Nearchus
Nearchus
(nēär`kəs), fl. 324 B.C., Macedonian general, b. Crete; friend of Alexander the GreatAlexander the Greator Alexander III,
356–323 B.C., king of Macedon, conqueror of much of Asia. Youth and Kingship
The son of Philip II of Macedon and Olympias, he had Aristotle as his tutor and was given a classical education.
..... Click the link for more information. . In 325 B.C., Alexander, about to leave India, had a fleet built in the Indus to transport part of the army home. Nearchus was put in command. They sailed up the Persian coast and rejoined (324 B.C.) Alexander at Susa in Persia. Nearchus' own account of this voyage, together with his description of India, is included in ArrianArrian
(Flavius Arrianus) , fl. 2d cent. A.D., Greek historian, philosopher, and general, b. Nicomedia in Bithynia. He was governor of Cappadocia under Emperor Hadrian and in A.D. 134 repulsed an invasion of the Alans.
..... Click the link for more information. 's Indica.
Bibliography
See A. Flavius, Indica, tr. by E. I. Robson, Vol II, The Loeb Classical Library (1933, repr. 1958).
Nearchus
(also Nearchos). Year of birth unknown; died circa 312 B.C. A “companion” of Alexander the Great and a participant in the campaign in India; ruler of Lycia and Pamphylia from 334.
In 325 B.C., during the return of Alexander the Great’s forces from India, Nearchus was given command of the fleet and became the first to successfully navigate from India to Mesopotamia. His account of the voyage has not been preserved. It contained information on the flora and fauna and population of India and the Persian Gulf coast. Nearchus’ account was widely used by the ancient authors Arrianus and Strabo.