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32. Why did not Alexander cross the Beas? 
By H. C. Ray, M.A. 
y Mr. E. R. Bevan in the 
Cambridge History of India have exhaustively dealt with the 
subject. Dr. H.C. Ray Choudhury also in his Political His- 
fory of Ancient India has fully discussed the invasion and has 
arrived at some similar conclusions as those of mine. In this 
paper, however, I shall confine myself to the question why 
Alexander turned back his steps from the bank of the Beas. 
In the spring of B.C. 334 Alexander crossed the Helles- 
pont with an army of about 30,000 foot and 4,000 horse.! 
The battle of Arbela? in the spring of 331 B.C. virtually 
brought the vast Achaemenian empire at the feet of the 
Macedonian conqueror. The Persian empire extending from 
the Aigaeum Sea to the borders of India seemed to crumble 
to pieces at the magic touch of a few thousand Greek soldiers. 
Its enormous resources and millions of soldiery did not avail.* 
There can be no better proof of the inherent weakness of the 
Persians when compared with Greek discipline, bravery and 
leadership. 
Thus the tide of Persian invasions into Hellas which 
began with the expedition of Mardonius in 492 B.C. and reached 
its climax in 480 B.C. by the capture and burning of Athens 
Was reversed. But Alexander was not satisfied. His ambi- 

| According to some the figures were 43,000 foot and 5,000 horse. 
See Bernadotte Perrin’s Plutarchs Lives, Vol. pooh. 
2 Plutarch informs us that the battle was fought at Gaugamela and 
not at Arbela as most writers state. [bid, p. 317. 
< 4 3 
, 27, 
4 Wakao informs us that Dareius came to meet Alexander at 
Gaugamela with a million men. [bi 
§ McCrindle’s Ancient India, its 
124, 173, 246. 
® Bernadotte Perrin’s Plutarch’s Lives, Vol. VII, p. 411. I sede no 
’ invasion by Alexander, pp. 70, 82, 
