Taxiles
Taxiles (in
Greek Tαξίλης or Ταξίλας; lived
4th century BC) was the Greek chroniclers name for a prince or king, who reigned over the tract between the
Indus and the
Hydaspes rivers, in the
Punjab at the period of the expedition of
Alexander the Great,
327 BC. His real name was
Ambhi (Greek
Omphis), and the
Greeks appear to have called him Taxiles or Taxilas, from the name of his capital city of
Taxila, near the modern
Attock.
He appears to have been on terms of hostility with his neighbour
Porus, who held the territories east of the Hydaspes, and it was probably with a view of strengthening himself against this foe, that he sent an embassy to Alexander, while the latter was yet in
Sogdiana, with offers of assistance and support. On the first descent of the conqueror into India in 327 BCE, he hastened to meet him with valuable presents, and placed himself and all his forces at his disposal. Nor were these vain professions: Alexander was emboldened to divide his forces, and Ambhi assisted
Hephaestion and
Perdiccas in constructing a bridge over the Indus where it bends at Hund (Fox 1973), supplied their troops with provisions, and received Alexander himself, and his whole army, in his capital city of Taxila, with every demonstration of friendship and the most liberal hospitality.
On the subsequent advance of the
Macedonian king, Taxiles accompanied him with a force of 5000 men, and bore a part in the
battle of the Hydaspes River. After that victory he was sent by Alexander in pursuit of Porus, to whom he was charged to offer favourable terms, but narrowly escaped losing his life at the hands of his old enemy. Subsequently, however, the two rivals were reconciled by the personal mediation of Alexander; and Taxiles, after having contributed zealously to the equipment of the fleet on the Hydaspes, was intrusted by the king with the government of the whole territory between that river and the Indus. A considerable accession of power was granted him after the death of
Philip, son of Machatas; and he was allowed to retain his authority at the death of Alexander himself (
323 BC), as well as in the subsequent partition of the provinces at
Triparadisus,
321 BC. But at a subsequent period we find
Eudemus, the commander of the Macedonian troops in his province, possessing the sole authority: whether Taxiles had been displaced by force or removed by a natural death, we are not informed.
*
Smith, William (editor) 1867.
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology,
"Taxiles (1)", (
Boston)
*Robin Lane Fox, 1973.
Alexander the Great, Chapters 24 ff
Diodorus Siculus,
Bibliotheca,
xvii. 86;
Curtius Rufus,
Historiae Alexandri Magni,
viii. 12 Arrian,
Anabasis Alexandri,
iv. 12,
v. 3, 8; Curtius,
ibid.; Diodorus,
ibid.;
Plutarch,
Parallel Lives, "Alexander",
59,
65 Arrian,
v. 8,
18, 20; Curtius,
viii. 14,
ix. 3 Photius,
Bibliotheca,
cod. 82,
cod. 92; Diodorus, xviii. 3, 39;
Justin,
Epitome of Pompeius Trogus,
xiii. 4---
