Alexander in India & Gedrosia

[susan]

I've just found a new sitehttp://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkroad/texts/periplus/periplus.htmlwhich describes a voyage round the Red sea, including the coasts of India & Gedrosia, written around 60AD. The map is at:http://depts.washington.edu/uwch/silkro ... ap.htmlTwo sections, 41 & 47, mention Alexander:41:Beyond the gulf of Baraca is that of Barygaza and the coast of the country of Ariaca, which is the beginning of the Kingdom of Nambanus and of all India. That part of it lying inland and adjoining Scythia is called Abiria, but the coast is called Syrastrene. It is a fertile country, yielding wheat and rice and sesame oil and clarified butter, cotton and the Indian cloths made therefrom, of the coarser sorts. Very many cattle are pastured there, and the men are of great stature and black in color. The metropolis of this country is Minnagara, from which much cotton cloth is brought down to Barygaza. In these places there remain even to the present time signs of the expedition of Alexander, such as ancient shrines, walls of forts and great wells. The sailing course along this coast, from Barbaricum to the promontory called Papica, opposite Barygaza, and before Astacampra, is of three thousand stadia.
47: The country inland from Barygaza is inhabited by numerous tribes, such as the Arattii, the Arachosii, the Gandaraei and the people of Poclais, in which is Bucephalus Alexandria. Above these is the very war-like nation of the Bactrians, who are under their own king. And Alexander, setting out from these parts, penetrated to the Ganges, leaving aside Damirica [=Limyrike] and the southern part of India; and to the present day ancient drachma are current in Barygaza, coming from this country, bearing inscriptions in Greek letters, and the devices of those who reigned after Alexander, Apollodotus and Menander.
We often get enquiries about Alexander's route through India - this source may give some more information. Maybe someone can work out where Barygaza is today ?
Susan

[marcus]

That's fantastic, Susan. It's interesting for its own sake, of course, let alone the Alexander references. I'm going to add that to my little collection of sources, for sure! A bit of time spent poring over the Atlas might be in order...All the bestMarcus

[Link]

Susan,once again you have provided us with a gem. Mnogu a thanks to you.Sdrabo

[nick]

Hi Susan -I wished I'd known the periplus was unknown to you. I have this book in print for many years now; it's a 1910 publication with comments, republished by an Indian printing house in New Delhi in 1995, and it was available with amazon.com a few years back. I had been looking for the periplus ever since my 1998/1989 Africa-trip and I was delighted when I could buy my copy from the internet.The commentary, although it is a 100 years old, is quite interesting. I have thought of including some fragments on pothos.org, but as the accuracy of both the periplus and the commentary is debatable, have refrained from doing so. It is highly debatable if the Alexandria Bucephalia that is included in the periplus is indeed Alexander's city. The author of the periplus was a sailor - he only visited the harbors and all stories about inland cities are 'rumours' that he interpreted according to Greek-Roman references. What I find most interesting about the periplus is that it gives us some idea what Alexander could have encountered on his planned Arabian campaign. (All references to Alexander in India in the periplus should be taken with a large bag of salt.)Regards -Nick

[nick]

Hi Susan -According to the commentary Barygaza is the modern Broach or Bharuch, approx. 22* N, 73* E. It is in the Indian state of Gujarat, east of the Kathiawar peninsula. The 1910 commentary reads (page 180): "The author of the Periplus is mistaken in supposing that the Macedonians got beyond the Indus region, and is probably quoting what was told him by some trader at Barygaza, who could hardly have distinguished Alexander from Asoka."The signs of the expedition of Alexander mentioned in the Periplus are not remnants of Alexander's expedition at all. They might belong to Asoka or any other Indian, Parthian or other warlord or king. I fear that the Periplus, even though I like and cherish the book very much, should be dimissed as a historical source on Alexander.Many greetings -Nick

[jona]

There's a modern edition by Lionel Casson, *The Periplus Maris Erythraei: Text With Introduction, Translation, and Commentary* (Princeton University Press, 1989).Other references to the homeward voyage from India (plus Alexander's eastern campaigns) can be found in the *Life of Apollonius of Tyana* (summary http://www.livius.org/ap-ark/apollonius ... _life.html) by Philostratus (http://www.livius.org/phi-php/philostra ... tratus.htm ).PS: another website with the same text: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/ ... s.htmlJona