Megasthenes (c. 350 BC-290 BC) was a Greek traveller and geographer. He was born in Asia Minor and became an ambassador sent by Seleucus I of Syria to the court of Sandrocottus (Chandragupta Maurya) of India, in Pataliputra.

His observations were recorded in Indica, a work that served as an important source to many later writers such as Strabo and Arrian. He describes such features as the Himalayas and the island of Sri Lanka. He also described India's caste system.

External links

• Surviving text of Indica

Ancient Greeks | Ancient Greek geographers | Ancient Greeks in Asia | History of India | History of Pakistan | Historiography of India

Megasthenes | Mégasthènes | Megasthenes | メガステネス | Megasthenes