The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c5.s4.t22.14

c5.s4.t22.14

This brief notice of the campaign of Chach will now enable us to understand more clearly the campaign of Alexander against the capital of the Malli. My last notice left him at the strong Brahman city, which I have identified with *Atâri*, 34 miles to the north-east of Multân, and on the high-road from Tulamba. Here I will resume the narrative of Arrian.‡ “Having tarried there one day to refresh his army, he then directed his march against others of the same nation, who, he was informed, had abandoned their cities and retired into the deserts; and taking another day’s rest, on the next he commanded Python, and Demetrius the captain of a troop of horse, with the forces they then had, and a party of light armed foot, to return immediately to the river, etc. In the meanwhile he led his forces to the capital city of the Malii, whither, he was informed, many of the inhabitants of other cities had fled for their better security.” Here we see that Alexander made just two marches from the Brahman city to the capital, which agrees very well with the distance of 34 miles between Atâri and Multân. In searching for the chief city of the Malli or Malii, we must remember that Multân has always been the capital of the Lower Panjâb, that it is four times the size of any other place, and is undeniably the strongest fort in this part of the country. All these properties belonged also to the chief city of the Malli. It was the capital of the country; it had the greatest number of defenders, 50,000 according to Arrian, and was therefore the largest place; and lastly, it must have been the strongest place, as Arrian relates that the inhabitants of other cities had fled to it “for better security.” For these reasons I am quite satisfied that the capital city of the Malli was the modern Multân; but the identification will be still further confirmed as we proceed with Arrian’s narrative.