,
particularly Menander, conquered more nations than Alexander. Those
conquests were achieved partly by Menander and partly by Demetrius
son of Euthydemus king of the Baktrians. They got possession not only
of Pattalene but of the kingdoms of Saraostus and Sigerdis, which
constitute the remainder of the coast.' [40] Pattalene is generally
believed to be the old city of Pátál in Sindh (the modern Haidarábád),
while the subsequent mention of Saraostus and Sigerdis as kingdoms
which constitute the remainder of the coast, leaves almost no doubt
that Saraostus is Suráshtra and Sigerdis is Ságaradvípa or Cutch. The
joint mention of Menander (B.C. 126) and Demetrius (B.C. 190) may mean
that Demetrius advanced into inland India to a certain point and that
Menander passed further and took Sindh, Cutch, and Káthiáváda. The
discovery in Cutch and Káthiáváda of coins of Baktrian kings supports
the statements of Justin and Strabo. Dr. Bhagvánlál's collecting
of coins in Káthiáváda and Gujarát during nearly twenty-five years
brought to light among Baktrian-Greek coins an obolus of Eucratides
(B.C. 180-155), a few drachmæ of Menander (B.C. 126-110), many
drachmæ and copper coins of Apollodotus (B.C. 110-100), but none
of Demetrius. Eucratides was a contemporary of Demetrius. Still,
as Eucratides became king of Baktria after Demetrius, his conquests,
according to Strabo of a thousand cities to the east of the Indus,
must be later than those of Demetrius.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account