Tragedy of Afrikes and Invasion of Dyrta
Alexander got the news that one of the three sons of Cleophis (and the brother of the deceased war leader, Assaeknos of Massaga), was hovering in the mountains with an army of 20,000 and a fleet of 15 war elephants waiting for the right opportunity for a showdown with the Macedonians. Didorus calls this Ashvakayana chieftain as Afrikes while Curtius refers to him as Erix. Scholars state that the name Afrikes seems to contain reference to Aprita or Afridi, thereby, linking the Afridis with the Ashvakayanas. Alexander proceeded against Afrikes. However, at the critical juncture, a dispute arose among Afrikes' followers and some deserters assassinated him and presented his head to Alexander and joined his ranks. After this tragic event, Alexander proceeded against the Ashvakayanas of Dyrta (Sanskrit Darteya or Dharteya), north of Mahaban, near the point of issue of the Indus from the mountains. This section of the Ashvakayanas is known as Dharteyas to Pāṇini and like other Ashvakayanas, have been styled as Ayudhajivin Samgha (Warlike republics) in the Ganapatha of Pāṇini. But the Dharteya Ashvakayas deserted their habitats and disappeared into the mountains. Alexander ordered the area to be combed and himself proceeded towards the Indus. Nothing more is known about the fate of the Dharteyas.
Read more about this topic: Alexander The Great And The Kambojas
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