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Gandhara (not "Ghandara") is mentioned in the Behistun inscription of the Persian emperor Darius, from about two hundred years before Alexander, so it's clearly
by Keysh 2y ago
Gandhara (not "Ghandara") is mentioned in the Behistun inscription of the Persian emperor Darius, from about two hundred years before Alexander, so it's clearly not "a corruption of Alexandria".
- nuc1e0n 2y agoOh really? Maybe that's wrong then. Is the name a transcription or a translation? What script were the records written in originally? Names can be retroactively applied, especially in translation. Looks like I've got some reading to do. Edit: Maybe I got confused between different folk etymologies for the name of the city of Kandahar.
- profsummergig 2y agoFrom what I understand (and I could be wrong), Kandahar is the modern name of Gandhara.
- nuc1e0n 2y agoThat's what I thought as well, but clearly there's more debate there to be had than I realised. Was the city not founded by one of Alexander's generals or was it? Or ever called something like Iskanderha? I don't know.
- Keysh 2y agoKandahar is a city; Gandhara was a kingdom. (But, yes, there is a theory that the name ["Kandahar"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandahar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandahar) derives from Gandhara, as opposed to deriving from "Alexander" -- though it seems generally agreed that there was a city -- [Alexandria of Arachosia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria_Arachosia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandria_Arachosia) named after him built on that spot.)