The Early History of India, from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest, including the Invasion of Alexander the Great c18.13

c18.13

While Chandragupta was engaged in the consolidation of his empire, a rival was laying the foundations of his power in Western and Central Asia, and preparing to attempt the recovery of Alexander’s Indian conquests. In the course of the internecine struggle between the generals of Alexander, two had emerged as competitors for supreme power in Asia—Antigonos and Seleukos, who afterwards became known as Nikātor, or the Conqueror. Fortune at first favoured Antigonos, and drove his antagonist into exile; but, in 312 B. C., Seleukos recovered possession of Babylon, and six years later felt himself justified in assuming the regal style and title. He is conventionally described as king of Syria, but was in reality the lord of Western and Central Asia.¹ The eastern provinces of his realm extended to the borders of India; and he naturally desired to recover the Macedonian conquests in that country, which had been practically abandoned, although never formally relinquished. In pursuit of this object Seleukos crossed the Indus in or about 305 B. C., and attempted to imitate the victorious march of Alexander.² The details of the campaign are not known, and it is impossible to determine how far the invading army penetrated into the Gangetic valley, if at all, but the result of the war is certain.