Age of the Nandas and Mauryas c11.24

c11.24

The classical writers refer to several famous episodes in the career of Chandragupta with hints as to their chronological sequence. He met Alexander while yet a ‘stripling’ and not yet ‘called to royalty’ (326—25 B.C.)¹ and mounted the throne of India ‘not long afterwards’² by instigating the Indians to overthrow the existing government, or according to another interpretation, soliciting the Indians to support his new sovereignty³; thereafter⁴ he prepared to attack Alexander's prefects ; the latter were put to death and the yoke of servitude was shaken off from the neck of India ‘after Alexander's death’ (i.e., after 323 B.C.).⁵ Chandragupta was reigning over India when Seleucus was laying the foundation of his future greatness.⁶ (The famous Macedonian general acquired the satrapy of Babylon for the first time in 321 B.C., regained control of the city and founded an era in 312 B.C., and assumed the title of king in 306-5 B.C.). After subduing the Bactrians he passed over into India, concluded a treaty with Chandragupta and then returned home to prosecute the war with Antigonus (before 301 B.C.).⁷ Appian, who also refers to the war which Seleucus waged with Chandragupta, besides other events, mentions the understanding with the Indian king about the marriage relationship and adds that "some of the exploits were performed before the death of Antigonus and some afterwards"¹ i.e., after 301 B.C. That these operations cannot have reference merely to dealings with Chandragupta but include also events outside this country, that find mention earlier in Appian's narrative, e.g. the war with Syrian clans, is clear from other sources, such as the narrative of Justin who dates the treaty between the Syrian and Indian monarchs before the clash of arms of Seleucus with Antigonus. In fact Appian here sums up the career of Seleucus as a Nicator.