1893.] 
Civilization of Ancient India. 
87 
tlie Chinese pilgrim, the true name of the place must have been 
Karsana, as written by Ptolemy, and not Cartana, as noted by Pliny. 
The same form of the name is also found on a rare coin of Eukratides, 
with the legend Kctrisiye nagara, or ‘ city of Karisi ’, which I have 
identified with the Kalasi of the Buddhist chronicles, as the birthplace 
of Raja Milindu. In another passage of the same chronicle, 1 Milindu is 
said to have been born at Alasanda, or Alexandria, the capital of the 
Yona, or Greek country. Kalasi must, therefore, have been either 
Alexandria itself, or some place close to it. The latter conclusion agrees 
exactly with the position of Begram, which is only a few miles to the 
east of Opiiin. Originally two distinct places, like Delhi and Shah 
Jahanabad, or London and Westminster, I suppose Opidn and Karsana 
to have gradually approached each other as they increased in size, until 
at last they virtually became one large city. On the coins of the earlier 
Greek kings of Ariana, — Euthydemus, Demetrius, and Eukratides, — we 
find the monograms of both cities ; but, after the time of Eukratides, 
that of Opiana disappears altogether, while that of Karsana is common 
to most of the later princes. The contemporary occurrence of these 
mint monograms proves that the two cities were existing at the same 
time ; while the sudden disuse of the name of Opian may serve to show 
that, during the latter period of Greek occupation, the city of Alex- 
andria had been temporarily supplanted by Karsana.” 
The Alexandria above referred to is the city founded by Alexander, 
and described by Pliny as “ Alexandria Opianes ”, situated “ sub ipso 
Cancaso”. The modern name of the site identified with it is said to be 
variously spelled Opian, Opiyan, and (Malik) Ilupian. 
The Mahawanso calls Alasanna “ the city, or capital, of the Yona 
country”, Yona naggaralasanna. ( Tumour , page 171). Tumour himself 
writes the name as Alasadda. 
I have not specially studied the ancient geography of Ariana, and 
therefore abstain from pronouncing any personal opinion on the geo- 
graphical questions raised in the preceding extracts. 
1 Milindu-prapia, quoted by Hardy, in ‘ Manual of Buddhism ’, pp. 440, 516. 
