Lakshmi Rameshwar Rao, Hyderabad
Prince Alexander came to the throne in B.C. 336, of a powerful Greek state, Macedonia, succeeding his father King Philip, when he was nineteen years old. King Alexander had inherited a strong army and he dreamed of conquering the world.
He began by defeating King Darius III of Persia and moved towards India conquering Bactria and Kabul on the way. He entered India through the Khyber Pass like Darius I (522-486) had to include Gandhara in his territory. Alexander came further into India.
Kings known by the name Nanda were ruling from Magadha (present day Bihar). The Nanda dynasty had conquered other kings in north India to establish an empire around which were small, independent kingdoms which Alexander overpowered. King Ambi, the king of Taxila, (presently Pakistan) did not fight but offered Alexander help and gave him presents of gold and silver and 3,000 fat oxen, and 10,000 sheep.
Many other kings did not fight but Porus, ruler of the kingdom on the river Jhelum fought valiantly. When Porus was captured and brought before Alexander, he stood proudly not hiding his battle wounds and asked to be treated like a king. Alexander was so impressed that he restored Porus’ kingdom to him.
Alexander and his army continued with their conquests crossing River Ravi, he attacked Sakala (Sialkot in Pakistan today). The Greeks reached the River Beas and Alexander wanted to go further, but his troops refused. They were homesick and depressed.
Alexander left India in 325 B.C. He had been in war nineteen months. He died on the return journey at Babylon in the year 323 B.C. when he was thirty-two years old.
Alexander built new cities. The important ones were Alexandria in Kabul, Alexandria in Sindh and Boukephala on the Jhelum. Alexander and his armies left the country, but other Greeks came to India for trade and in war. Land and sea routes became well known.
Greece and India maintained close contact. Greek writers and historians described all that they saw in India. There were several small kingdoms with rulers who were not united. They gave fabulous presents to Alexander: large quantities of cotton goods, tortoise shell and steel. One of the immediate effects of the invasion was that the destruction of the small kingdoms helped in leading to the establishment of a new empire.
(The writer has a Masters in Adult Education from Jamia Milia Islamia. She has many years teaching experience at the school level as also ten years of experience in book publishing and some published writing in newspapers and more students’ books. Lakshmi has retired and lives in Hyderabad.)
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