Alexander's Invasion of India

Alexander’s Invasion of India:
In the fourth century BC, the Greeks and the Iranians

fought for the supremacy of the world.
Under the leadership of Alexander of Macedonia, the
Greeks eventually destroyed the Iranian empire.
Alexander conquered not only Asia Minor and Iraq but
also Iran. From Iran he marched to India, obviously
attracted by its great wealth.
Image Source: cais-soas.com/CAIS/Images2/Alexander/Battle_of_Issus.jpg
Herodotus, who is called the father of history, and other

Greek writers had painted India as a fabulous land, which
tempted Alexander to invade it. Alexander also had a
strong passion for geographical inquiry and natural
history. He had heard that the Caspian Sea continued on
the eastern side of India. He was also inspired by the
mythical exploits of past conquerors whom he wanted to
emulate and surpass.
The political condition of north-west India suited his
plans. The area was parceled out into many independent
monarchies and tribal republics, which were strongly
wedded to the soil and had a fierce dedication to the
principality in which they lived. Alexander found it easy to
conquer these principalities one by one. Among the rulers
of these territories, two were well known: Ambhi, the
prince of Taxila, and Porus whose kingdom lay between
the Jhelum and the Chenab. Together they might have
effectively resisted Alexander’s advance, but they could not
put up a joint front; and the Khyber pass remained
unguarded.
Following the conquest of Iran, Alexander moved on to
Kabul, from where he marched to India through the
Khyber pass in 326 BC. It took him five months to reach
the Indus. Ambhi, the ruler of Taxila, readily submitted to
the invader, augmenting Alexander’s army and
replenishing his treasure. When he reached the Jhelum,
Alexander encountered the first and the strongest
resistance from Porus. Although Alexander defeated
Porus, he was impressed by the bravery and courage of the
Indian prince. He therefore restored his kingdom to him
and made him his ally. He then advanced as far as the Beas
river. He wanted to move still further eastward, but his
army refused to accompany him.
The Greek soldiers had grown war-weary, and diseased.
The hot climate of India and ten years of continuous
campaigning had made them terribly homesick. They had
also had a taste of Indian fighting qualities on the banks of
the Indus, which made them desist from advancing
further. As the Greek historian Arrian tells us: ‘In the art of
war the Indians were far superior to the other nations
inhabiting the area at that time.’ In particular, the Greek
soldiers were told of a formidable power on the Ganges.
This was obviously the kingdom of Magadha ruled by the
Nandas who maintained an army far outnumbering
Alexander’s.
So, despite the repeated appeals by Alexander for their
advance, the Greek soldiers refused to budge. Alexander
lamented: ‘I am trying to rouse the hearts that are disloyal
and crushed with craven fears.’ The king who had never
known defeat at the hands of his enemies had to accept
defeat from his own men. He was forced to retreat, and his
dream of an eastern empire remained unfulfilled.
On his return march Alexander vanquished many small
republics until he reached the end of the Indian frontier.
He remained in India for nineteen months (326-325BC) of
continual battle, leaving him barely any time to organize
his conquests. Still, he made some arrangements. Most of
the conquered states were restored to their rulers who
submitted to his authority. His own territorial possessions
were however divided into three parts and placed under
three Greek governors. He also founded a number of cities
to maintain his power in this area.
Effects of Alexander’s Invasion:
Alexander’s invasion provided the first occasion when
ancient Europe came into close contact with ancient South
Asia. Alexander’s Indian campaign was a triumphant
success. He added to his empire an Indian province which
was much larger than that conquered by Iran. However,
the Greek possessions in India were soon lost to the
Maurya rulers. The most important outcome of this
invasion was the establishment of direct contact between
India and Greece in various fields. Alexander’s campaign
opened up four distinct routes by land and sea, paving the
way for Greek merchants and craftsmen, and increasing
the existing facilities for trade.
Although we hear of some Greeks living on the north-west
even prior to Alexander’s invasion, the invasion multiplied
Greek settlements in this area. The most important of
these were the city of Alexandria in the Kabul region,
Boukephala on the Jhelum, and Alexandria in Sindh.
Although the entire area was conquered by the Mauryas,
the Greeks continued to live under both Chandragupta
Maurya and Ashoka.
Alexander was deeply interested in the geography of the
mysterious ocean which he saw for the first time at the
mouth of the Indus. He therefore dispatched his new fleet
under his friend Nearchus to explore the coast and search
for harbours from the mouth of the Indus to that of the
Euphrates.
As a result Alexander’s historians left valuable
geographical accounts and also clearly dated records of
Alexander’s campaign, which enable us to definitively
establish Indian chronology for subsequent events.
Alexander’s historians also provide us with important
information about the social and economic conditions of
the time.
They tell us about the sad system, the sale of girls in
marketplaces by poor parents, and the fine breed of oxen
in north-west India. Alexander sent from there 200,000
oxen to Macedonia for use in Greece. The art of carpentry
was the most flourishing craft in India, and carpenters
built chariots, boats, and ships.
By destroying the power of petty states in north-west
India, Alexander’s invasion paved the way for the
expansion of the Maurya empire in that area. According to
tradition, Chandragupta Maurya, who founded the Maurya
empire, had seen something of the working of Alexander’s
military machine and had acquired some knowledge that
helped him to destroy the power of the Nandas.

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Alexander’s Invasion of India:

In the fourth century BC, the Greeks and the Iranians

Herodotus, who is called the father of history, and other

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