Nagara (ancient city)

Nagara (Ancient Greek: Νάγαρα), also known as Dionysopolis (Διονυσόπολις), was an ancient city in the northwest part of India intra Gangem (India within the Ganges), distinguished in Ptolemy by the title ἡ καὶ Διονυσόπολις 'also Dionysopolis'.[1] It also appears in sources as Nagarahara,[2] and was situated between the Kabul River and the Indus, in present-day Afghanistan. From the second name which Ptolemy has preserved, we are led to believe that this is the same place as Nysa (Νύσα) or Nyssa (Νύσσα), which was spared from plunder and destruction by Alexander the Great because the inhabitants asserted that it had been founded by Dionysus, when he conquered the area.[3] A mountain called Meron (Μηρὸν) (i.e. thigh) was said to overhang the city, which was also connected with the legend of Dionysus having been reared in the thigh of Zeus.

The site of Nagara is usually associated with a site now called Nagara Ghundi, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) west of Jalalabad, south of the junction of the Surkhäb and Kabul rivers, where ancient ruins have been found.[4]

References

1. Ptolemy. The Geography. 7.1.43.
2. Richard Talbert, ed. (2000). Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. Princeton University Press. p. 6, and directory notes accompanying.
3. Arrian, Anab. 5.1; Curt. 8.10.7.
4. "Afghanistan Significant Site 155. Nagara Ghundi". www.cemml.colostate.edu.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Nagara". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.