Historical Geography of Ancient India c6.684

c6.684

The Edict refers to the early part of Aśoka's reign when there was no such trouble at Taxila. This city as described by Arrian was great, wealthy, and populous. Strabo praises the fertility of its soil.¹ Pliny calls it a famous city and states that it was situated on a level plain at the foot of hills. About the middle of the 1st century A.D. it is said to have been visited by Apollonius of Tyana and his companion, Damis, who described it as being about the size of Nineveh, walled like a Greek city with narrow but well-arranged streets. About 80 years after Takṣaśilā's submission to Alexander, it was taken by Aśoka.