Aornus (Pir-Sar)
A satellite photo can be found here.
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Aornus (Pir-Sar) |
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After conquering the valleys of the Kunar and Swat, Alexander the Great crossed to the river Indus, perhaps through the Shang-La pass. He wanted to capture the last stand of the native population in this part of India, Aornus (Âvárana, 'hiding place'). This picture shows the Indus and the mountain Pir-Sar, which is usually taken to be the Aornus, from the northwest. A local myth told that a god, probably Krishna, had been unable to take this rock, which is 1500 meters high; this was enough to make Alexander decide that he had to capture it. His general Craterus was made responsible for the supply, and Ptolemy was ordered to occupy the western summit. The Indians were on the eastern summit, and bravely attacked the Macedonian main force when it tried to join Ptolemy's advance guard. |
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After two days of fighting, Alexander's men reached the western summit
(in the background of this picture) and started to build a mole to the
eastern summit (to the right). According to Arrian
of Nicomedia, the construction was finished after a mere four days,
and the Indians surrendered before they came to blows. However, during
the night, they started to leave the site, probably because they were afraid
that they would be killed if they stayed where the were (cf. the siege
of Massaga).
Alexander took this sign of mistrust for aggression, attacked, and massacred
the Indians. He now could boast to have succeeded where Krishna (who was
usually identified with Alexander's ancestor
Heracles) had failed.
A satellite photo can be found here. |
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