Mod 5: Dhana Nanda and Alexander — Agrammes of the Prasii, the Mutiny on the Beas and Why Magadha Was Spared
Concept
8.9 Dhana Nanda and Alexander
🏫 School level · NCERT Class 6–12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
The invasion that stopped at the Beas
The last Nanda, Dhana Nanda (“Nanda the wealthy”), ruled when Alexander of Macedon invaded north-western India (327–325 BCE). Greek and Roman writers call him Agrammes or Xandrames, king of the Prasii (“easterners”) and the Gangaridai. Alexander never reached Magadha: at the river Beas (Hyphasis) his exhausted army refused to go further east.
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Entry | Crossed the Hindu Kush, 327 BCE; Ambhi of Taxila submitted |
| Battle of the Hydaspes | Against Porus on the Jhelum, 326 BCE; Porus defeated but kept his kingdom |
| Beas mutiny | Soldiers led by Coenus refused to march on; 12 altars raised |
| Return | Down the Jhelum and Indus; wounded fighting the Malloi; left India 325 BCE |
| Death | At Babylon, 323 BCE |
| Stay in India | About 19 months |
- Dhana Nanda = Agrammes/Xandrames; ruled during Alexander’s invasion (327–325 BCE).
- Ambhi submits; Porus at the Hydaspes (Jhelum), 326 BCE; ~19 months in India; died Babylon 323 BCE.
- Question: What did the Greeks call Dhana Nanda? Answer: Agrammes (or Xandrames).
- Question: Where did Alexander fight Porus? Answer: On the Jhelum (Hydaspes).
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
Question 1: Classical Greek and Roman chroniclers referred to Emperor Dhana Nanda under which name?
Question 3: Who ruled Magadha when Alexander of Macedon invaded northwestern India in 326 BCE?
[School] “Dhana Nanda” means:
[BPSC level] Alexander fought Porus on the banks of the:
[UPSC level] The ruler of Taxila who submitted to Alexander was:
[BPSC level] Alexander stayed in India for about:
[BSSC pattern] Alexander died in 323 BCE at:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
What did the Greeks call Dhana Nanda?
Agrammes (or Xandrames).Where did Alexander fight Porus?
On the Jhelum (Hydaspes).Concept
8.10 The Beas mutiny
🏫 School level · NCERT Class 6–12 History (the base for UPSC, BPSC, BSSC and other PSC exams)
Phegeus, Agrammes and the frightened army
At the Beas, a local king Phegeus told Alexander about the land beyond: a twelve-day desert march, the great Ganga, and the king of the Prasii and Gangaridai with a huge army. He added that the king, Agrammes, was hated by his people as the son of a barber. Alexander was eager to go on, but his soldiers — tired by years of war, monsoon rain and the hard battle with Porus, and frightened by reports of the Nanda elephants — refused.
- Exhaustion after eight years of campaigning far from home.
- Heavy monsoon rains in Punjab and disease.
- The costly battle with Porus showed how hard Indian armies could fight.
- Reports of the vast Nanda army and its thousands of elephants.
Plutarch says that the young Androcottus (Chandragupta) met Alexander and later remarked that Alexander could easily have conquered the country, because its king was hated for his wickedness and low birth. Justin says “Sandrocottus” offended Alexander. These passages link the fall of the Nandas with the age of Alexander.
- Beas (Hyphasis) mutiny: Coenus; Phegeus’ report; 12 altars.
- Reasons: fatigue, monsoon, Porus battle, fear of Nanda elephants.
- Question: At which river did Alexander turn back? Answer: The Beas (Hyphasis).
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
Question 4: At which river did the army of Alexander the Great mutiny and refuse to march further east?
[UPSC level] The local king who described Agrammes to Alexander at the Beas was:
[BPSC level] The Macedonian officer who spoke for the soldiers at the Beas was:
[UPSC level] Which of these was NOT a reason for the Beas mutiny?
[BSSC pattern] How many altars did Alexander raise on the Beas before turning back?
[UPSC level] Plutarch says that the young Chandragupta (Androcottus) remarked that Alexander could have conquered the Nanda kingdom because:
[School] The river Beas was known to the Greeks as:
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
At which river did Alexander turn back?
The Beas (Hyphasis).Concept
🎯 UPSC · BPSC · BSSC · State PSC level: PYQs, traps and mains
| Exam | What it asks from this module |
|---|---|
| UPSC | Dynasty at Alexander’s invasion (UPSC 2000); Greek names of Indian kings |
| BPSC | Agrammes = Dhana Nanda; Beas mutiny; year 326 BCE |
| BSSC / SSC | River names: Hydaspes, Hyphasis; Porus |
At which river did Alexander’s army refuse to march further east? (a) Jhelum (b) Chenab (c) Ravi (d) Beas
- Greek names: Hydaspes = Jhelum, Acesines = Chenab, Hydraotes = Ravi, Hyphasis = Beas. The mutiny took place on the Hyphasis (Beas).
- Agrammes/Xandrames = Dhana Nanda; Sandrocottus = Chandragupta; Amitrochates = Bindusara.
- Battle with Porus = Jhelum (Hydaspes); mutiny = Beas (Hyphasis).
- Alexander never fought the Nandas.
Model question: Why did Alexander’s campaign stop at the Beas, and what were its consequences for India? Points: army fatigue and monsoon; fear of the Nanda army; political vacuum in the north-west; Greek knowledge of India; rise of Chandragupta; later Indo-Greek contacts.
- Agrammes = Dhana Nanda; Sandrocottus = Chandragupta; Amitrochates = Bindusara.
- Question: Did Alexander fight the Nandas? Answer: No.
MCQs
Answer this question, then use Next.
[BPSC level] At which river did Alexander’s army refuse to march further east?
[UPSC level] Which set of Greek names and kings is correct?
[BSSC pattern] The Malloi, who wounded Alexander, are identified with the:
[UPSC level] Which statement about Alexander and the Nandas is correct?
[BPSC level] Alexander crossed the Hindu Kush to begin his Indian campaign in:
[School] Which pair of a Greek writer and his role is correct?
One-liners
Write your answer, then submit to see the correct answer.
Did Alexander fight the Nandas?
No.