The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s1.1

c6.s1.1

In the seventh century Sindh was divided into four principalities, which, for the sake of greater distinctness, I will describe by their geographical positions, as Upper Sindh, Middle Sindh, Lower Sindh, and Kachh.* The whole formed one kingdom under the Raja of Upper Sindh, who, at the time of Hwen Thsang’s visit in A.D. 641, was a *Siu-to-lo* or Sudra. So also in the time of Chach, only a few years later, the minister Budhimân informs the king that the country had been formerly divided into four districts, each under its own ruler, who acknowledged the supremacy of Chach’s predecessors.† At a still earlier date Sindh is said to have been divided into four principalities by *Ayand*, the son of *Kafand*,‡ who reigned some time after Alexander the Great. These four principalities are named *Zor*, *Askalandusa*, *Sámid*, and the Lacedaemonians, who had been waiting for the signal, now attacked the city. The Plataeans, seeing the enemy already inside and their own men falling, and knowing nothing of the plot, were seized with panic and, thinking that the Thebans were far more numerous than they really were, surrendered at discretion. But when they discovered that the Thebans were few, they took heart and, resolving to attack them, closed the gates and fell upon them.