Macedonian Month-Name in a Brahmi Inscription
By Harit Krishna Deb
Summary
De discusses an inscription in Brahmi script that records a date using a Macedonian month name, such as Panemos or Dios. This unusual feature indicates the influence of Greek calendrical practices in India after Alexander’s campaigns. De describes the inscription’s provenance, script style, and palaeographic features, dating it to the second or first century B.C.E. He analyses the historical context, noting the presence of Indo‑Greek rulers in north‑western India and the syncretism evident in coinage and art. The article compares this use of Macedonian month names with similar evidence from the Yavana and Pallava grants and suggests that local administrators adopted Greek chronological terms for pragmatic reasons. De emphasises that this example illustrates the multicultural environment of early historic India and the adaptability of Indian scribal conventions.
Conclusion
De concludes that the inscription demonstrates not mere Hellenistic intrusion but active cultural interchange. The adoption of a Macedonian month name testifies to the cosmopolitan nature of Indo‑Greek polities and provides a chronological marker for regional history.