Political History of Ancient India, from the Accession of Parikshit to the Extinction of the Gupta Dynasty c16.s1.t2.18

c16.s1.t2.18

**Menander** has been identified with the king Milinda who is mentioned in the *Milinda-pañho* as a contemporary of the Buddhist Thera (Elder) Nāgasena, and also in the *Avadāna-kalpalatā* of Kshemendra.³ This monarch was born at Kalsigrāma⁴ in the “Island” of Alasanda or Alexandria⁵ and had his capital at Sāgala or Sākala, modern Siālkoṭ, in the Pañjāb,⁶ and not at Kābul as Dr. Smith seemed to think.⁷ The extent of his conquests is indicated by the great variety and wide diffusion of his coins which have been found over a very wide extent of country as far west as Begram near Kābul and as far east as Mathurā.⁸ The author of the Periplus states that small silver coins, inscribed with Greek characters and bearing the name of Menander were still current in his time (*cir.* 60-80 A.D.) at the port of Barygaza (Broach). Plutarch tells us that Menander was noted for justice, and enjoyed such popularity with his subjects that upon his death, which took place in camp, diverse cities contended for the possession of his ashes. The statement of Plutarch is important as showing that Menander's dominions included many cities. The recently discovered Bājaur Relic Casket Inscription confirms the numismatic evidence regarding the westward extension of his empire.¹