Two Short Remarks on Ancient Indian History

Summary

In two concise essays the author revisits perennial problems in ancient Indian history. The first concerns the altars said to have been built by Alexander at the river Hyphasis when his army refused to advance further east. Classical authors disagree on the site; some place it on the Beas, others on the Sutlej or at Jhelum. By re‑examining the Greek sources in conjunction with Indian topography and local traditions, the author proposes that the altars stood near the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej and were later identified by local people with ancient Hindu shrines. He argues that scholars should distinguish between the temporary altars erected for sacrifice and the more enduring monuments set up as boundary markers. The second essay addresses the identity of the little‑known king Sophagasenus mentioned by Polybius as ruling India when Antiochus the Great visited the country around 206 BCE. Some have equated Sophagasenus with Subhagasena, a northern Indian prince; others see him as a Greek usurper or a Mauryan satrap. The author reassesses the linguistic evidence, pointing out that Greek transcription of Indic names was erratic. He suggests that Sophagasenus may have been a successor of the Mauryas in Gandhara and that his kingdom extended into the Kabul valley. By correlating Greek accounts with Indian Puranic lists and archaeological evidence, the author argues that this ruler’s reign illustrates the fragmentation of the Mauryan Empire and the rise of regional kingships. Both essays urge caution in interpreting Greek sources and emphasize the importance of integrating evidence from archaeology, epigraphy and local tradition.