author

John Watson McCrindle

1825–1913

A Scottish classicist and educator, he is best remembered for making ancient Greek and Roman accounts of India accessible to modern readers. His books on Megasthenes, Ptolemy, Arrian, and other classical writers helped shape English-language understanding of early Indian history.

1 Audiobook

The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great as described by Arrian, Q. Curtius, Diodoros, Plutarch and Justin: Being Translations of such portions of the Works of these and other Classical Authors as describe Alexander's Campaigns in Afghanistan, the Panjâb, Sindh, Gedrosia and Karmania

The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great as described by Arrian, Q. Curtius, Diodoros, Plutarch and Justin: Being Translations of such portions of the Works of these and other Classical Authors as describe Alexander's Campaigns in Afghanistan, the Panjâb, Sindh, Gedrosia and Karmania

by John Watson McCrindle

About the author

Born near Maybole in Ayrshire in 1825, J. W. McCrindle studied at the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated with distinction in classics and earned the Stratton Gold Medal. He later became known as a careful classical scholar with a strong interest in how the ancient Mediterranean world described India.

McCrindle spent part of his career in India as an educator, including work connected with Patna and Krishnagar colleges. Alongside teaching, he devoted himself to translating and editing Greek and Latin texts that mention the subcontinent, turning difficult classical sources into readable volumes for English-speaking audiences.

His best-known books include Ancient India as described by Megasthenes and Arrian, The Commerce and Navigation of the Erythraean Sea, Ancient India as Described by Ptolemy, and The Invasion of India by Alexander the Great. He died in 1913, but his translations and compilations remain useful to readers interested in ancient geography, trade, and the early historical record of India.