Megasthenes' Indica and Greek eyewitness accounts of the Mauryan court (c. 302–290 BCE)

1. Seleucus crosses into India, war begins

   Jan 1, 305 BCELabels: Seleucus I, Seleucid Empire

   • Britannica
   • Britannica

2. Peace settlement and frontier redefined

   Jan 1, 303 BCELabels: Seleucus I, Chandragupta Maurya

   • Britannica
   • Britannica

3. Megasthenes appointed Seleucid envoy to Chandragupta

   Jan 1, 302 BCELabels: Megasthenes, Seleucid Embassy

   • Britannica
   • Diodorus

4. Megasthenes reports on Pataliputra’s fortifications

   Jan 1, 301 BCELabels: Pataliputra, Megasthenes

   • Strabo
   • Britannica

5. Royal road measurements and geographic surveying emphasized

   Jan 1, 301 BCELabels: Megasthenes, Royal Road

   • Strabo

6. Ganges width and depth relayed to Greek readers

   Jan 1, 301 BCELabels: Ganges River, Megasthenes

   • Strabo

7. Mauryan war administration described as six boards

   Jan 1, 300 BCELabels: Mauryan Army, War Administration

   • OxfordHist
   • Trautmann

8. Indian society presented as seven occupational groups

   Jan 1, 300 BCELabels: Indian Society, Occupational Groups

   • Britannica
   • Diodorus

9. Indica circulates in four books (original later lost)

   Jan 1, 299 BCELabels: Indica, Megasthenes

   • Britannica
   • Diodorus

10. Diodorus transmits Megasthenes-derived India account

    Jan 1, 40 BCELabels: Diodorus Siculus, Indica tradition

    • Diodorus
    • Diodorus

11. Strabo critiques and quotes Megasthenes extensively

    Jan 1, 7 BCELabels: Strabo, Geographica

    • Strabo
    • Britannica

12. Pliny preserves itinerary-style measurements to Palibothra

    Jan 1, 77Labels: Pliny the, Itinerary

    • Pliny
    • Britannica

13. Arrian reworks Indica tradition for a Roman audience

    Jan 1, 150Labels: Arrian, Indica

    • Britannica
    • Britannica

14. Seleucus reaches eastern satrapies after Ipsus

    Jan 1, 3011Labels: Seleucus I, Battle of

    • Britannica
    • Britannica