Geography and Ancient History

Abstract

This chapter considers accounts of the geography and ancient history of India. For example, Arrian explicitly based his account of the geography and hydrography of India on Eratosthenes, who must have used Megasthenes, while Strabo incorporated his references to Megasthenes into the general discussion of these matters in which he takes issue with all his predecessors, referring also from time to time to Daimachus and Patrocles. The closest approach to Megasthenes' original has usually been taken to be Diodorus 2.35–42. Regarding the boundaries of India, Diodorus overlaps with Megasthenes, but the latter is not necessarily his sole source. In fact, he may be following Eratosthenes in the first instance. He also follows Eratosthenes on the Sacae.