alternatehistory.com

[Don't take this too seriously.]

Alexander goes East

Not a real timeline by Practical Lobster

Now it is conquest by Dhamma that Beloved-of-the-Gods considers to be the best conquest. And it has been won here, on the borders, even six hundred yojanas away, where the Yona Great King Alikasudaro rules without religion, and likewise under the Chola and Pandyas, who have piety of their own.


-inscription of a stele of Maharaja Susima

From the accounts of Neoptolemaios of Byzantion:

Basileus Basileon Amyntas son of Alexandros received the embassy of Piodasses in Baktria. He did not accept the piety of the Indikoi, but he did erect a temple to their god, Herakles, and permit their philosophers to dwell in the mountains unmolested, which was a great victory for Piodasses, and cost no side any hardship.

When Amyntas returned to Alexandria, he received word that his bastard brother Alexandros who was called Keraunos schemed against him with Ptolemaios son of Ptolemaios the Satrap of Karkhedon. Keraunos gathered an army from the cities of Mikra Asia and many Thrakoi who had fought against the Keltoi of Brennos in the reign of Alexandros Soter. But at Heliopolis his army betrayed him: at the sign of the royal banner opposing them, and the Foot Companions deployed on the far bank, the soldiers mutinied and turned on the Thrakoi mercenaries and slaughtered them. Alexandros and his companions and family fled.

Alexandros came first to Alexandria on the Euphrates, where he cursed his fortune and came into an inconsolable rage. But his tutor, Xenophilos of Tyre, consoled him with words of hope. They might flee to Persia and there raise more troops, and should that fail they might flee further still, to India. But in Ekbatana they were rebuffed harshly by the Satrap Kassandros son of Nikandros, who then pursued them with the intent to capture. They fled to Baktria, where the passes were blocked to them by strong garrisons under the satraps of the Indus.

By now, their numbers were few. Ptolemy and Xenophilos and perhaps a few hundred horse remained. But when they arrived in Alexandria the Furthest, they found many people who had once been loyal to their cause. Amyntas had struck against many he had claimed were loyal to Alexandros, assassinating many and bringing others to trial. Their families and retainers fled east, knowing that Keraunos was alive. Regardless of their former loyalties, they knew he was their sole hope, and so in assembly they pledged themselves to his cause, whatever it should be, and to call him Great King.

Alexandros did not spend the winter idle. While Amyntas searched his house for traitors, Alexandros met with the King of the Sakai, Azilieses. Azilieses told the pretender King of his wars against the Tokharoi and the Xiyoi cities. But next he said: and beyond them even is the Kingdom of Thina, and a land of legendary wealth and great cities beyond count. The two men made a pact at once in the sight of the Gods that they should work together to avenge Azilieses against the Xiyoi who had bested his father, and then from there they might together journey to the country of the Thinoi, because the strength of the Argeads was not much diminished from the time of Alexandros, and the frontiers crowded those tribes who dwelled beyond the Oxus.

So Alexandros gathered his companions and said "let us go across this desert and in imitation of Alexandros Megas who is my ancestor, let us seek immortality in barbarian lands." He did not speak of needing safe refuge from Amyntas, for all assembled knew the risk of remaining, and hoped for safety far more than glory. And thus Ptolemy gathered those willing to travel and taxed the countryside harshly to acquire provisions. And with these measures they 'burned their ships' behind them.

[This is for all the people who wanted to get Alexander to China. Well I got AN Alexander to China!]
Top