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Peucelaotis (Charsadda)
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Unless
otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona
Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes,
but you have to acknowledge Livius. |
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When Alexander
the Great invaded India (or, to use our vocabulary, Pakistan) in the
winter of 327/326, he divided his forces. Hephaestion
and Perdiccas
were to take the direct route, along the river Cophen
(the Kabul) and across the Khyber Pass, and capture the capital of the
region, Gandara.
This city was called Peucelaotis or Pushkalâvatî, "the
city of lotus flowers". This picture shows the eastern hill... |
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...and this is the western hill, which is higher and larger. The hills
together are called Bala Hisar. After taking this city, the army of Hephaestion
and Perdiccas was to proceed along the Uttarâpatha, the main
road connecting the cities in the Kabul valley with the capitals of the
Punjab and the Ganges valley (the present Grand
Trunk Road). This army would have to build a bridge across the Indus
near modern Hund. |
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Alexander himself would take the more northern route along the Kunar
and Swat,
and cover the northern flank. Peucelaotis -- this is the western hill again,
the Pathan boys were looking for eggs -- surrendered immediately. Perhaps,
the Macedonians
were shown the begging nap of Buddha, which was venerated in this city
at a slightly later time. |
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Hephaestion and Perdiccas proceeded to the Indus, but the inhabitants
of Peucelaotis revolted. The Macedonians surrendered and captured the city
after a siege of thirty days. King Astis was killed. These are the ruins
of the western hill again. There were thousands and thousands of old pottery
fragments, just waiting for an archaeologist to come along. |
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A coin from Peucelaotis, minted between 185 and 168 BCE. On the obverse
is an elephant, on the reverse a tiger. |
(©!!)
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