Did increased trade between India and the Roman Empire point to Caesarion's ultimate fate?

by Mary Harrsch © 2024

William Dalyrumple's new book, The Golden Road, (https://www.theguardian.com/.../the-golden-road-how...) appears to explore, in depth, a lucrative trade relationship between India and the Roman Empire that developed after Octavian's defeat of Antony and Cleopatra. But, was this relationship developed because of Rome's subsequent control of Egypt or did it reflect India's collaboration in the disposal of Caesarion by agents of Octavian in India?

Ptolemaic-era gold diadem with dangling pearl or shell ornaments pointing to early trade between Ptolemaic Egypt and India, 225-175 BCE, that I photographed at the Getty Villa in 2006. 

 

"Behold, you came with your vague charm. In history only a few lines are found about you, and so I molded you more freely in my mind. I molded you handsome and sentimental. My art gives to your face a dreamy compassionate beauty. And so fully did I envision you, that late last night, as my lamp was going out -- I let go out on purpose -- I fancied that you entered my room, it seemed that you stood before me; as you might have been in vanquished Alexandria, pale and tired, idealistic in your sorrow, still hoping that they would pity you, the wicked -- who whispered "Too many Caesars." - Constanine P. Cavafy, Greece, (1863-1933).

Although this evocative poetry is quite moving, it envisions Caesarion in a vanquished Alexandria while Plutarch relates Caesarion actually escaped to India, at least for a time, before being betrayed to Octavian’s agents.

Caesarion, who was said to be Cleopatra's son by Julius Caesar, was sent by his mother, with much treasure, into India, by way of Ethiopia. There Rhodon, another tutor like Theodorus, persuaded him to go back, on the ground that [Augustus] Caesar invited him to take the kingdom. - Plutarch, Life of Antony

Plutarch's account coincides with an oral tradition in India that the Cheras of Kerala traded extensively with Egypt and the descendants of that royal family were told letters were exchanged with Cleopatra.

The [Canadian] historian George Woodcock states Caesarion did indeed manage to escape with a large treasure and was granted asylum in Kerala. Lucy Hughes-Hallet in her book “Cleopatra: histories, dreams, distortions” says the Queen herself intended to flee to India but fell ill and therefore ordered her son to leave without her...whether or not he reached Kerala and survived is not known clearly, but the story assumes that he arrived in Kerala and was received as a honored guest of the royal family. In fact, such was the respect and importance of this guest that there is said to have been a matrimonial alliance between the Egyptian prince and a Chera princess. -Cleopatra and Cheraman Perumal

Furthermore, Nicolaus of Damascus reported ongoing communications between factions in India and Augustus at this time.

"This writer [Nicolaus of Damascus] states that at Antioch, near Daphne, he met with ambassadors from the Indians, who were sent to Augustus Caesar. It appeared from the letter that several persons were mentioned in it, but three only survived, whom he says he saw. The rest had died chiefly in consequence of the length of the journey. The letter was written in Greek upon a skin; the import of it was, that Porus was the writer, that although he was sovereign of six hundred kings, yet that he highly esteemed the friendship of Cæsar; that he was willing to allow him a passage through his country, in whatever part he pleased, and to assist him in any undertaking that was just."

I am disturbed that so many western scholars seem to discount the writings of eastern scholars when it comes to Caesarion's demise. When I asked Gemini about it, Gemini said most western scholars claim there simply wasn't enough time for Caesarion to reach India before Octavian's forces besieged Alexandria. I personally find that statement utterly ridiculous. The battle of Actium occurred on 2 September 31 BCE. Octavian did not seize control of Alexandria until 1 August 30 BCE - almost a full year later. Do they assume a very intelligent Cleopatra VII would have waited until the last minute to safeguard her precious son by Julius Caesar?

Other scholars point to the sudden increase in trade with India as just a consequence of Rome's complete takeover of Egypt and resulting exposure to Indian luxury goods. But did India trade as heavily with Egypt before Octavian's conquest? The geographer Strabo observes the intensity of activity at Alexandria's ports was significantly higher than it was under Ptolemaic rule.

Of course, any time you are evaluating ancient sources, you must consider the statement's accuracy if the source is patronized by a particular ruler. In Strabo's case, Strabo's participation in the military campaign into Arabia Felix alongside Aelius Gallus suggested a deeper connection with the Roman state. While it doesn't definitively prove direct financial support from Augustus, it strengthens the case for Strabo's work being influenced by, and potentially beneficial to, the emperor's interests.

So, what about the missive from a ruler in India (Porus is actually a Greek term referring to a king or chieftain and not necessarily a name) offering their assistance in "any undertaking that was just?" The clue that the document was written on animal skin points to the correspondence being of royal or noble origin and the contents deemed important enough to use animal skin and not more perishable palm leaves used commonly in India of that period for day-to-day administrative communications. The fact that it was intercepted near Antioch reflects the possibility of an origin in northwest India. At that time, northwest India was known as the Indo-Greek Kingdoms originally administered by descendants of Alexander the Great's commanders.

These Kingdoms periodically clashed with the Cheras of Kerala in southern India over control of trade, particularly the pearl trade, much of it involving pearl diving activities in the gulf of Manar. One or more of these chieftains would have been more interested in garnering control of the pearl trade than in any past promise of asylum made by one of the Cheras of Kerala to the 17-year-old descendant of a Ptolemy who no longer held any meaningful sovereignty.

All of this information was gleaned from my research of Indian's ancient pearl trade to see if a study of the source of pearls in Ptolemaic and Roman jewelry could point to the ultimate fate of Caesarion. I plan to public a full research article as my health permits.