6_Glorious_Epochs_of_Indian_History

1ST GLORIOUS EPOCH 5
I have decided here to describe the historical achievements
of those generations and of their representative leaders who
vanquished the aggressors from time to time and liberated
their country.
ALEXANDER'S AGGRESSION
10. Alexander's attack on India is the first well-known
foreign invasion during the ancient period of Indian history.
It took place in 326 B.C.", a period of human history when
the modern European nations like England, France, Germany
^nd others were not even born. The Roman Empire had not
^s yet any foundation laid for it. It was only the Greeks
who were resounding the European stage^*. Small Greek
•city-states ruled themselves independently. Of these Sparta
and Athens were the most progressive. But when these small
separate city-states were invaded by the ruler of a vast,
well-organized, unitary and very powerful Persian empire,^'
they were unable to face him successfully. Those small
•Greek republics did their best to fight the enemy back, but
all their efforts proved fruitless before the vast ocean-like
Persian armies. Naturally, the Greeks earnestly thought of
effecting a fusion of all their separated small city-states into
•a, powerful Greek Kingdom and forming a united front. So
Philip, King of Macedonia, who was fired with the same
ambition, conquered all those small Greek republics"; but
he died before he could develop them into a mighty nation^^.
However, his son who succeeded him to the throne, was much
more ambitious, more eager to gain power than his father
whom he surpassed in valour^*. It was Alexander. He ins­
pired the whole Greek Community with a sense of solidarity
and militant nationalism. He organised an invincible army,
and marched on the Persian Emperor, Darius, himself, who
had been the arch-enemy of the Greeks^'. This well-organised
Greek army simply routed the vast but ill-organized Persian
army. At the battle field of Arbela (331 B.C.) whole of the
Persian administration virtually collapsed^^. With his victo-