Alexander in India

 

After victory at Hydaspes

      Rest 30 days

      Reinstate Porus as king

            Increase his domain

            Leaves Ambhi and Porus as two rivals

      Builds garrisons

            Bucephalia

            Nicaea

            Used for Macedonian garrisons to watch Porus

      Submission of Abisares, king of Kashmir

      Raids to surrounding areas to insure submission

 

Plan to march to “Ocean”

      Concept of Ocean = end of the world

      Greeks viewed Indus as near Ocean

      Alexander gathers information indicating India is vast

            Does Alexander keep information from his army? (Green 404-5)

      March to the Beas river {June/July 326}

      Siege of Sangala

 

Mutiny of the Army

      Eight years of continual war

      Marched 17,000 miles

      All would have been wounded and ill many times

            Many were getting old

      Not seen families

      Rain, climate, etc.

      Terror of elephants and Indian army

            Rumors that enemies had 4000 elephants

      Betrayal and deception that Ocean was not there

      Realization that there was no end in sight

            constantly receding horizon”

      Wanted to return home before dying


 

Attempts to reconcile army {July/August 326}

      Free reign to plunder a province that had submitted

      Promise of increased pay and free rations to families

      Speech to the army

      Meeting with the officer corps

            Claimed problems were not as serious as they thought

      Coenus said the army had reached the end of its endurance

            a wise man knows when to stop”

      Alexander sulks in his tent for three days

      Emerges and says he’s going on alone

      Offers sacrifice which has bad omens

            Saves face in turning back

      Builds twelve altars

      Officers were overjoyed

      The final psychological betrayal and rift between Alexander and everyone

 

Return to Hydaspes {early autumn 326}

      Confirms Porus as ruler of all conquered provinces

            Porus was now strongest ruler in Indus valley

      Reinforcements from Babylon

            30,000 infantry, 6000 cavalry, 25,000 suits of armor

      Alexander began feeling financial strain

            Had expended most of the treasure he brought with him

            Plunder of India had been limited

                  No great treasure city

            Harpalus’ embezzlement in Babylon

      Preparation of fleet to sail the Indus river

            80 triakoners, 200 undecked galleys, 800 other ships

            1800 ships total, carrying 8000 men and supplies

      Three columns, one on each bank along with the fleet in the river

      Glorious flotilla

      Rapids at the first confluence


 

Malli (Malavas) campaign {late autumn 326}

      Middle Indus valley

      Warlike and powerful

      Agitation by the Brahmins (Hindu priests)

      Men threaten to mutiny again

      Massive ongoing war

            Many massacres

      Assault on the citadel [A 6.9-10]

            Alexander first up the ladder

            Nearly dies from an arrow

      Rumors of Alexander’s death

            Cause Indians to fight more

            Rebellion of Greek garrisons

            Morale of the Macedonians collapses

            His appearance restores calm

 

Indus campaign {winter 325}

      Long march = large army, much guerilla warfare

      Minor wars against the Indians

      Widespread slaughter and terror against opposition

      Brahmin priests hung

      Arrival at Pattala {July 325}

      Splitting the army

            Logistical problems of trip home

            Craterus with large portion to return via Carmania

            Nearchus, by sea with fleet through Persian gulf            

            Alexander to go by Gedrosian desert

 

Encounters with the Indian wise men

      Execution of many Brahmins

      Plutarch and Alexander’s questions

      The gymnosophists

      Ascetic who accompanied Alexander

 

Alexander at Ocean

      Sails down eastern branch of Indus

      Sees major tides for the first time

      Reaches Ocean and explores a bit

      Offers sacrifice to Ocean and Poseidon

 

 


 

Alexander’s Impact on India

      Rule lasted only while Alexander and main army was there

      Collapse of Greek rule in India, 325-305

            Wars of the Diodoche after Alexander’s death {323}

                  Weakens military capacity to intervene in India

            Many Macedonians defected and deserted

            Hatred of Macedonians leads to numerous revolts

                  Massacre and expulsion of many Greeks

            Rise of Chandragupta Maurya {323-297}

                  Conquered Ganges valley from Magadha

                  Conquered Indus valley

            Invasion of Seleucus Nicator {305}

                  Defeated by Chandragupta

                  Cedes all Indus and Afghanistan and east Iran to Mauryans

                        In return for 500 elephants used at Ipsus {301}

            Assimilation of surviving Greeks

                  Kingdom of Bactria converts to Buddhism in mid-second century

            Some influence of Hellenistic art styles on India

            Indomania in the Greek world

                  Ashoka’s diplomatic and missionary relationship with Hellenistic kingdoms

            Rise of international luxury trade between India and Mediterranean