India Before Alexander: A New Chronology by Raja Ram Mohan Roy is a book that challenges the traditional understanding of Indian history. The book argues that the traditional chronology, which is based on the identification of Sandrokottos of the Greek accounts with Chandragupta Maurya, is incorrect. Roy proposes a new identification for Sandrokottos, namely Chandragupta I of the Imperial Gupta Dynasty. This new identification has the effect of pushing back the dates of Indian history by several centuries.
Roy’s book is based on a comprehensive analysis of the source materials, including the Greek accounts, the Indian inscriptions, and the archaeological evidence. He argues that the traditional identification of Sandrokottos with Chandragupta Maurya is based on a number of errors and assumptions. For example, he points out that the Greek accounts do not actually mention Chandragupta Maurya by name, and that the Indian inscriptions that mention Sandrokottos do not mention Chandragupta Maurya either.
Roy’s book has been praised by some historians for its careful scholarship and its challenging of the traditional chronology.