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LURE - THRU THE AGES
Eternal India
encyclopedia
ALEXANDER'S INVASION 326 B.C.
Overview
*
Alexander of Macedonia invaded India in
326 B.C. as a part of his world conquest
*
Defeated the king of Jhelum, Porus, at the
battle of Hydaspes.
*
Lack of leadership and unity among In-
dian tribes and treachery of Ambhi, the
King of Taxila, contributed to the victory
of the Greeks.
*
Greeks stayed in India for a brief period of
19 months.
*
Aspired to propagate Hellenic culture in
India.
*
Greeks retreated in 325 B.C.
*
Alexander died in Babylon at the age of
33, in 323 B.C.
*
Greek empire was partitioned in 321 B.C.
Advent
Alexander the Great, the king of
Macedonia, aspired to conquer the world, and
establish a world kingdom; he defeated the
King of Persia and proceeded to conquer Egypt
and Babylon (331); finally embarked on the
Indian expedition (326-25). The Greeks cap-
tured Punjab, defeated the King of Jhelum and
built two cities near Jhelum river to com-
memorate their victories. Small kingdoms of
northern India, with their ill-organised mili-
tary and leadership gave clear and easy pas-
sage to the Greek army and their victories.
Chronology
*
Alexander
356-323 B.C.
*
Alexander's Ascendency
335 B.C.
*
Death of Alexander.
323 B.C.
Wars
*
Defeat of the Persian king Darius I at Issus
(333 B.C.)
*
Destruction of Tyre (332 B.C.)
*
The Battle of Arbela (331 B.C.)
*
Capture of Egypt and Babylon (331)
*
Occupation of Ecbatana(330B.C.)
*
Indian expedition (326-325 B.C.)
*
Capture of Punjab (under Ambhi)
*
The battle of Hydaspes against Porus, the
king of Jhelum. 326 B.C.
Causes of Indian defeat
*
Lack of effective leadership
*
Lack of unity.
Impact
*
Despite the invasion of India by Alexander
and bloody wars fought, India remained
unchanged. She continued to live in splen-
did isolation.
*
Alexander stayed in India only for a brief
period of 19 months and it was very diffi-
cult to leave behind any significant mark.
*
Prompted political unification of India.
*
It opened up a free intercourse between
India and the West.
*
Number of Greeks wrote what they saw of
India.
Alexander the Great
(356-323 B.C.)
Alexander III was the son of Phillip the II
the king of Macedonia. He was the student of
Aristotle. He was one of the
greatest
conquerors the world has ever seen.
Having
made himself master of Greece, he decided to
overthrow
the
Persians-the
hereditary
enemies of the Greeks; inflicted two severe
defeats on the king of Persia (333 and 331 B.C)
and occupied his realm; founded Alexandria
in 331 B.C.; the death of Persian king in 330
B.C. gave him undisputed mastery over the
Achaemeniam empire. Soon he determined to
invade India, crossed the Hindukush and made
his base at Kabul, subdued the wild tribes of
the region of the Hindukush, sought to recover
Indian satrapies that were once under the
Persian control; his generals took the city of
Pushkalavati; crossed Indus at Ohind, the
capital of Northern Punjab, Taxila under Ambhi
surrendered to him; defeated Porus, the King
of Jhelum at the Battle of Hydaspes, greatly
impressed by the bravery and personality of
Porus returned his kingdom; to commemorate
his victories built two cities - Nikaia and
Boukephala; later subdued the tribes of Chenab
and Ravi, captured Sangla, the capital of
Kathas; after vast conquests, his army refused
to move further beyond the Beas, unable to
pacify his soldiers he ordered the retreat in 325
B.C.; In 323 B.C. reached Babylon near
Baghdad and died at the age of 33; later the
Greek empire was partitioned in 321 B.C.
After his death, in Punjab Chandragupta
Maurya started the rebellion to expel the
Greeks, and when, Alexander's general,
Seleucus invaded Punjab he was defeated.