There are many indigenous and foreign sources of information about the history of India, in which today we are going to give you information about some foreign Literary sources of history.
Literary sources of history
Foreign sources of information about Indian history
Foreign descriptions can be divided into four categories – Greek, Chinese, Tibetan and Arabic.
Greek writer
Alexander's predecessor writers
The names of the Greek writers of Alexander's predecessors are Scylax, Heketius Millets, Herodotus and Tesseus.
Scylax (6th century BC)
Scylax was the first Greek writer to write about India. He was a Greek soldier of the emperor Darius of Persia (Iran) (550 BC-486 BC). He came to India to explore the Indus Valley on the orders of the emperor. He prepared the details of his journey, but his information particularly confined to the Indus Valley.
Heketius Millets (549 BC - 496 BC)
He composed a treatise named 'Geography'. His knowledge was also limited to the Indus Valley.
Herodotus (484 BC - 425 BC)
Herodotus has shed enough light on Iranian and Greek invasions and Indo-Iranian relations in his famous book 'Histories'.
Although Herodotus never visited India. He has given us information about the cultural and political situation in north-west India of his time. He wrote: "India has the largest population of our known nations. The territory of northern India is the 20th province of the Kingdom of Darius, which pays 360 talents gold dust annually."
Ctesias (416 BC - 398 BC)
Ctesias was a Greek physician and lived in the court of the Persian emperor Artazemne. He had collected wonderful stories about India by listening to the mouth of the travelers who had returned from the eastern countries. 'Parshika' is his main treatise, which is no longer available but quotations are definitely found, which are of some helpful. But most of the material is questionable from the point of view of authenticity.
Contemporary writers of Alexander
These writers have presented the tableau of the then Indian life in their travelogue.
Nearchus
Nearchus was Alexander's classmate and was the head of the fleet. Alexander had sent him to explore the coast between the Indus and the Persian Gulf. Quotations of his writings are found in the writings of Strabo and Arran.
Onesicritus
Onesicritus was the pilot of Alexander's fleet. He accompanies Nearchus in his sea voyage and later he wrote a book about his journey and India. He had also written 'Alexander's Biography'.
Aristobulus
Aristobulus was a geographer. Alexander had entrusted him with some responsible work, he has described his personal experiences in the 'History of the War'.
Other Greek Historians
Megasthenes (350 BC-290 BC)
Megasthenes was born in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). He came to the court of Chandragupta Maurya as an ambassador of Seleucus, the Greek ruler of Persia and Babylon, and for 6 years (302 BC-296 BC) lived in Patilputra. He wrote about the social and political situation of India of that time. Although his original book 'Indica' is now not available, but its references are found in other texts.
Deimachus
Deimachus was sent to the court of Mauryan ruler Bindusara (298 BC-273 BC) by the successor of Seleucus and the then ruler of Syria, Antiochus I, as his ambassador. Its written original text is not available, but Strabo He has quoted his statements once or twice in his writings.
Patroclus (250 BC)
Patroclus was the governor of the provinces between the Caspian Sea and the Indus River under Seleucus and Antiochus I. In his book 'Geography of the Eastern Countries', the details of India and other countries are found.
Timothy
Timothy was the chief of staff of Philadelphia's fleet.
Aelion (100 BC)
The description of the northwestern province is found in the book 'A Collection of Mycellinian History' by Aelion (100 BC), who was a Greek historian.
Deodorus (36 BC)
Deodorus was a famous Greek historian. 'Bibliothica Historica' is the basis of its fame. It has written about India on the basis of details obtained from Megasthenes. Its text gives sufficient information about India and Alexander's India campaign.
Strabo (64 BC - 19 BC)
Strabo was a famous historian and geographer. He had gained extensive experience of traveling in the country and abroad. Its book 'Geographia' also holds its important place in history. It mentions the matrimonial relationship between Seleucus and Sandrocottus (Chandragupta Maurya). It mentions the female bodyguards of Chandragupta Maurya.
Curtius (1st century AD)
Curtius was a contemporary of the Roman emperor Claudius (41 AD-54 AD). Adequate information about Alexander is found in his book.
Plutarch (45 AD-125 AD)
The descriptions of Plutarch include the life of Alexander and a general description of India. In its description, Chandragupta is mentioned as Androcottus. It is written in it: "In his youth he met Alexander."
Unknown Greek writer
The unknown Greek writer of Periplus of the Erythraean Sea i.e. excursion to the Red Sea (80 AD-115 AD) came on a visit to the Indian Ocean around 80 AD. He has mentioned the coasts, ports and trade of India in this book. This book is known as the 'Guide of Maritime Trade'.
Arian (130 AD-172 AD)
Arian was a famous Greek historian. He wrote two texts named 'Indica' and 'Anabasis' (History of Alexander's campaign). These both texts are based on the descriptions of the contemporary writers of Alexander and Megasthenes. The description of Arion is the most accurate and authentic among the available Greek descriptions regarding India. Chandragupta is mentioned in its description as Sandrocottus.
Cosmas Indicopleustes (537 AD – 547 AD)
Cosmas Indicopleustes was a Greek merchant who later became a Buddhist monk. He traveled the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf regions, Sri Lanka and India for these 10 years. His famous book 'Christian Topography of the Universe' gives valuable information in relation to India's trade with Sri Lanka and other countries located on the West Sea coast.
Roman/latinian writer H4
Pliny (23 AD-79 AD)
Pliny was a Roman historian. He was contemporary of emperor Kanishka. He composed the encyclopedic work 'Naturalis Historia'. He has given a description of India on the basis of information from Greek and Western traders. In this book a detailed description of India's animals, plants and minerals is found. Also, India's relations with Rome (Italy) are thrown light.
Ptolemy (2nd century AD)
He was a Roman historian. Its famous text 'Geography' gives information about ancient Indian geography and trade.
Justin (2nd century AD)
Justin was a Roman historian. He wrote a treatise called 'Epitome'. Its composition is based on Greek descriptions. It has given details of the campaigns of Alexander in India and the power of Sandrocottus (Chandragupta). About the role of Chandragupta in ending the Greek power from North-Western India, Justin wrote: " After the death of Alexander, India threw the yoke of slavery from its neck and killed its (Greek) satraps (governors). The hero of this liberation war against the Greek ruler was Chandragupta.
Chinese writer H4
Sumashin (1st century BC)
Sumashin was the first writer to write about India.
Fa-Hien (399-414 AD)
Fa-Hien (Faxian) came to India in 399 AD during the reign of Gupta ruler Chandragupta-II (Vikramaditya). For 15-16 years (399-414) this religious inquisitor lived in India and learned the facts related to Buddhism. He originally came to India to get a copy of Buddhist scripture 'Vinaya Pitaka'. Returning to China, he wrote a travelogue called Fo-kwo-ki (Details of Buddhist kingdoms). This book is still available in its original form. This book sheds ample light on the history, civilization and culture of the Gupta period.
Tibetan writer H4
Taranath (12th century AD)
Taranath was originally from Tibet. His real name was Kun-dga-snin-po. Taranatha wrote the Kangyur and Tangyur texts in which he described about the history of ancient India, especially the Maurya period and subsequent events.
Arabic historian H4
Al-Biruni
Al-Biruni was well versed in Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit languages. He came to India in the campaigns of Mahmud Ghaznavi between 1017 and 1020. He wrote books like Kitab-ul-Hind, The Chronology of Ancient Nations, Tahqiq-i-Hind etc. Al-Biruni is called the first scholar of Indian history. His travelogue gives information about the then political and social situation of India and the invasion of India by Muslims.
Since ancient times, foreigners have come to India in the form of businessmen, ambassadors, historians, pious travelers, tourists etc. and many of them have left their descriptions. These details have been of great help in ancient Indian historiography, especially in solving the mystery of chronology.
0 Comments