Home Al - posts english Alexander the Great – Pakistan

Alexander the Great – Pakistan

If you want to follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great in Pakistan and build up a sort of travelogue. I have marked in red on the map below Alexander's journey through what is now Pakistan. It has numbers on it to show you where we are in Pakistan. To remove any ambiguity I shall limit my journey within Pakistan only.

Of course the journey will begin on the Afghan-Pak border because Alexander with his armies marched in from what is now Afghanistan. It will end near the Arabian Sea on the Iran-Pakistan border where the route leaves Pakistan and enters Iran. This is almost the exact route Alexander took. To prevent any possibility of insult to anybodies version of history I will use terms like ' Native’ or ' South Asian’ when talking about the region.

I would ask please that this thread is not derailed. Please read the title of the thread. Can we please stay with the ambit of this thread which will be a journey through Pakistan following the footsteps of the mighty Alexander.

I would be grateful if people can contribute with photos or maps but onlyu as long as they avoid the tricky subject of Pak-India sensibilities by employing neutral nomenclature like as described – native or South Asian.

I begin the journey on the Khyber Pass through which runs the main road from Kabul, Afghanistan into Pakistan. As he his army through the Khyber Pass his men had entered what is now Pakistan past what is now the Afghan-Pak Border Checkpoint where today stands the Bab are Khyber translated means Khyber Gate in English.

Click the image to open in full size.

On the Map above the red line represent approximate route followed by Alexander and his armies. Khyber Pass is marked No. 1 red star on the map.

As we go along the road which snakes down the pass the fertile Peshawar valley would have become visible which then was dominated by the former Persian Satrapy of Gandhara. This area today is source of lot of trouble in Pakistan as effects of the Afghan war spill over and suffers from regular Taliban attacks. All those centuries ago Alexander would not have known that another mighty army from the West – NATO would arrive in this part of the world.

This road that comes from the city of Peshawar is main supply route for NATO and is full of trucks carrying supplies for NATO. Below the Babe Khyber border between Afghan-Pak that Alexander would have marched.

Alexander would been subjected to continous trouble from the local tribes even today are source of so much trouble. As we move deeper into Pakistan. The local cheiftain from Taxila marked green No. 2 on the map ( which is only about 15 miles from the present Pakistani capital Islamabad met Alexander and effectively surrundered his territory. The hill tribes to the north still refused but Alexander and his Greeks marched victorious into Taxila a magnificient city at that time adjacent to modern capital of Pakistan Islamabad.

Alexander subsequently had to go up north into the wild mountains each with hidden valleys to subdue the tribes who refused to bow to his power. This area of Pakistan to this day has people who display extreme western features and the common myth ( true or not ) is they are the decendants of the Greeks although I have seen blue and blond hair here which is very rare in Greece. In Pakistan entire population groups within certain areas display extreme features. Most people of this province look Mediterranean although some as below are almost north western European.

Click the image to open in full size.

Click the image to open in full size.

Click the image to open in full size.

We will move on Taxila next. For now can I request people from across the border not to destroy this thread please. I am tired of my country hitting the headlines for the wrong reason. I want to show people this ancient land with a history going back 5,000 years plus. Is there anything wrong with this ? Thank you. Will be back for the next part of the journey through Pakistan.

Taxila which I have marked as No 2 Green on the map is adjacent to the Pakistan capital of Islamabad. This is where Alexander was received. This area would subsequently come under the rule of Greek Kingdom. Taxila today is in ruins like Parthenon but it is rich in history. Regularly Greek coins are found which were minted in the Greek era. There is Taxila Musuem which houses large amount of Greek era artifects including coins. Unfortunatly lot of smuggling goes on and precious heritage is sold to rich outsiders to be kept in private collections.

Click the image to open in full size.

Click the image to open in full size.

Click the image to open in full size.

Click the image to open in full size.

Click the image to open in full size.

Double headed Eagle shrine, Taxila, Pakistan showing Greek influence around about 2nd BC. About 15 miles west of Pakistan capital Islamabad.

Click the image to open in full size.

Pakistan Paedia – Archaeological Treasure of Pakistan (Taxila)

Click the image to open in full size.

Double headed Eagle shrine, Taxila, Pakistan showing Greek influence around about 2nd BC. About 15 miles west of Pakistan capital Islamabad.

Click the image to open in full size.

Pakistan Paedia – Archaeological Treasure of Pakistan (Taxila)
After Taxila we leave Khyber Pakhtunwa province ( where the people speak a Persian related language called Pashto ) and pass the federal capital Islamabad on toward the plians of Punjab province. On the map we are moving east and the land starts dropping.

This area is called the Salt Range and the colours are amazing. At times the eroded hills look like mars. As the road cuts through the hills we start droppind down toward the Indus Plain.

Click the image to open in full size.
Click the image to open in full size.

Click the image to open in full size.
As you drive through this extremly difficult terrain you realise how difficult it must have been for Alexander's army who marched through along this very route. Further down we drop into the plains we hit the a major river which is now known as Jhelum river but to the Greeks it was known as the Hydaspes. Near the river is the modern town of Jhelum in Punjab Province.

It was here on the banks of Hydaspes – marked No 3 blue on the map that a major battle was fought on the banks of Hydaspes or as it is called now River Jhelu

Anyway we are now on No 3 marked blue on map. On the banks of Jhelum river ( to Greeks the Hydaspes ) Alexander had one of the tough battles he had faced against the ruler of Punjab – Porus. Although the Greeks won but the Punjabi's under Porus fought valiantly but lost to Alexander's skill.

However Alexander's horse Bucephalus was killed. Alexander subsequently set up two towns in the vicinty called Alexandia Bucephalous in honour of his horse.

Near where the Battle of Hydaspes was fought today a monument has been built called the Alexandria Monument.

Click the image to open in full size.

Click the image to open in full size.

Foundation stone laid by the Greek Ambassador to Pakistan 1997.

Click the image to open in full size.

From Greece to Pakistan – Alexander.

In addition Alexander set up another town in the area called Nicea which possiblity might be the Pakistani town of Mong not too far from this place. After this Alexander moved east through the flat plains of the Indus valley in todays Punjab, Pakistan generally heading toward Lahore city.

http://historum.com

Leave a Reply