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
Alexander took command in person of the other division of the army,
consisting of the hypaspists,[38] all the companion cavalry except
what was with Hêphaistiôn, the brigades of infantry called the
foot-companions, the archers, the Agrianians, and the horse lancers,
and advanced into the country of the Aspasians and Gouraians and
Assakênians.[39] The route which he followed[40] was hilly and rugged,
and lay along the course of the river called the Khôês,[41] which he had
difficulty in crossing. This done he ordered the mass of the infantry
to follow leisurely, while he rode rapidly forward, taking with him
the whole of his cavalry, besides 800 Macedonian foot soldiers, whom
he mounted on horseback with their infantry shields; for he had been
informed that the barbarians inhabiting those parts had fled for refuge
to their native mountains, and to such of their cities as were strongly
fortified. When he proceeded to attack the first city of this kind that
came in his way, he found men drawn up before it in battle order, and on
these he fell at once, just as he was, put them to rout, and shut them
up within the gates. He was wounded, however, in the shoulder by a dart
which penetrated through his breast-plate, but not severely, for the
breast-plate prevented the weapon from going right through his shoulder.
Ptolemy, the son of Lagos, and Leonnatos were also wounded.
He then encamped near the city on the side where he thought the wall was
weakest. Next day, as soon as there was light, the Macedonians attacked
the outer of the two walls by which the city was encompassed, and as it
was but rudely constructed they captured it without difficulty. At the
inner wall, however, the barbarians made some resistance; but when the
ladders were applied, and the defenders were galled with darts wherever
they turned, they no longer stood their ground, but issued from the city
through the gates and made for the hills. Some of them perished in the
flight, while such as were taken alive were to a man put to death by the
Macedonians, who were enraged against them for having wounded Alexander.
Most of them, however, made good their escape to the mountains, which lay
at no great distance from the city. Alexander razed it to the ground, and
then marched forward to another city called Andaka, which surrendered
on capitulation. When the place had thus fallen into his hands he left
Krateros in these parts, with the other infantry officers, to take
by force whatever other cities refused voluntary submission, and to
settle the affairs of the surrounding district in the best way existing
circumstances would permit, while he himself advanced to the river
Euaspla,[42] where the chief of the Aspasians was.
_Chapter XXIV.—Operations against the Aspasians_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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