The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s1.t2: Massanæ and Sodræ, or Sogdi.
The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c6.s1.t2
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- English
Contents
- c6.s1.t2.1 — 4 parts
Massanæ and Sodræ, or Sogdi.
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On leaving the confluence of the Panjâb rivers, Alexander sailed down the Indus to the realm of the *Sogdi*, Σόγδοι, where, according to Arrian,[*] “ he built another city.” Diodorus[†] describes the same people, but under a different name :—“Continuing his descent of the river, he received the submission of the *Sodræ* and the *Massanæ*, nations on opposite banks of the stream, and founded another Alexandria, in which he placed 10,000 inhabitants.” The same people are described by Curtius,[‡] although he does not mention their names :—“On the fourth day he came to other nations, where he built a town called Alexandria.” From these accounts it is evident that the *Sogdi* of Arrian and the *Sodræ* of Diodorus are the same people, although the former have been identified with the *Sodha* Rajputs by Tod and M‘Murdo, the latter with the servile *Sudras* by Mr. Vaux. The *Sodhas*, who are a branch of the Pramâras, now occupy the southeastern district of Sindh, about Umarkot, but according to M‘Murdo,* who is generally a most trustworthy guide, there is good reason to believe that they once held large possessions on the banks of the Indus, to the northward of Alor.
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In adopting this extension of the territory formerly held by the Sodha Rajputs, I am partly influenced by the statement of Abul Fazl, that the country from Bhakar to Umarkot was peopled by the Sodas and Jharejas in the time of Akbar,† and partly by the belief that the *Massanæ* of Diodorus are the *Musarnei* of Ptolemy, whose name still exists in the district of Muzarka, to the west of the Indus below Mithankot. Ptolemy also gives a town called *Musarna*, which he places on a small affluent of the Indus, to the north of the *Askana* rivulet. The *Musarna* affluent may therefore be the rivulet of Kâhan, which flows past Pulaji and Shahpur, towards Khângarha or Jacobabad, and Musarna may be the town of Shahpur, which was a place of some consequence before the rise of Shikârpur. “The neighbouring country, now nearly desolate, has traces of cultivation to a considerable extent.”‡ The *Sogdi*, or *Sodræ*, I would identify with the people of Seorai, which was captured by Husen Shah Arghun on his way from Bhakar to Multân.§ In his time, A.D. 1525, it is described as “the strongest fort in that country.” It was, however, deserted by the garrison, and the conqueror ordered its walls to be razed to the ground.
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Its actual position is unknown, but it was probably close to Fâzilpur, halfway between Sabzalkot and Chota Ahmedpur, where Masson* heard that there was formerly a considerable town, and that “the wells belonging to it, 360 in number, were still to be seen in the jangals.” Now in this very position, that is about 8 miles to the north-east of Sabzalkot, the old maps insert a village named Sirwahi, which may possibly represent the Seorai of Sindhian history. It is 96 miles in a direct line below Uchh, and 85 miles above Alor, or very nearly midway between them. By water the distance from Uchh would be at least one-third greater, or not less than 120 miles, which would agree with the statement of Curtius that Alexander reached the place on the fourth day. It is admitted that these identifications are not altogether satisfactory; but they are perhaps as precise as can now be made, when we consider the numerous fluctuations of the Indus, and the repeated changes of the names of places on its banks. One fact, preserved by Arrian, is strongly in favour of the identification of the old site near Fâzilpur with the town of the Sogdi, namely, that from this point Alexander dispatched Kraterus† with the main body of the army, and all the elephants, through the confines of the Arachoti and Drangi. Now the most frequented Ghât for the crossing of the Indus towards the west, viâ the Gandâva and Bolân Pass, lies between Fâzilpur on the left bank, and Kasmor on the right bank.
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And as the ghâts, or points of passage of the rivers, always determine the roads, I infer that Kraterus must have begun his long march towards Arachosia and Drangiana from this place, which is the most northern position on the Indus for the departure of a large army to the westward. It seems probable, however, that Kraterus was detained for some time by the revolt of Musikanus, as his departure is again mentioned by Arrian,* after Alexander's capture of the Brahman city near Sindomana.
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∗ ‘Anabasis,’ vi. 15.
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† Hist. Univers. xvii. 56.
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‡ Vita Alex., ix. 8.
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† ‘Ayin Akbari,’ ii. 117. ‡ Thornton, ‘Gazetteer,’ *in voce*. § Erskine’s Hist. of India, i.
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³⁸⁸ Postans, Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 1841, 275.
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∗ ‘Travels,’ i. 382.
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† ‘Anabasis,’ vi. 15.
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Between Multân and Alor the native historians, as well as the early Arab geographers, place a strong fort named *Bhátia*, which, from its position, has a good claim to be identified with the city which Alexander built amongst the Sogdi, as it is not likely that there were many advantageous sites in this level tract of country. Unfortunately, the name is variously written by the different authorities. Thus, Postans gives *Páya*, *Báhiya*, and *Páhiya*; Sir Henry Elliot gives *Pábiya*, *Bátia*, and *Bhátia*, while Price gives *Bahátia*.† It seems probable that it is the same place as *Talháti*,‡ where Jâm Janar crossed the Indus; and perhaps also the same as *Mátila*, or *Mahátila*,§ which was one of the six great forts of Sindh in the seventh century.
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† Dowson's edition of Sir H. Elliot, i. 138.
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‡ Journ. Asiat. Soc. Bengal, 1845, p. 171.
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§ *Ibid.*, 1845, p. 79.
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*Bhátia* is described by Ferishta as a very strong place, defended by a lofty wall and a deep broad ditch.|| It was taken by assault in A.H. 393, or A.D. 1003, by Mahmud of Ghazni, after an obstinate defence, in which the Raja, named *Bajjar*, or *Bijé Rai*, was killed. Amongst the plunder Mahmud obtained no less than 280 elephants, a most substantial proof of the wealth and power of the Hindu prince.
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∗ ‘Anabasis,’ vi. 17.
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|| Briggs's ‘Ferishta,’ i. 39; and Tabakât.i.Akbari, in Sir Henry Elliot, p. 186.
Linked texts (1)
- Historiae Alexandri Magni — Q. Curtius Rufus, Latin