Warnings about Indian strength
With the desire to occupy India, Alexander started to march towards the same after the Persian war. He was warned by Persians that many great rulers got mixed in the mud reaching the gates of India. They told him about Cyrus, one of the greatest Persian kings ever died in the hands of Indians far before the time of Alexander. Assyrian queen Semiramis was a bit lucky and just made home with 20 soldiers while she went with 400,000 highly trained warriors. However, this didn't fear Alexander. He just liked to break the record by crushing India.
Later, when Alexander tried to invade India, he found the real strength in the words of the Persians. Later, he wrote to his mother that
I am involved in the land of a ‘Leonine’ (lion-like) and brave people, where every foot of the ground is like a wall of steel, confronting my soldier. You have brought only one Alexander into the world, but every mother in this land has brought an Alexander in the world.”
Here are some proofs that Alexander could not invade India
Why should Alexander reward Porus?
According to the records of Greek history, Alexander returned Porus his kingdom though he had won the war. A simple logic here. Alexander spent 1000 talents (25,000 kilograms of gold) to Ambhi for defeating Porus. If he had spent such a large amount, why would he offer back the kingdom he won to the defeated knowing that on doing so, they would not have enough gold to return to their home? Moreover, Porus was mentioned as a very noble king. And so, why would any noble king accept that offer?
There was a mention about Porus that
"Wounded in his shoulder, standing over 2 m (6 ft 7 in) tall, but still on his feet, he was asked by Alexander how he wished to be treated. "Treat me, Alexander, the way a King treats another King" Porus said."
The above lines show that he was indeed noble and heroic.
The deadly battle
Of all the wars fought by Alexander, the war with India is considered as the best. The fact that the Greek army didn't celebrate after their win over the battle of Persia but had a huge commemoration after the battle of Hydaspes (Jhelum) reveals the fact that the army just survived the battle. There was no doubt that the Macedonians were frightened by the sight of Indian war elephants.
Diodorus wrote that
"Upon this the elephants, applying to good use their prodigious size and strength, killed some of the enemy by trampling under their feet, and crushing their armour and their bones, while upon other they inflicted a terrible death, for they first lifted them aloft with their trunks, which they and twisted round their bodies and then dashed them down with great violence to the ground. Many others they deprived in a moment of life by goring then through and through with their tusks"
Bucefalus
Alexander's beloved horse Buccafalus was killed in the battle by one of the sons of Porus while crossing the banks of Jhelum. History says that Alexander is too fond of his horse. If so, why would he spare the kingdom which was responsible for the death of his own horse?
Illogical excuse
It is said that Alexander returned to his home because his soldiers requested him to do so as they were tired of being waging themselves in constant wars. However, this seems to be highly falsified version. Macedonians had a system of rotation. Old soldiers were sent back with gold and slaves replaced constantly by the new ones. So, this excuse seems highly pointless.
Conclusion:
Alexander did not invade India because he feared of mighty empires such as Ganderites and Praesii ready with eighty thousand horsemen, two hundred thousand footmen, eight thousand chariots, and six thousand fighting elephants.
As the records were written by Alexander's men, they wrote in favor of him. Many facts were manipulated by them leaving a lot of loopholes. It is absolutely true that one or the other day, truth
No comments:
Post a Comment