Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 58
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[MARCH, 1929
as Indians is certain. This fully agrees with what we know from later records about the Indian character of the civilization and religion which prevailed before the Muhammadan conquest along the whole Kabul river valley from the Hindukush to the Indus. At the same time there is good reason to believe that the languages then spoken in that region and in the adjacent hill tracts, including Swat, were not Indian, but belonged to that indepen. dent branch of Aryan speech, designated as Dard or Dardio, which still has its representatives in the valleys south of the Hindukush from Kåfiristân to Kashmir. In fact, I have shown elsewhere that the very name Assakênoi, in its relation to the corresponding Sanskrit form of Asmaka, as attested among tribal designations of the Indian North-West, bears distinct philological evidence to the Dard speech of those to whom it was applied. 8
That the territory held by the Assakênoi was a large one and comprised the whole of the present Swat, together probably with Bunêr and the valleys to the north of the latter, is clear ; for the operations which were needed for their effective subjugation, extended, as the classi. cal recorris show, from the Panjkôra to the right bank of the Indus. The accounts given by both Arrian and Curtius of these operations, though recorded in some detail, do not suffice in the absence of local investigations-to fix with any critical assurance the position of the sites which they mention. Only for the initial stages of Alexander's march through this large territory was definite guidance available, and that supplied by plain geographical facts. It is certain that in ancient times, as at present, the direct route, and the only one of any importance, must have led from the Panjköra through Talash and across the easy saddle of Katgala into the wide open valley which stretches down from Wuch to the Swåt river and to its strategically important crossing now guarded by the fort of Chakdara.
Beyond this the only indication to be derived from geography is the very general one that the several strong places in which the Assakênoi had taken refuge, and which Alexander successively besieged and captured, are likely to have been situated in the main Swat valley, which at all times, just as now, must have been the most fertile and populous portion of the territory. Arrian, whose account of Alexander's campaign is throughout the most reliable and avowedly based on a careful examination of sources largely contemporary, distinctly tells us that Alexander "marched first to attack Massaga, which was the greatest city in those parts." The reference made to its chief under the name of Assakênos shows that Magsaga was considered the capital.
Arrian gives a lengthy account of the siege which, after battering engines had been brought up against the walls and the chief killed, ended with the city's capitulation. But he furnishes no clue as to the position of Massaga ; nor does the elaborate description recorded by Curtius, VIII. X., of the defences with which both nature and man had provided the city (called by him Mazaga), help us to locate it at present. At none of the sites examined by me have I been able to find topographical features resembling those which this description indicates. Until further search can be made on the ground, I must content myself with expressing the belief that the site of Massage may probably have to be looked for farther down in Swat than has hitherto been supposed. Owing to the great expanse of fertile allu. vial soil which is to be found there, Lower Swat must at all times have been a very populous and rich portion of the whole valley. Its economic and military importance must have been greatly increased in ancient times, just as it is now, by the ease of direct access from it to the open plain of Gandhára. It appears to me on various grounds very unlikely that Alexander, having been brought by his route from Bajaur and the Panjkôra straight to Lower
• See Stein, 'Serindia,' 1, pp. 4 sq.
"For on the east, an impetuous mountain stream with steep banks on both sides barred approach to the oity, while to south and west nature, as if designing to form a rampart, had piled up gigantio roole, at the base of which lay sloughs and yawning chasms hollowed in the course of ages to vast depths, whilo a ditch of mighty l&bour drawn from their extremity continued the line of defence. The city was besides fyrrounded with a wall 38 stadia in circumference," etc.; cf. M'Crindle, Invasion of India,' pp. 194 m.
