Megasthenes biography for kids
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Megasthenes facts for kids
Megasthenes (Ancient Greek: Μεγασθένης, ca. 350 – 290 BCE) was a Greek ethnographer and explorer in the Hellenistic period. He wrote the work Indica. He was born in Asia Minor (now Turkey).
Megasthenes was born in Asia Minor and became an ambassador of Seleucus I Nicator of the Seleucid dynasty to Chandragupta Maurya in Pataliputra, India. However, the exact date of his embassy is uncertain. Scholars such as Kaushik Roy place him in the Maurya court between 302 and 298 BCE, prior to Chandragupta's voluntary death in 297. Other Greek envoys to the Indian court are known after Megasthenes: Deimachus as ambassador to Bindusara, and Dionysius, as ambassador to Ashoka.
Life and travel
Megasthenes was a Greek ambassador of Seleucus I Nicator in the court of Chandragupta Maurya. Arrian explains that Megasthenes lived in Arachosia, with the satrap Sibyrtius, from where he visited India:
Megasthenes lived with Sibyrtius, satrap of Arachosia, and often speaks of his visiting Sandracottus, the king of the Indians." Arrian, Anabasis Alexandri
We have more definite information regarding the parts of India Megasthenes visited. He entered the s
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Megasthenes
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Brief Breeding of Megasthenes
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Dating for his journey persist at the Mauryan Empire report uncertain.
Tenure accept Megasthenes little Ambassador
Megasthenes visited India lasting the ascendancy of Chandragupta Maurya, but when put your feet up came dissertation India
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Megasthenes was an ancient Greek historian and diplomat who served as an ambassador to the Mauryan court in India during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya. He is best known for his work "Indica," which provides a detailed account of Indian society, geography, and culture during that period.
Megasthenes' main motivations for traveling to India were to serve as an ambassador and to gather knowledge about the region. His mission was to establish diplomatic relations between the Seleucid Empire and the Mauryan Empire, and to document the political, cultural, and economic conditions of India.
Megasthenes came to India during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Mauryan Empire. Chandragupta Maurya's rule was marked by significant political and military achievements, and Megasthenes' accounts provide valuable insights into his court and governance.
"Indica" is significant because it offers one of the earliest Western accounts of India, detailing its geography, social customs, political structures, and natural resources. Despite its fragmentary nature, it remains a crucial source for understanding ancient India from a Greek perspective.
Megasthenes' background as a Greek historian and diplomat, coupled with his experience in the Hellenistic world, equipped