The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s4.t20.5

c5.s4.t20.5

In my account of Kot Kamâlia I adduced some strong reasons for identifying that place with the first city captured by Alexander on his march from the junction of the Hydaspes and Akesines against the Malli. Arrian then relates that "Alexander, having allowed his soldiers some time for refreshment and rest, about the first watch of the night set forward, and marching hard all that night came to the river Hydraotes about daylight, and understanding that some parties of the Malii were just passing the river, he immediately attacked them and slew many, and having passed the river himself with his forces in pursuit of those who had gained the further side, he killed vast numbers of them and took many prisoners. However, some of them escaped, and betook themselves to a certain town well fortified both by art and nature." A whole night's march of eight or nine hours could not have been less than twenty-five miles, which is the exact distance of the Râvi opposite Tulamba from Kot Kamâlia. Here then I infer that Alexander must have crossed the Râvi; and I would identify Tulamba itself with the "town well fortified both by art and nature,” the art being the brick walls, and the nature, the enormous mounds of earthen ramparts. The account of Curtius* agrees with that of Arrian, “on the bank of a river another nation mustering forty thousand infantry opposed him. Crossing the river he put them to flight, and stormed the fort in which they took refuge.” Diodorus relates the same story of a people named Agalassæ, who opposed Alexander with forty thousand infantry and three thousand cavalry. All these accounts evidently refer to the same place, which was a strong fort near the left bank of the Râvi. This description would apply also to Harapa; but I have already shown that Harapa was most probably the city against which Perdikkas was detached; besides which it is not more than 16 miles distant from Kot Kamâlia. Tulamba, on the contrary, fulfils all the conditions; and is also on the high-road to Multân, the capital of the Malli, against which Alexander was then proceeding.