The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great as described by Arrian, Q. Curtius, Diodoros, Plutarch and Justin: Being Translations of such portions of the Works of these and other Classical Authors as describe Alexander's Campaigns in Afghanistan, the Panjâb, Sindh, Gedrosia and KarmaniaMcCrindle, John Watson
History
The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great as described by Arrian, Q. Curtius, Diodoros, Plutarch and Justin: Being Translations of such portions of the Works of these and other Classical Authors as describe Alexander's Campaigns in Afghanistan, the Panjâb, Sindh, Gedrosia and Karmania
McCrindle, John Watson
Alexander, the Great, 356 B.C.-323 B.C.; India -- History -- To 324 B.C. -- Sources
The successors of Seleukos were unable to retain hold of their remote
eastern dependencies. About the middle of the third century B.C.
Theodotos or Diodotos, the governor of Baktra, revolted from his grandson
Antiochos II. and made Baktra an independent kingdom. Not long afterwards
Aśôka, the grandson of Chandragupta, as we learn from one of his own
inscriptions,[22] sent missionaries to the kings of the West to proclaim
to them and to their subjects the doctrines of Buddhism. The kings named
in the inscription are Antiyoka (Antiochos II., king of Syria), Turamaya
(Ptolemy III., Euergetes, king of Egypt), Antigona (Antigonas Gonatas,
king of Macedonia), Maga (Magas, king of Kyrênê). About the year 212 B.C.
Antiochos III., surnamed the Great, marched eastward to recover Parthia
and Baktria which had both revolted from the second Antiochos. He was,
however, unable, even after a war which lasted for some years, to effect
the subjugation of these kingdoms, and accordingly concluded a treaty
with them in which he recognised their independence. With the assistance
of the Baktrian sovereign Euthydêmos, who founded the greatness of the
Baktrian monarchy, he made an expedition into India, where he renewed
the alliance with that country which had been formed in the days of
Sandrokottos. From Sophagasenos,[23] the chief of the Indian kings, he
obtained a large supply of elephants, and then returned to Syria by the
route through Arachôsia in the year 205 B.C.
[Illustration: FIG. 7.—EUTHYDÊMOS.]
[Illustration: ALEXANDER’S ROUTE IN THE PANJAB
John Bartholomew & Co., Edinʳ.
_NOTE:—Lines of Route shewn thus_ ——]
ARRIAN
ARRIAN’S ANABASIS
FOURTH BOOK
_Chapter XXII.—Alexander crosses the Indian Kaukasos to invade India and
advances to the river Kôphên_
After capturing the Rock of Choriênês, Alexander went himself to Baktra,
but despatched Krateros with 600 of the Companion Cavalry[24] and a force
of infantry, consisting of his own brigade with that of Polysperchôn
and Attalos and that of Alketas, against Katanês and Austanês the only
chiefs now left in the country of the Paraitakênai[25] who still held
out against him. In the battle which ensued Krateros after a severe
struggle proved victorious. Katanês fell in the action, while Austanês
was made prisoner and brought to Alexander. Of the barbarians who had
followed them to the field, there were slain 120 horsemen and about 1500
foot. Krateros after the victory led his troops also to Baktra. While
Alexander was here the tragic incident in his history, the affair of
Kallisthenês and the pages, occurred.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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