THE INDO EUROPEANS & ALEXANDER’S INVASION INTO INDIA

 

The civilizations of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon existed for millennia and were getting old. A fresh blood was needed for the human race and it was provided by the Indo Europeans. 

Gradually this race has conquered all of Europe and also penetrated via Iran into India. These Indo Europeans spoke a language which is regarded as the common ancestor of all European languages excluding Hungarian, Finnish and the Basque dialects of Spain. Persian and Sanskrit too came from the same parental language.  

These Aryans lived on the shores of Caspian Sea for centuries in what is now Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan & Turkmenistan. They lived on the peaks which surrounded the plateau of Iran and are therefore called Aryans. They then gradually moved into Iran, and through Iran into the present day Afghanistan, Pakistan & India. Their initial area of life near the Caspian Sea was bounded on the East by the Chinese Empire. It is probable that some pressure from the Chinese civilization on the East led to their Southward journey.

Of course some Indian historians challenged the view and said that Aryans were indigenous to India, but they were unable to show any concrete proof on it to the Historians of the world that it is so. It merely remains a claim as of now.

From these Aryan people originated the Medes & Persians and Media was later unified with Persia. Ultimately the Persians battled the Greeks but could not subdue them. And instead Alexander conquered the Persian Empire and was at the gates of India.

For entering India, he had to first battle Porus the King of the Pauravas in 326 BC. It was a very tough battle because it was the monsoon season and Hydaspes (Jhelum river) was in spate. A direct crossing of the river would have been suicidal as Porus waited on the Southern bank of the river with his war elephants. Alexander’s men have faced war elephants in the battle of Gaugamela with the Persians where the Persians fielded 15 elephants, while Porus waited with between 85 and 200 war elephants. Alexander moved his troops up and down the river banks trying to confuse Porus and finally made a crossing upstream on a stormy night. 

In the battle, due to the elephants and the difficult conditions the Greek army had to take good losses. Porus fought very bravely and impressed Alexander with his valour. The king of Taxila, Ambhi who was a staunch rival of Porus sided with Alexander in the battle after submitting to him. Ambhi sent 5000 troops in support of Alexander.         

Alexander, after his victory over Porus conquered 5 other Kingdoms/Republics and arrived to the Banks of the Sutlej. Recklessly brave as he was, he wanted to go into the heartland of India and conquer it. He conquered the Indian part of Punjab, Himachal and Kashmir. The king of Kashmir Abhisara submitted to Alexander and sent emissaries including his own brother along with valuable treasures and war elephants.

Before that when he crossed the Indus and marched into the Punjab (Pakistan) he encountered a fierce resistance from Democratic clans, independent republics and monarchies.

After defeating Porus, Alexander marched into the foothills of the Himalayas (adjacent to Himachal & Jammu) where he encountered Glausai, a powerful tribe that held a heavily populated & fortified territory. Alexander took 37 of their cities.

Around their capital of Sangala (near Amritsar/Lahore region) the Kathaians were an independent tribal republic known for their exceptional military skill. They inflicted 1200 casualties on the Greeks and in retaliation after victory Sangala was burnt down by Alexander.  

During his retreat down the Indus river while returning back to Greece, the Greeks were attacked by Mallavas & Kshudrakas who were republican tribes. During the siege of the Mallava stronghold Alexander had his lung pierced by an arrow. In retaliation the Macedonian army executed a brutal campaign against them.

While going back, at the confluence of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers the Sibia tribe confronted Alexander. Then the Agalassoi tribe fought back with 40,000 infantry which was overcome.

The Magadha Empire was then very powerful and was under Dhana Nanda, and the Nada army was ready on the Southern side of the Sutlej river for the battle with 200,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry, 2000 chariots and some 3000 war elephants.  Alexander had about 60,000 men under him in all and the reports of the number of Magadha armies and specially the number of elephants made his soldiers fearful.

Already they were away from home fighting for some 8 years and they refused to fight the Magadha forces. So Alexander had no choice but to turn back. That is finally how the brilliant campaign of Alexander ended. Of course on the way Alexander died of a febrile fever at Babylon. He was then just 32 years old and by that age itself he completed all his conquests.