Although Makran still has strategic importance today, it also boasts an interesting history. It is noteworthy that this is the route taken by Alexander the Great on his return journey after his expedition to India.
Iran plans to move its capital from Tehran to the southern city of Makran, a move that could mark a historic milestone. Makran, part of the Balochistan Plateau shared by Pakistan and Iran, is a semi-arid coastal region bordering the Arabian Sea. The area still has strategic importance today, but also boasts an interesting history. It is noteworthy that this is the route taken by Alexander the Great on his return journey after his expedition to India. Many historians believe that this area became a cemetery for Alexander’s army, as a significant portion of his soldiers died there.
According to the Down to Earth report, Alexander’s campaign in the Indian subcontinent (present-day Pakistan and northwest India) lasted from 327 BC to 325 BC. Alexander and his Macedonian army defeated the Indian king Porus at the Battle of the Hydaspes River (now known as the Jhelum River). After this victory, his army marched as far as the Hyphasis River (now Beas River), but the soldiers refused to go any further. They were tired from being far from home for a long time and feared attack from large enemy forces. Respecting their wishes, Alexander sent part of his army back to Persia with his commander and led the rest of his army through the harsh Gedrossian Desert, known today as Makran.
Alexander was trapped in Makran
Passing through Gedrosia turned out to be fatal for Alexander the Great’s army. The region’s harsh environment took a severe toll on his troops. The Greek historian Aryan of Nicomedia wrote in his book The Anabasis of Alexander: Even water was scarce. The soldiers managed to find a way to survive, but the military animals began to die rapidly. ”
Ariane further pointed out that soldiers were forced to kill and consume horses and mules as they battled hunger. Many soldiers, weakened by hunger and fatigue, got lost and were swallowed by the desert sands. Furthermore, after enduring extreme heat and thirst, when the troops finally found a sufficient water source, many drank to excess and died as a result.
In their 2022 paper “Historical Perspectives and Medical Diseases of Alexander the Great,” researchers Shreekey Mishra, Adam Menegstav, and Shweta Khosa emphasize: “It took Alexander several weeks to cross the Indus River, and then another week to cross the Gedrossian Desert. It was a harrowing experience, as thousands of his soldiers lost their lives in the desert. Of the 120,000 infantry and 15,000 cavalry that Alexander brought to India, only about a quarter survived.
