Intercourse between India and the Western World from the Earliest Times to the Fall of Rome c8.s1: Appendix I. The Royal Road

Intercourse between India and the Western World from the Earliest Times to the Fall of Rome c8.s1

Language: English

Appendix I. The Royal Road

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Pliny (VI. 21) says that the stages and distances on the Royal Road are as follows:

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1. From Peukelaotis to the Hyphasis, as measured by Baeto and Diognetus, Alexander’s survey officers. Peukelaotis to Taxila, 60 miles. ,, the Hydaspes, 120 miles. ,, the Hyphasis, 390 miles.

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2. From the Hyphasis to the mouth of the Ganges, as measured for Seleukus Nikator (probably by Megasthenes and other Greek visitors¹).

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¹ “Reliqua Seleuko Nikatori peragrata sunt.” This is of course a *dativus commodi*, not a dative of the agent. Seleukus never went beyond the Panjāb.

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From the Hyphasis to the Hēsidrus 168 miles. From the Hēsidrus to the Jamnā 168 miles (some add 5). From the Jamnā to the Ganges 112 miles. From the Ganges to Rhodopha 119 miles (others give 325²).

² By 325 miles he must mean for the whole distance from the Hēsidrus to Rhodopha, *not* from the Ganges. He refers to a shorter route, the longer route being 168 + 112 + 119 = 399 miles. There were several short cuts, marked by signposts, on the road.

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Then follow the words “*Ad Kalinapaxam oppidum* CLXVII.D Alii CCLXV. mill.” This is usually translated, “To the town of Kallinapaxa 167½ miles; others 265 miles,” which seems a curious discrepancy. St Martin (*Étude sur la Géog. Grecque*, [Figure: Aśoka Pillar (Indo-Persian) (By permission of the Director General of Archaeology)]

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p. 271), transfers the D to the latter clause, reading DLXV for CCLXV. He then translates as follows. “From Rhodopha to Kallinapaxa 167 miles. Total from the Hēsidrus to Kallinapaxa 565 miles.” This is ingenious if bold, for the total figures from the Hēsidrus to Kallinapaxa (168 + 112 + 119 + 167) do add up to 566 miles—practically the exact figure.

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He next goes on to say that to Prayāga is 625 miles (many add 13). He must mean from the Jamnā to Prayāga, of course, and not from Kallinapaxa.

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His two last statements are absolutely wide of the mark. He says it is 425 miles to Palibothra and 638 miles to the mouth of the Ganges. The distances are in reality 248 and 445 miles respectively. The latter part of the road had not been travelled by Megasthenes, who puts it at 500-600 miles. In the absence of definite information, the Greeks always exaggerated the size of India.

Linked texts (1)

Naturalis historia — C. Plinius Secundus, Latin