Siege Of Aornos
Even as the siege of massaga was proceeding,Alexander as usual thinking ahead had dispatched several of his commanders to proceed forward and take the neighbouring smaller strongholds to follow up his seizure of massga.This was done to prevent the inhabitants from fleeing and joining forces with indian tribes further inland.he issued the following orders, Coenus was to proceed to an oppidum by the name of
Bazira—he expected this town to capitulate as a result of Massaga. Simultaneously, he sent Alcetas, Attalus and Demetrius to
Ora with the very specific orders to blockade the oppidum of Ora until he could arrive himself and take it.
At Ora things went relatively well ,the macedonians easily beat back a sortie of the inhabitants and proceeded to besiege it.At Bazira however,situated on a steep rock ,Coenus made no progress.Alexander with massaga taken,moved at first towards bazira but changed plans and reidrected his main body towards Ora when he learned that
Abhisara[Abhisares],the king of hazara.(A small kingdom north of taxila on the east bank of the indus)was preparing to relieve the place.He also commanded Coenus to create a camp with a garrison at bazira to watch the place and rejoin alexander at ora.Encouraged at Coenus's departure,the tribesmen at Bazira made a sally but these lightly armed foes were soon driven back with 500 dead by the macedonians.The full brunt of the macedonian war machine fell on
Ora which was stormed days later.On hearing of the fate of Ora,the
disheartened denizens of bazira burnt the place and escaped.Abhisara too gave up any plans for a cross indus intervention.The macedonians now followed the fleeing inhabitants through the shangla pass(see above map) and arrived to where the survivors from all directions in this region had taken refuge - The
Stronghold of Aornos (
'Avarana' in sanskrit - Cover or hiding place)
The mountain, which is at least twelve miles in circumference, and rises to a
height of more than seven thousand feet above the sea, or five thousand above the Indus, is washed on its southern face by that river, which at this point is of great depth, and enclosed by rugged and precipitous rocks, forbidding approach from that side. On the other sides, as at Massaga, ravines, cliffs, and swamps presented obstacles sufficient to daunt the bravest assailant.It was accessible by a single pathway to the summit.It had a flat summit well supplied with natural springs and wide enough to grow crops:
it could not be starved to submission.Local legend held that even the mythical Krishna had not succeeded in taking the fortress,whom the macedonians held synonimous with Hercules.Thus the
son of zeus set out to outdo Herakles,another son of zeus.
Alexander first secured his rear with garrisons at Massaga,Bazira and Ora.Then established a large supply depot in a nearby town,in case the assault failed and his troops had to blockade the place.He conducted a thorough personal reconssaince,Neighboring
tribesmen who surrendered to Alexander offered to lead him to the best point of access.
Ptolemy
managed to gain a foothold on a neighbouring spur to the west,but alexander's initial attempt to effect a junction with this force were repulsed by sorties.After 2 days of fierce skirmishing,
Ptolemy was able to beat back attacks on his field fortifications and a junction was made.At the vulnerable north side leading to the fort, Alexander and his catapults were stopped by a deep ravine.
Examination of the ground showed that a direct attack was impossible until some of the surrounding
ravines should be filled up. Plenty of timber was available in the adjoining forests, and Alexander resolved to use this material to form a pathway.
To bring the siege engines within reach, an
earthwork mound was constructed to bridge the ravine with carpentry, brush and earth. The first day's work brought the siege mound 50 m (60 yards) closer, but as the sides of the ravine fell away steeply below, progress rapidly slowed; nevertheless, at the end of the third day, a low hill connected to the nearest tip of Pir-Sar was within reach and was taken, after Alexander in the vanguard and his first force were
repelled by boulders rolled down from above.Within the brief space of four days Alexander
succeeded in gaining possession of a small hill on a level with the rock, and in thus securing a dominant position. The success of this operation convinced the garrison that the capture of the citadel was merely a question of time, and the negotiations for capitulation on terms were begun.The besieged, being more anxious to gain time for escape than to conclude a treaty,
evacuated the rock during the night, and attempted to slip away unobserved in the darkness.But alexander being vigilant,detected this movement and a handpicked force of 700 men
climbed up and pursued the retreating indians killing a number of them.Aornos ,the stronghold that had never been taken - added further to the reputation of
'Alexander the besieger'.Alexander erected altars to Athena,which have been excavated.
The command of aornos was given to sisocottus(sashigupta).
With the fall of aornos,alexander made quick raid north up the now wholly subdued valley and then retraced his steps this time towards hund -where
Perdiccas and hephaestion awaited with a bridge to take the macedonians to the east of the indus.The surviving assaceni took refuge in abhisara country on the east bank.
Taxila -
At Hund Alexander was met by an embassy from Ambhi (Omphis), who had recently succeeded to the throne of Taxila, the great city three marches beyond the Indus. The lately deceased king had met the invader in the previous year at Nikaia and tendered the submission of his kingdom. This tender was now renewed on behalf of his son by the embassy, and tribute was given which alexander returned fivefold.This strategic generosity earned him the total loyalty of Ambhi,who was to provide liberal supplies to the macedonian army and a contingent of 5000 troops.
The ready submission of the rulers of Taxila is explained by the fact that they desired Alexander’s help against their enemies in the neighbouring states. Taxila was then at war both with the hill kingdom of Abhisara and with the more powerful state governed by the king whom the Greeks called Poros, which corresponded with the modern districts of Jihlam, Gujarat, and Shahpur.
Spring had now begun, and as the omens were favourable, the refreshed army began the passage of the river one morning at daybreak, and, with the help of the Taxilan king, safely effected entrance on the soil of India, which no European traveller or invader had ever before trodden.Meanwhile Abhisara sent an embassy pretending submission,although in reality he awaited a chance to join Puru.Alexander hoped that Poros would display complaisance equal to that of his ally. But a summons sent requiring him to do homage and pay tribute was met with the proud answer that he would indeed come to his frontier to meet the invader, but at the head of an army ready for battle.
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