India

(in'de-ah.) The ancient name of all that part of Southern Asia which extended from Persia to Serica (North China). The knowledge po e ed of this portion of the world is extremely small, and dates from the expedition of Alexander the Great. Seleucus Nicator extended the conquests of the Greeks beyond the furthest point reached by Alexander. Ptolemy learned more from subsequent travellers, and his grand division of the country, into India Within and Beyond the Ganges has remained to the present day; - India West of the Ganges corresponding with HINDOSTAN, q. v.; and India Beyond the Ganges, also called Indo-China, or Chin-India, including BURMAH, SIAM, and ANAM, q. v. [s. 481]