The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s1.t1.21

c5.s1.t1.21

Alexandria is not found in Ptolemy's list of the towns of the Paropamisadæ; but as his Niphanda, which is placed close to Kapisa, may with a very little alteration be read as Ophianda, I think that we may perhaps recognize the Greek capital under this slightly altered form. The name of Opián is certainly as old as the fifth century B.C., as Hekatæus places a people called Opiai to the west of the upper course of the Indus. There is, however, no trace of this name in the inscriptions of Darius, but we have instead a nation called *Thatagush*, who are the *Sattagudai* of Herodotus, and perhaps also the people of *Si-pi-to-fa-la-sse* of the Chinese pilgrim Hwen Thsang.* This place was only 40 *li*, or about 7 miles, distant from the capital of Kiapishe, but unfortunately the direction is not stated. As, however, it is noted that there was a mountain named *Aruna* at a distance of 5 miles to the south, it is almost certain that this city must have been on the famous site of Begrâm, from which the north end of the *Siah-koh*, or Black Mountain, called *Chehel Dukhtarán*, or the "Forty Daughters," lies almost due south at a distance of 5 or 6 miles. It is possible, also, that the name of *Tátarangzár*, which Masson gives to the south-west corner of the ruins of Begrâm, may be an altered form of the ancient *Thátagush*, or *Sattagudai*. But whether this be so or not, it is quite certain that the people dwelling on the upper branches of the Kabul river must be the *Thátagush* of Darius, and the *Sattagudai* of Herodotus, as all the other surrounding nations are mentioned in both authorities.