Megasthenes facts for kids
Megasthenes was an ancient Greek explorer and writer who lived around 350 to 290 BCE. He is famous for writing a book called Indica, which described ancient India. Megasthenes was born in a place called Asia Minor, which is now part of Turkey.
He worked as an ambassador for a Greek king named Seleucus I Nicator. This king ruled the Seleucid Empire. Megasthenes was sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya, a powerful Indian emperor. Chandragupta Maurya's capital city was Pataliputra in India. The exact time he visited is not fully known, but many experts believe he was there between 302 and 298 BCE. Other Greek ambassadors also visited India after Megasthenes, like Deimachus and Dionysius.
His Life and Journeys
Megasthenes was a Greek ambassador for King Seleucus I Nicator. He served in the court of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya. A historian named Arrian wrote that Megasthenes lived in a region called Arachosia. This was with a local governor named Sibyrtius. From there, Megasthenes traveled to India.
Megasthenes lived with Sibyrtius, governor of Arachosia. He often spoke of visiting Sandracottus, the king of the Indians. —Arrian, Anabasis Alexandri
Traveling to India
We know more about the parts of India that Megasthenes visited. He entered the country through a region called the Pentapotamia. This name means "The five rivers." Today, this area is known as the Punjab region. He wrote a lot about the rivers there. These are believed to be the five rivers that flow into the Indus River.
From the Punjab, Megasthenes followed a main royal road. This road led him to the city of Pataliputra. Some stories say he also visited Madurai in southern India. However, it seems he did not travel to many other parts of India.
See also
In Spanish: Megástenes para niños
