ALEXANDER’S MARCH TOWARDS INDIA

     ALEXANDER’S MARCH TOWARDS INDIA

 

Alexander’s March towards India began after he had conquered Persia and established almost complete control over  Asia Minor. The most turning point in Alexander’s  further march towards other territories occurred when he won the Battle of Gaugamela (331 BCE), also known as the Battle of Abela.  This led to the great invasion of the Persian Achaemenid Empire which covered a vast area even outside Persia. 

            By the time of the above-mentioned victory Alexander had come to know  the fall of  Cyrus the Great (600-530 BCE), Persian King  Darius I (Died 487 B.C.), Darius II, the king of the Persian empire (Dies 404 BC in Babylonia) and Darius III , called Codomannus by the Greeks.

            Darius III was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia from 336 BC to 330 B.C.

            Achaemenid Empire also extended up to several parts of India including Gandhara and Sind which should be comprehended as “Indus Valley”; and the territories of the north-west of the Kashmir valley.

   The facts relating to the Achaemenid Empire in India are confirmed by the depictions including those  of Indian soldiers at Naqsh-e-Rostan on the tombs of Darius I, II and III.

            The Persian rulers used the Indian soldiers and other logistics in the wars fought by them outside India.

            The Indian kings under their control were called satraps, literally meaning a provincial governor or a subordinate local ruler.  However, Indian histories gave them a better name  and called them vice-regents.

            It is uncontroversial that during the Achaemenid Empire, Indian territories which formed parts of this empire, progressed  a good deal as far as public welfare, law and order and justice are concerned.

            What is pertinent for us is the arrival of Alexander in India at this period of  ancient history (327 BC – 326 BC).

  As we have already stated , Indian kings like Ambhi Kumar of Gandhara behaved unpatriotically and instead of facing the aggressor with the human and military force at  his command stretched a friendly and supportive hand to Alexander.  In this embarrassing  situation, it was Maharaja Porus, the true Kshtriya Sabharwal, who challenged the indomitable Alexander and fought a battle whose  final result  regarding  who won and who lost the battle of Jhelum is still controversial. However,  we whole-heartedly  salute Maharaja Porus for abiding by  the qualities of a brave king and according to his  kingly dharma expected of a true Kshtriya.