Alexander the Great’s attack on Balochistan was a very difficult task. His army fought against brave tribes and struggled through the tough land. This challenging invasion truly tested Alexander’s famous conquering skills.
Alexander the Great was the son of Philip, the ruler of the Macedonian state in Greece. He was born in 356 BC. Special plans were made for his education and training as a prince. Apart from learning how to fight in wars, he had the best teachers for regular studies. Aristotle, a famous student of the well-known philosopher Plato, was chosen as Alexander’s tutor. Aristotle taught him many subjects and prepared him mentally for conquering the world.
From a young age, Alexander was trained in military skills like chess, horse riding, sword fighting, archery, and other martial arts. He conquered Greece at a very young age and became famous in the military field. After that, he left Europe and started conquering parts of Asia and Africa. He was successful in his conquests for eleven years and became the greatest conqueror of that time. Like other rulers and conquerors mentioned in history books, Alexander’s conquests and invasions were driven by greed and the desire to gain wealth.
After uniting the powers of Europe and plundering Egypt and Babylon, Alexander reached India through the northwestern passes. He conquered India, Punjab, and extended his reign beyond his homeland, staying for eleven years. When his soldiers refused to go further due to thirst, he came to Bal (Sindh). From there, he divided his army into three parts and ordered them to reach Iran through different areas of Balochistan, while he commanded one part himself.
Out of Alexander’s total journey of eleven years, the two months he spent in Balochistan proved to be more painful and challenging than all the previous hardships. This brief account highlights the political and geographical situation of the Baloch region during Alexander’s invasions and the tribes who resisted his attacks and fought bloody wars against him.
In 331 BC, Alexander defeated the last Achaemenid ruler, Darius III, ending the Achaemenid power and establishing Greek rule in the region. After Iran, the Greek army invaded Central Asia and entered the plains of Punjab through the northwestern border region, reaching the banks of the Beas river while advancing towards northern India. Alexander defeated the strong ruler of the state of Hamda (Punjab), Raja Porus, but later restored him to his throne with a representative.
On the return journey, many tribes were encountered, including those located near the Indus River, where Alexander sent a part of his army, including disabled soldiers, women, children, old people, slaves, and booty, under the leadership of one of his chieftains, to Iran through the Bolan Pass. Another group of 8,000 soldiers headed by their leader Nir Wakhs set off along the coast of Makran towards the Persian Gulf, while Alexander kept the most important unit of 40,000 soldiers and warriors under his command, choosing the route leading to Iran through the coastal areas of Balochistan, Lasbela.
Alexander’s journey was extremely difficult due to the dry deserts and mountains of Lasbela with few human settlements and scarce food and water supplies. Despite suffering from the disastrous head of Lu Maran, he persevered and left Nero in Batla (present-day Hyderabad or Thatta) and headed for Iran. Along the way, he faced resistance and armed attacks from various tribes, including the Arbui (Brahui) and Betai, who put severe obstacles in his path.
Alexander’s fleet, under the command of Amir al-Bahr Nir and Khus, faced challenges such as shortages of water and food, battles with indigenous people, and treacherous terrain. The coastal inhabitants, known as Juhita Figoi (fish eaters), lived in primitive conditions, eating raw fish and residing in shelters made from whale bones and jaws.
Alexander’s army also encountered hardships, including losing their way, lack of water and food, and extreme weather conditions. They were forced to break trees for fuel and consume the meat of their riding animals. Alexander witnessed everything silently due to the difficult and miserable situation. After numerous trials, he managed to reach the plains of Sikandar and Bara, where the Ged Roshi area began, with its coastal region being largely uninhabited.
After overcoming immense challenges, Alexander succeeded in reaching the capital of Pura (Pahrah or Fahraj), completing his journey through Balochistan in sixty days. Historians agree that the hardships faced by Alexander and his army across Balochistan far exceeded those encountered in the rest of Asia. He eventually reached Greece, but died of pneumonia in Babylon in 323 BC at the age of 33.
Following Alexander’s death, his generals fought among themselves, and his influential general Seleucus Nicator declared his own separate empire, the Seleucid Empire, in 306 BC, encompassing Iran, Afghanistan, India, Sindh, and Central Asia. However, in 305 BC, the rising power of Chandragupta Maurya in India defeated the Seleucids, resulting in an agreement where Afghanistan and Balochistan were taken from Seleucus and included in the Indo-Maurya Empire, while the rest of the Baloch region, including Sistan and South Khorasan, remained part of the Seleucid Empire.
The Greek era in Balochistan proved to be a whirlwind, with many areas of the Baloch tribes coming under Seleucus Nicator’s control. The reign of the Seleucids was short-lived, and two local dynasties, the Ashkani and Kushani (both Baloch tribes), gained power and established their dominance in the region.
Article written by Faryal Baloch, an independent researcher.
