[Solved] Who was Sandrocottos? | Justin's Greek Account

Who was called as 'Sandrocottos' by Justin, the Greek Writer?

[Uttarakhand P.C.S. Prelims 2016]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Synchronization of Greek names with Indian kings provided the 'anchor sheet' for scientific ancient Indian chronology.

Authentic Source Evidence

Classical Greek writers like Justin, Strabo, and Megasthenes refer to the founder of the Maurya dynasty as Sandrocottos (or Androcottus).

Analytical Breakdown

Chandragupta Maurya (A): Sir William Jones in 1793 correctly identified Sandrocottos as Chandragupta Maurya, helping to fix the date of his accession to c. 322 BCE.

Exclusions: Chandragupta I and II are Gupta rulers who lived centuries later and do not feature in classical Greek literature.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"Which Greek writer refers to Sandrocottos meeting Alexander the Great?"

Plutarch mentions that Sandrocottos (Chandragupta) met Alexander while he was a young man in the Northwest.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"The identification of Sandrocottos is the single most important event in reconstructing the timeline of pre-colonial Indian history."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Megasthenes 10 Ancient Chronology 3