U.P.P.C.S. Prelims 2015

Greek-Indian Interactions

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Who one of the following had not come to India with Alexander?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: C

Concept Distinguishing between the soldiers/historians of Alexander's campaign (326 BCE) and later Greek ambassadors to the Mauryan court.

Explanation Nearchus (Admiral), Onesicritus, and Aristobulus were contemporaries and companions of Alexander. Deimachus was the successor to Megasthenes as an ambassador to Bindusara (Mauryan King).

Logical Breakup
Nearchus (A): Alexander's admiral who explored the Persian Gulf.
Onesicritus & Aristobulus (B&D): Historians who accompanied the invasion and wrote eyewitness accounts.
Deimachus (C): Sent by Seleucid ruler Antiochus I to the court of Bindusara, roughly 25-30 years after Alexander's death.

Active Recall

Question

Who was Deimachus an ambassador for?

Answer

He was the ambassador of the Seleucid king Antiochus I to the court of the Mauryan emperor Bindusara.

Core Insight

The presence of Greek ambassadors like Deimachus proves the continued diplomatic and cultural exchange between India and the Hellenistic world long after Alexander's retreat.