02-07-2008, 01:55 PM
Concerning the question of the introduction of the turret, Goukowsky (Le roi Pôros, son éléphant et quelques autres, Goukowsky, Paul, pages 473 - 502 (Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique, volume 96, issue 1, 1972))) argues IMHO convincingly that the howdah was invented between 300 and 280 BC by the Greeks, perhaps by Pyrrhos, while it had before remained unknown to the Indians. This also seems supported by the fact that Kautilya's text, which is otherwise abundant with references for the military use of elephants, is silent on the matter of turrets. Is Goukowsky's conclusion, after all more than 30 years old (1973), still valid or has more recent research pointed to prior uses of turrets by the Indians?
Introduction of armour : Although I haven't found any author yet, who explicitly states that elephant armour was also first introduced by the Greeks, the first literary references I found are again from the classical world, that is from the battle of Magnesia (Livy) and Caesar's expedition to Britain (Polyaenus), while Porus' elephants, according to Greek sources, apparently wore no armour. Does any ancient Indian evidence point to the contrary, or can we credit the Greeks also with the introduction of elephant armour?
Introduction of armour : Although I haven't found any author yet, who explicitly states that elephant armour was also first introduced by the Greeks, the first literary references I found are again from the classical world, that is from the battle of Magnesia (Livy) and Caesar's expedition to Britain (Polyaenus), while Porus' elephants, according to Greek sources, apparently wore no armour. Does any ancient Indian evidence point to the contrary, or can we credit the Greeks also with the introduction of elephant armour?
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
