Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c8.2

c8.2

Let us start with the demographic position of India prior to the year A. D. 1,000. Although no data as such are available for the ancient times, there are statements of Greek writers which depict India as a country of large population. Apollodorus writes that there were between Hydaspes (Jhelum) and Hyphasis (Beas)—approximately the kingdom of Porus—1500 cities, none of which was less than a *kos*, which, adds Elphinstone, 'with every allowance for exaggeration, supposes a most flourishing territory.'¹ The army of Porus, one of the several kings who ruled in the Punjab, is said to have had 200 elephants, 300 chariots, 4,000 cavalry and 30,000 infantry.² This was the position in the western Punjab. In the East, Patliputra was eight miles long and one and a half broad and had 64 gates. The army of Chandragupta Maurya in camp, according to Magasthenes, was four hundred thousand and its total strength seven hundred thousand.