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  A Brief Discussion About ‘ Indica’ by Megasthenes Introduction Indica is one of the most   important literary and historical works for understanding ancient India, particularly the period of the Mauryan Empire. It was written by Megasthenes, a Greek diplomat, geographer, and historian who visited India during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya in the late fourth century BCE. Megasthenes was sent as an ambassador by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's successors, to the court of Chandragupta Maurya. During his stay in India, he carefully observed the country's geography, society, administration, economy, culture, and religious practices. These observations were later compiled into a work known as Indica . Although the original text of Indica has been lost, fragments of the work survive through quotations and references in the writings of later Greek and Roman authors such as Strabo, Arrian, Diodorus, and Pliny. These fragments have helped historians recons...