Hindu Polity: A Constitutional History of India in Hindu Times c25.35

c25.35

The Kambojas are identified with the people on the Kabul river (modern *Kamboh*). Now, who were these Yavanas? They were the neighbours of the Kabulis. They were, therefore, on or near the Kabul river. Further, they were 'self-ruling' according to Aśoka, and according to Manu¹ they had lived long enough near the Aryan people to be regarded as occupying the position of a fallen caste though they had been a 'ruling people' (Kshatriya-jātayaḥ). According to the Mahā-Bhārata they had ceased to be rulers and were living like Kambhojas and others under Hindu kings.² All these descriptions refer to the same conditions. These Yavanas could not be referred to the town of Alexandria founded by Alexander in the Caucasus. That was never a self-governing unit, and the Macedonian element of invalid soldiers, who were anxious to leave the place, was too small and would have availed themselves of the death of Alexander to migrate. On the other hand we have positive evidence of the existence of a Greek community on the Kubhā or Kabul river who had been there for a long time before Alexander's invasion. It is strange that this fact has not been taken notice of. [It settles amongst other things, the vexed chronological question raised on the mention of Yavanānī in Pāṇini.]