From Pattala, a swampy place located near the Indus delta, Alexander the Great retreat from India on 1st of October 326 B.C. and headed westward to Makran coast. At this place, Alexander the Great divided his multinational army into two major sections, the navy under the command of Admiral Nearchus, while he kept infantry under his own command. After crossing Arabus River, they entered into Oritae country. The Greek Geographers described this country in their chronical which extends from Arabus River to Malana (Ras Malan). Alexander smashed the Oritae armies at the Arabus River and Malana and divided this country into several satraps. Greek chronologist, Arrian of Nicomedia, in his book “The Anabasis of Alexander” mentioned several coastal towns belonged to this country, i.e., Arabis, Pagala, Kabana, Rhambakia, Tomeros, and Malana. Arrian in his second book “Indica” a work on a variety of things pertaining to India, and the voyage of Nearchus in the Arabian Sea, also mentioned the peculiar flora found in this region, i.e., Mangroves, Commiphora wightii, Euphorbia caducifolia, and Calotropis procera as well as curious marine fauna. These plant species have been recorded in this book from variety of perspective. After pacification of Oritaes, Alexander handed over this country to Hephaestions and entered into the country of Ichthyophagy. According to Arrian after Malana, the Greeks entered into coast of Ichthyophagy. Nearchus in his voyage in Arabian sea (part of Erythraean Sea) mentioned several coastal towns belonged to Ichthyophagy, i.e., Bagisara, Kolta, Kalima, Karbis, Mosarna, Balomos. However, Barna or present-day Gwadar, was not considered as an Ichthyophagy coastal town, instead described as a small well-developed town surrounded by flowering gardens and orchards. It may be possible that at the time of Alexander tour of this town it was under the control of the Achaemenid Empire. The presence of Koh-i-Batil dam on the Gwadar promontory possibly endorse Arrian’s claim. After Barna, Nearchus again reentered into Ichthyophagy country and recorded some small coastal towns, i.e., Dendrobosa, Zorambus, and Kophas. The archeological evidence discovered at Prahag area of present day Pasni and Meri Qalat, Turbat, endorsed that the Ichthyophagy resided at the coastal Makran for over 4000 B.C. At Mosarna, Nearchus hired a local seaman “Hydrakes” due to which he carried out his later voyage without any trouble, however, we missed several small coastal towns.

Key words: Alexander the Great, Nearchus, Arrian, Coastal Makran, Ichthyophagy