Whither the East? -- WI Alexander never invaded Persia and India?

If Alexander had never invaded Persia in 332 BC, what would happen to Persia and India? If you really need a POD to set up the scenario take the following:
POD Philip II of Macedon is killed sometime in the 340s: he's started the Sacred War, but he doesn't unify Greece. None of the Greek states have the power necessary to invade Persia. At least not for 50-100 years.

What happens to the areas Alexander conquered in the meantime? Does Achmaenid Persia last? For how long? Does Egypt ever successfully revolt? What does Persian society look like? Are any of Darius III successors dynamic folks waiting to launch reforms or expeditions to parts unknown? [Note: they're not allowed to conquer Greece, though].

What happens to the development of India? I seem to remember (or may be under a mistaken impression from Faelin's Answers for Milinda) that the Hellenic invasions played a role in the evolution of Buddhism. What happens to the beginnings of Asoka's Empire, though?
 
Hard to say on the Achmaenids, really. Immediately pre-Alexander, they seemed to be fraying a bit, although still clearly formidable - securing the dynasty's future would have been a big thing, considering Artaxerxes III's fraternal bloodletting.

If they do nosedive into internal strife, then Egypt re-asserting it's independence under a Libyan/native/Nubian dynasty is obviously a tantalising possibility. It would still be pretty weak without outside help, though. (Hint hint)
 
I've always wondered, what if the Roman Republic, Carthaginian Rep./Emp., Alexandrian Emp., all stayed where they were instead of trying to conquer. Would that allow a better atmosphere of competition?
 
I've always wondered, what if the Roman Republic, Carthaginian Rep./Emp., Alexandrian Emp., all stayed where they were instead of trying to conquer. Would that allow a better atmosphere of competition?

The problem is, those states needed conquest to legitimize their rule and keep the soldiers satiated... so just staying put would not only be against human nature, but it would lead to those states becoming decayed and stabilized.
 
I've always wondered, what if the Roman Republic, Carthaginian Rep./Emp., Alexandrian Emp., all stayed where they were instead of trying to conquer. Would that allow a better atmosphere of competition?


That would just be terribly boring.

You can't be an Emperor if your just a king..... For some people King or Pharoh isn't enough, I can kinda admire that greedy, so self-serving type mentality.

Something would've happened elsewhere, Carthaginians, Romans, Egypt, ETC...

Commercial interests would make thier feelings known to all Politicians,(Probably really blunt Lobbiest kinda action), New markets would be wanted by the more naval oriented city states.

No matter what, there will be shenanigans:)
 
Egypt becomes independent again and might advance into Syria, maybe even Cyprus. The easternmost satrapies eventually fall to whoever establishes the next big power in the Indus basin. The Greek city-states chip away at Persian power in Ionia, Cyprus, Egypt, and Cyrenaica. The Phoenicians might regain their independence with Carthaginian help. The non-Persian Iranian tribes might get restless. Thracians and/or Celts might invade Asia Minor. Arabs might invade Syria and/or Mesopotamia. Steppe nomads might invade the Central Asian satrapies. Other steppe nomads might cross the Caucasus. Some satraps become independent in all but name (and maybe in name too). There's the possibility of a division of the empire between rival claimants.
 
Okay, so I'm going to resurrect this, with a bit of re-direct: yes, there's the future of Achamaenid Persia to consider, but that's hard to flesh out.

I'm more curious about potential butterflies in the following areas:

--the rise and fall of Indian states and rulers, particularly Mahabarta and Chandragupta
--the rise of Buddhism, including its doctrinal devevelopment and spread over East Asia

--if any of the above have effects in China (if Buddhism takes a different course, for example) or Japan
 
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