Seleucid–Mauryan War

The Seleucid–Mauryan War happened between 305 and 303 BCE. It began when Seleucus I Nicator, the ruler of the Seleucid Empire, tried to reclaim parts of India that had once belonged to Alexander the Great's empire. These areas were controlled by Emperor Chandragupta Maurya of the Maurya Empire.

The war ended with Mauryan victory. Chandragupta Maurya gained control of the Indus Valley and Afghanistan, expanding his empire. There was also a marriage alliance between the Maurya and Seleucid Empires.

 Background 
Alexander had placed governors in charge of his lands, including the region of the Indus Valley. Later, the Mauryan Empire took control of the areas ruled by Nicanor, Phillip, Eudemus, and Peithon. This gave the Mauryans control up to the Indus River. Chandragupta's victories made Seleucus realize he needed to protect his eastern border. To keep the Macedonian lands there, Seleucus clashed with the growing Mauryan Empire over the Indus Valley.

 Battle 
It is not known if there was really a big battle. Historians have different views on the battle.Military historian John D. Grainger said that when Seleucus crossed the Indus River, he "would find himself trapped," with a big river behind him and unfriendly land ahead. Because of this, Seleucus likely did not go far beyond the Indus. Grainger says the details of the fight are unclear, but it must have ended in "a clear Indian victory." Chandragupta pushed Seleucus' army back to the Hindu Kush mountains and gained a lot of land, including areas in what is now Afghanistan.

 Treaty of Indus 

Greek historians like Justin, Appian, and Strabo gave three terms of the treaty: "The ancient historians Justin, Appian, and Strabo preserve the three main terms of what I will call the Treaty of the Indus:(i) Seleucus transferred to Chandragupta's kingdom the easternmost satrapies of his empire, certainly Gandhara, Parapamisadae, and the eastern parts of Gedrosia, and possibly also Arachosia and Aria as far as Herat.(ii) Chandragupta gave Seleucus 500 Indian war elephants.(iii) The two kings were joined by some kind of marriage alliance (ἐπιγαμία οι κῆδος); most likely Chandragupta wed a female relative of Seleucus." Strabo in his geography he describes a number of tribes living along the Indus, and then states that "The Indians occupy [in part] some of the countries situated along the Indus, which formerly belonged to the Persians"
The ancient historians Justin, Appian, and Strabo describe the Agreement of the Indus. Seleucus gave Chandragupta control of the eastern parts of his empire, including Gandhara, Parapamisadae, Gedrosia,  Arachosia and Aria up to Herat. In return, Chandragupta gave Seleucus 500 Indian war elephants. The two rulers also formed a marriage alliance, likely with Chandragupta marrying a female relative of Seleucus.

 References 

Category:India
Category:Chandragupta Maurya
Category:Maurya Empire