conflict of seluecus with Chandragupta maurya
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Historical records of the Seleucid-MauryanWar are very scant, but what little is known to us is enough to draw some concrete conclusions, so let's take a look-
Seleucus I Nicator was one of Alexander's generals, who established the SeleucidEmpire after the conqueror's death. At its peak, his empire controlled large swathes of Persia, Anatolia and Turkey. In the year 305 BC, Seleucus attempted to do what Alexander himself could not, and expand his empire into India. Unfortunately, the person awaited him this time was not some provincial ruler like Porus, but the Emperor Chandragupta Maurya himself.
What happened between Chandragupta Maurya & Seleucus I Nicator when Chandragupta fought with Selucas for western Indian regions under the control of the Seleucid Empire?
Historical records of the Seleucid-MauryanWar are very scant, but what little is known to us is enough to draw some concrete conclusions, so let's take a look-
Seleucus I Nicator was one of Alexander's generals, who established the SeleucidEmpire after the conqueror's death. At its peak, his empire controlled large swathes of Persia, Anatolia and Turkey. In the year 305 BC, Seleucus attempted to do what Alexander himself could not, and expand his empire into India. Unfortunately, the person awaited him this time was not some provincial ruler like Porus, but the Emperor Chandragupta Maurya himself.
Let's compare their respective armies, shall we! Plutarch notes that the Mauryan army at that time numbered 600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry and an astonishing 9000 war elephants. For all the trouble the 200 war elephants of Porus had caused Alexander, one can only imagine the fear even a fraction of the Mauryan elephant corps would have induced in the Seleucidinvaders. Now, on the other hand, the forces of Seleucus numbered no more than 200,000–250,000. It's unlikely that Chandragupta would have deployed his entire army to counter this invasion, but rest assured, his forces would still have outnumbered those of Seleucus.
Little is known of the battle between the two, but a quick analysis of the results is enough to conclude that this ill-conceived war was an outright defeat for the Seleucids.
Firstly, Seleucus Nicator had to cede the entirety of the Indus Valley to the Mauryans. These lands had been dominions of the Achaemenid Empire previously, and were about to come back under Indian rule after several centuries. Such a vast territorial exchange is more than enough to hint at who the victor was.
Next, Seleucus gave his daughter's hand in marriage to Chandragupta. This seems like more of a political alliance. In a way, this was probably Chandragupta's way of ensuring that Seleucus would behave himself in the future.
Finally, the Mauryans gifted 500 war elephants to the Seleucids. These would later prove decisive at the Battle of Ipsus, 301 BC, where Seleucus defeated his major rival Antigonus I. Two points need to be analysed here. First, the Mauryan elephant corps numbered 9000, out of which 500 was just a tiny fraction, easily replaceable within a year or two. Secondly, historical records do not mention any other usage of these elephants by Seleucus. Since it's unlikely that all 500 died at Ipsus, it's logical to conclude that Chandragupta probably unloaded his oldest and most worn-out elephants onto Seleucus, all of which would probably have died within 7–8 years anyway. Maybe that's why the records don't mention them any further.
Taking these into account, one can logically conclude that Chandragupta certainly got the better of the deal, and was, in all probability, the outright victor in the Seleucid-Mauryan War.
Seleucus I Nicator was one of Alexander's generals, who established the SeleucidEmpire after the conqueror's death. At its peak, his empire controlled large swathes of Persia, Anatolia and Turkey. In the year 305 BC, Seleucus attempted to do what Alexander himself could not, and expand his empire into India. Unfortunately, the person awaited him this time was not some provincial ruler like Porus, but the Emperor Chandragupta Maurya himself.
What happened between Chandragupta Maurya & Seleucus I Nicator when Chandragupta fought with Selucas for western Indian regions under the control of the Seleucid Empire?
Historical records of the Seleucid-MauryanWar are very scant, but what little is known to us is enough to draw some concrete conclusions, so let's take a look-
Seleucus I Nicator was one of Alexander's generals, who established the SeleucidEmpire after the conqueror's death. At its peak, his empire controlled large swathes of Persia, Anatolia and Turkey. In the year 305 BC, Seleucus attempted to do what Alexander himself could not, and expand his empire into India. Unfortunately, the person awaited him this time was not some provincial ruler like Porus, but the Emperor Chandragupta Maurya himself.
Let's compare their respective armies, shall we! Plutarch notes that the Mauryan army at that time numbered 600,000 infantry, 30,000 cavalry and an astonishing 9000 war elephants. For all the trouble the 200 war elephants of Porus had caused Alexander, one can only imagine the fear even a fraction of the Mauryan elephant corps would have induced in the Seleucidinvaders. Now, on the other hand, the forces of Seleucus numbered no more than 200,000–250,000. It's unlikely that Chandragupta would have deployed his entire army to counter this invasion, but rest assured, his forces would still have outnumbered those of Seleucus.
Little is known of the battle between the two, but a quick analysis of the results is enough to conclude that this ill-conceived war was an outright defeat for the Seleucids.
Firstly, Seleucus Nicator had to cede the entirety of the Indus Valley to the Mauryans. These lands had been dominions of the Achaemenid Empire previously, and were about to come back under Indian rule after several centuries. Such a vast territorial exchange is more than enough to hint at who the victor was.
Next, Seleucus gave his daughter's hand in marriage to Chandragupta. This seems like more of a political alliance. In a way, this was probably Chandragupta's way of ensuring that Seleucus would behave himself in the future.
Finally, the Mauryans gifted 500 war elephants to the Seleucids. These would later prove decisive at the Battle of Ipsus, 301 BC, where Seleucus defeated his major rival Antigonus I. Two points need to be analysed here. First, the Mauryan elephant corps numbered 9000, out of which 500 was just a tiny fraction, easily replaceable within a year or two. Secondly, historical records do not mention any other usage of these elephants by Seleucus. Since it's unlikely that all 500 died at Ipsus, it's logical to conclude that Chandragupta probably unloaded his oldest and most worn-out elephants onto Seleucus, all of which would probably have died within 7–8 years anyway. Maybe that's why the records don't mention them any further.
Taking these into account, one can logically conclude that Chandragupta certainly got the better of the deal, and was, in all probability, the outright victor in the Seleucid-Mauryan War.
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