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258 POLITICAL HISTORY OF ANCIENT INDIA
25. The kingdom of Mousikanos : 1
This famous state included a large part of modern Sind. Its capital has been identified with Alor in the Sukkur district. The characteristics of the inhabitants of the realm of Mousikanos as noticed by Strabo are given below :
"The following are their peculiarities ; to have a kind of Lacedæmonian common meal, where they eat in public. Their food consists of what is taken in the chase. They make no use of gold nor silver, although they have mines of these metals. Instead of slaves, they employed youths in the flower of their age, as the Cretans employ the Aphamiotæ, and the Lacedæmonians the Helots. They study no science with attention but that of medicine ;3 for they consider the excessive pursuit of some arts, as that of war, and the like to be committing evil. There is no process at law but against murder and outrage, for it is not in a person's own power to escape either one or the other ; but as contracts are in the power of each individual, he must endure the wrong, if good faith is violated by another ; for a man should be cautious whom he trusts, and not disturb the city with constant disputes in courts of justice.”
From the account left by Arrian it appears that the “Brachmans,” i.e., the Brāhmaṇas exercised considerable influence in the country. They were the instigators of a revolt against the Macedonian invader. 4
1 Bevan in Camb. Hist. Ind. p. 377, following Lassen (Inv. Alex. 157 n) restores the name as Mūshika. Dr. Jayaswal' in his Hindu Polity suggests Muchukarna. Cf. Maushikāra (Patañjali, IV. i. 4).
2 H. & F., III, p. 96. 3 This trait they shared with the Ambashthas (cf. Manu, X.47).
4 Chinnock, Arrian, p. 319. Cf. Strabo, xv. i. 66,-"Nearchos says that the Brachmans engage in the affairs of the state and attend the king as councillors,"
