[27][28], After taking a single day's rest,[28] Alexander headed for the city of Mallians (this city has been identified as present-day Multan, although this identification is not certain). Alexander the Great in the Punjab Dutch historian and author of a biography of Alexander the Great, Jona Lendering critically reviews the Macedonian king's march through ancient Pakistan, highlighting the extreme violence used in the campaign. Indian campaign of Alexander the Great - Wikipedia ), commonly known in the West as Alexander the Great or Alexander III of Macedon, . CONQUEST OF THE PUNJAB (Chapter 7) - The Conquests of Alexander the Great There are no ancient sources at all giving an Indian account of the campaign, or even mentioning it at all. [7] The only surviving contemporary account of Alexander's Indian campaign is a report of the voyage of the naval commander Nearchus,[8] who was tasked with exploring the coast between the Indus River and the Persian Gulf. [6] Alexander achieved this by arbitrating their disputes and then arranging a family alliance. [30]. Other writers state that there was a fight at the actual landing between Alexander's cavalry and a force of Indians commanded by Porus's son, who was there ready to oppose them with superior numbers, and that in the course of fighting he (Porus's son) wounded Alexander with his own hand and struck the blow which killed his (Alexander's) beloved horse Buccaphalus. After his father, Philip II, unified most of the reluctant city-states of . Victory went to Alexander and the Macedonians. Alexander instructed his men to build a causeway to reach Tyre. Their awful trumpetings made the Greek horses shiver and tremble. [citation needed], At the vulnerable north side leading to the fort, Alexander and his catapults were stopped by a deep ravine. Alexander the Great was born in the fourth century BCE, in the year 356, in Pella, a region in Macedonia located in the northwest of Thessaloniki, today Greece. Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window), Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window), Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window), Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window), Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window), https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/alexander-the-great. According to Greek sources, the Nanda army was five times the size of the Macedonian army;[4] Alexander's troopsincreasingly exhausted, homesick, and anxious by the prospects of having to further face large Indian armies throughout the Indo-Gangetic Plainmutinied at the Hyphasis River, refusing to advance his push to the east. [41] Alexander received the final submission of the Malli, who had submitted after the capture of their capital city. Alexander's troops were at first repelled by boulders rolled down from above. Alexander the Great was an ancient Macedonian ruler and one of historys greatest military minds who, as King of Macedonia and Persia, established the largest empire the ancient world had ever seen. Alexander the Great Invades India. There are however Indian literary accounts and Indian folktales, possibly written many years later. [32][33], Alexander arranged two separate forces, one to be led by himself and the other by Perdiccas. PDF Alexander the Great (13) - Saylor Academy Alexander knew that a direct crossing would fail, so he found a suitable crossing, about 27km (17mi) upstream of his camp. myindiamyglory About Us History History Ancient India Culture and Heritage This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Mauryan-Empire, Ancient Origins - The Rise of Chandragupta Maurya, and the Golden Age of the Mauryan Empire, Military History Encyclopedia on the Web - Conquests of the Mauryan Empire, c.324-261 BC, GlobalSecurity.org - Maurya Dynasty (321-184 BC), Jiwaji University - The Maurya Empire (c. 324 187 BCE), Mauryan Empire - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Mauryan empire - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). In 338 B.C., Alexander saw the opportunity to prove his military worth and led a cavalry against the Sacred Band of Thebesa supposedly unbeatable, select army made up entirely of male loversduring the Battle of Chaeronea. But Texiles was an old enemy of the Indian King, and Porus turned his elephant and drove at him, to kill him with his lance; and he might indeed have killed him, if he had not spurred his horse out of the way in the nick of the time. The fort of Massaga could only be reduced after several days of bloody fighting in which Alexander himself was wounded seriously in the ankle. Porus sent a small cavalry and chariot force under his son to the crossing. India's National Anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', A Guide to the 6 Seasons of the Hindu Calendar, The Story of the Mahabharata, India's Longest Epic Poem, M.A., English Literature, University of North Bengal. It was done, allegedly, to secure the Macedonians' line of communications, which, being already over-extended, were at a serious risk of being cut. Mallian campaign - Wikipedia Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. W hen alexander set out for india in the spring of 327, it was to secure the eastern fringes of the empire - Gandhara and the Indus lands had been under Achaemenid rule since the time of Darius I, although Persian authority had weakened somewhat - not to seek the ends of the earth or greater glory beyond. [17], Alexander invited all the chieftains of the former satrapy of Gandhara, to come to him and submit to his authority. Alexander started the battle by sending horse archers to shower the Porus's left cavalry wing, and then used his cavalry to destroy Porus's cavalry. The Mallian alliance was unaware of this practice, and therefore might have expected more time to prepare for Alexander's advance. At the Beas River, his army mutinied. The huge beasts were very terrible to look upon. After relentless pursuit by Alexander, Bessuss troops handed Bessus over to Ptolemy, Alexanders good friend, and he was mutilated and executed. According to Arrian, he expressed his thoughts thus;[8]. This marked change in policy was intended as an example to the other tribes. Battle won by Alexander the Great in the Punjab Codycross [ Answers Sisikottos, or Saigupta, who had helped Alexander in this campaign, was made the governor of Aornos. Bernadotte Perrin)", Philostratus the Elder, Life of Apollonius of Tyana, 2.12, "Expansion of the Maurya Empire | Early World Civilizations", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_campaign_of_Alexander_the_Great&oldid=1163202756, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2014, Articles with disputed statements from July 2017, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, Expansion of Macedon and the Hellenic League ceased at the, This page was last edited on 3 July 2023, at 14:21. The last ruler, Brihadratha, was killed in 185 bce by his Brahman commander in chief, Pushyamitra, who then founded the Shunga dynasty, which ruled in central India for about a century. The part of India which Alexander invaded is called the Punjab, or land of the five rivers. Alexander finally gave in. [15], Nearchus attests the existence of medical science in India: he mentions that when the Greek physicians failed to provide remedies for snake-bites to Alexander, the king gathered Indian healers who were also able to cure other diseases and painful conditions. Learn Religions. [13] In the Swat valley, Alexander is said to have seized 230,000 oxen (possibly Zebu), intending to send them to Macedonia for ploughing land. By contrast, the warships had considerable difficulties, and many were destroyed. A fierce contest ensued with the Aspasioi, in the course of which Alexander himself was wounded in the shoulder by a dart, but eventually the Aspasioi lost the fight; 40,000 of them were enslaved. Alexander the Great - iN Education Inc. The Macedonians were less than thrilled with the changes in Alexander and his attempt to be viewed as a deity. The city was razed to the ground, and many of its inhabitants killed: Musicanus (Ancient Greek: ,[36] Indian: Mshika[citation needed]) was an Indian king at the head of the Indus, who raised a rebellion against Alexander the Great c.323 BC. So Alexander led his troops down the Indus River and was severely wounded during a battle with the Malli. Heritage Images/Getty Images / Getty Images. To further diffuse the situation, Alexander returned their titles and hosted a huge reconciliation banquet. His force consisted of hypaspists, archers, Agrianians, Peithon's brigade of the phalanx, the horse archers and half the Companion cavalry. Most of population was taken into slavery, and Sambus himself fled with thirty elephants into the country beyond the Indus. Alexander's full name was Alexander III and Alexander Macedonian. Yoga Life: The story of Punjabi Jat and Alexander the Great These states appear to have been based on dominance of particular tribes, as the Greek writers mention tribes such as the Malloi as well as kings whose names seem to be tribal designations. As Alexander had expected, they did not think he would cross the desert. Texile rode up as near as he dared and requested him to stop his elephant and hear what message Alexander sent him, escape was no longer possible. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [41][clarification needed], Four days afterwards, the Macedonians reached a fertile country which the natives had completely deserted. Alexander followed close behind their heels and besieged the strategic hill-fort. Egypt, Babylonia, Persis, Media, Bactria, the Punjab, and the valley of the Indus. Alexander the Great - Livius For centuries this light-skinned, pagan people have claimed to be the long-lost descendants of Alexander the Great's world-conquering armies, which invaded this region in the fourth century B.C. Alexander let him keep possession of his own dominions, with instructions to provide whatever was needed for the reception of the army.[36]. Sambus was yet another ruler in lower Indus valley. Alexander the Great | Achievements | Britannica Top 13 Interesting Facts about Alexander the Great Courtesy of Perry-Castaeda Library Map Collection. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [13] Some primitive communities existed in the forest, desert, and coastal regions of the subcontinent. Other regions that fought Alexander were Abhisara, Aornos, Bazira, and Ora or Dyrta.[20][21][22]. [18], At this point, the tentative alliance between the Mallians and the Oxydracians began to break down. Alexanders forces were greatly outnumbered in men but not in experience or the determination for revenge and to claim Persias great wealth, much of it plundered. The Nanda Empire was rumoured to be even more powerful than Porus, who was only a princeling. The Seleucids, a contending dynasty for Alexanders legacy, attempted to advance into India in 305 bce. Alexander then headed south and easily took the city of Sardes. There is no reference to Buddhism in the Greek accounts. And it is since the time of Alexander that the people of the West have known something of the wonderful land in the East with which they had traded through many centuries. But hed never live to see it happen. [12] Alexander was confronted by some of his close companions. At age 12, Alexander showed impressive courage when he tamed the wild horse Bucephalus, an enormous stallion with a furious demeanor. The soldiers were very anxious about his health, since they believed he was the only one who could lead them back home. [10], Alexander received news that the Mallians and the Oxydracians had decided to trade hostages with each other, and moved all their valuables into their fortified cities. He also quashed rebellions for independence in northern Greece. Unlike his neighbour, Ambhi, the king of Taxila (Takshashila), Porus resisted Alexander. Fed up with Alexanders new Persian-like persona, a drunk Cleitus continually insulted Alexander and minimized his achievements. At a time when England was still unknown, still lost in the cold gray mists of the ocean, ships sailed from India's sunny shores, and caravans wound through the sandy deserts laden with silks and muslins, with gold and jewels and spices. Battle of Hydaspes - World History Encyclopedia [33][dubious discuss] Philostratus the Elder in the Life of Apollonius of Tyana writes that in the army of Porus there was an elephant who had fought bravely against Alexander's army and Alexander dedicated it to Helios (Sun) and named it Ajax, because he thought that a so great animal deserved a great name. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Supposedly, one of those on the rock was a girl named Roxane. myIndiamyGlory Ancient. In early spring of the next year, he combined his forces and allied with Taxiles (also Ambhi), the King of Taxila, against his neighbor, the King of Hydaspes. That addition would be the last, however, as the brutal conquest of that region led Ashoka to abandon military conquest. [15] This tribe, alleged to have 40,000 warriors, was on the right bank, and thus the Macedonians had to cross the river in order to attack them. But they soon discovered their mistake, and after long journeyings reached Macedonia again. After gaining entrance to the city, they planned to kill everyone in revenge. When the Chieftain of Massaga fell in the battle, the supreme command of the army went to his old mother, Cleophis, who also stood determined to defend her motherland to the last extremity. Alexander was born in 356 B.C.E. Alexander III of Macedon (Ancient Greek: , romanized: Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC - 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. Some of his soldiers remained in India and its periphery while some joined Alexander in his homeward journey. When he saw that Alexander was winning a brilliant victory he pressed on and, as his men were fresh, took over the pursuit.". Egypt, Babylonia, Persis, Media, Bactria, the Punjab, and the valley of the Indus.In the second half of his reign, he had to find a way to rule his newly conquered countries. He turned Macedonia (a region on the northern part of the Greek peninsula) into a force to be reckoned with, and he fantasized about conquering the massive Persian Empire. The Indian campaign of Alexander the Great began in 327BC and lasted until 325BC. Curtius in McCrindle, p. 192, J. W. McCrindle; sfn error: no target: CITEREFA._B._Bosworth1996 (, "Quintus Curtius Rufus: Life of Alexander the Great", "Alexander the Great in India: Furthest and Final Conquests 327-325 BCE", "Plutarch, Plutarch, Alexander (English). Historyofmacedonia.org.Alexander of Macedonia. [9], Shortly after this, Memnon brought up reinforcements of 6,000 cavalry from Thrace, and 7,000 infantry. But in the darkness of a stormy night, Alexander and his men passed over, wading part of the way breast high. History of Geographical Panjab - The Story of Alexander the Great. to King Philip II and Queen Olympiasalthough legend had it his father was none other than Zeus, the ruler of the Greek gods. A low hill connected to the nearest tip of Pir-Sar was soon within reach and taken. Some tribes surrendered peacefully; others did not. But Alexander's soldiers were far better drilled and far stronger than the Indians. His father was Philip II, king of Macedonia, a region in the north of Greece during that time, while his mother was Olympias of . [33] But Alexander was able to force one of the gates, and made his way into the outer parts of the citadel. Also writing about this encounter, Arrian adds. His expedition spreads Hellenistic culture throughout the conquered lands. [45], In the territory of the Indus, Alexander nominated his officer Peithon as a satrap, a position he would hold for the next ten years until 316 BC, and in the Punjab he left Eudemus in charge of the army, at the side of the satrap Porus and Taxiles. Livius.org.Alexander the Great of Macedon Biography. Increasingly paranoid, Alexander ordered the death of one of his most esteemed generals, Parmenio, in 330 B.C., after Parmenio's son Philotas was convicted of plotting an assassination attempt against Alexander (and also killed). [13], Upon receiving the news of the alliance in November, Alexander raced out to prevent the junction of the two tribes. Alexander the Great, King of Macedon from 336 - 323 B.C., was unarguably one of the most influential figures in history. Wounded in his shoulder, standing over 2m (6ft 7in) tall, but still on his feet, he was asked by Alexander how he wished to be treated. After conquering Egypt, Alexander faced Darius and his massive troops at Gaugamela in October 331 B.C. Alexander the Great - Wikipedia What were the consequences of Alexander the Great's invasion of India And so little was known of India in those days, that they believed at first that they were upon the Nile and that they would return home by way of Egypt. However, the Indians, who were by now familiar with Alexander's expertise in besieging, decided they could hold out better in the citadel. As Alexander marched through India he fought battles, built altars, and founded cities. In a war against the allied Greek states, 18-year-old Alexander led a cavalry charge that helped Philip win the conflict. [15], Other than their mention of the Brahmanas, the Greek narratives about Alexander's invasion do not directly mention the caste system. Legend had it whoever unwound the knot would conquer all of Asia.

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