Alexander's Invasion of India and its Effects on India

Alexander's Invasion ( 327 - 326 BCE ) 

Alexander ( 356-326 BCE ) was the son of Philip of Macedonia ( Greece ) , who invaded India in 326 BCE . It is considered that in the 4th century , the Greeks and the Persians fought for the supremacy of the world . After decisively defeating the Persian army led by Darius , the Macedonian conqueror marching across the Persian empire , entered the Indian provinces . Alexander was attracted towards India not only because of its fabulous wealth , but being a passionate student of geographical inquiry and natural history , he also wanted to solve the problem of the ocean , the limits of which were a puzzle to Greek geographers . 

The political situation of north-western India suited

his plans , as at that time , the region was split up into a number of small independent states like Taxila , Punjab , Gandhara , etc. , and no major united and strong resistance was put across to Alexander . Alexander entered India through the Khyber Pass in 326 BCE . Except Porus , who fought the famous battle of Hydaspas ( on Jhelum ) , all other kings submitted meekly . King Ambhi of Taxila was the first to surrender . 

When Alexander reached Beas , his soldiers , being war-weary , homesick and diseased , refused to go further . Therefore , he was forced to retreat . To mark the farthest point of his advance , he erected 12 huge stone altars on northern bank of Beas . He remained in India for 19 monthes and on his way back home , had military encounters with Gana-Sanghas such as the Malloi ( Malavas ) . He died at Babylon ( in 323 BCE ) . Since he barely had time to organize his conquests in India , most of the conquered states were restored to their rulers who submitted to his authority , and his territorial possessions were divided into three parts each placed under a Greek governor . 

Effect of Alexander's Invasion on India 

1. One of the most important outcomes of the invasion was the establishment of direct contact between Indian and Greece in different fields . Alexander's historians have left valuable geographic am and historical/chronological accounts of ancient Indian history . The clearly dated accounts of Alexander's campaign enabled us to build the Indian chronology for subsequent events on a definite basis . The crucial socio-economic information provided in these travelogues help us know and understand diverse ancient societal practices such as 'autonomous cities' , sati system , the sale girls in market places by poor parents , the fine breed of oxen in north-western India ( in fact , it is said that Alexander ordered 2 like oxen to be sent to Macedonia ) , and so on . 

2. One of the other long-term effects of Alexander's campaign was that he exposed India to Europe by opening up four distinct lines of communication - three by land and one by sea . It paved the way for Greek merchants and craftsmen to establish trade between India and Greeks . 

3. Another significant cultural development was the establishment of a cosmopolitan school of arts at Gandhara . 

4. An indirect effect of Alexander's invasion was that it paved the way for unification of north India under Chandragupta Maurya , as the destruction of the small states and principalities of the north-west by Alexander not only aided the Mauryan empire's easy expansion , but also motivated the Mauryas to believe that capturing north-western frontier is feasible and a project worth undertaking .