Gangaridae
- an Indian people near the Ganges, in the modern Bengal, Plin. 6, 18, 22, § 65; Curt. 9, 2, 2; Verg. G. 3, 27; Val. Fl. 6, 67.
GANGARI´DAE (Γαγγαρῖδαι, Ptol. 7.1.81, 2.14), a people who lived along the coast of the bay of Bengal, at the mouths of the Ganges, from which they probably derived their name. According to Ptolemy their capital was named Gange (7.1.81); in another place, however, he omits the name of the chief town, but adds that there are six towns, whose names he gives, in the country. It would appear from Pliny that a portion at least of these people extended considerably to the south. in the country now occupied by the Circars of the Coromandel coast,--as he speaks of gente Gangaridum Calingarum( 6.18. s. 22). The Calingae were probably near Calinapatnam, between the Godavery and Mahanuddy. Virgil (Georg. 3.27) and Valerius Flaccus (Argon. 6.66) mention the name of the Gangaridae. Curtius places them beyond the Ganges to the eastward, along with the Prasii (9.7). Their name seems to have been sometimes confused with that of the Gandaridae. Thus, when Dionysius Periegetes writes Gargaridae (5.1144), he probably means Gandaridae and not, as some commentators have supposed, this people.
[V](Γαγγαρίδαι). A people near the mouths of the Ganges. Ptolemy assigns them a capital, called Ganga Regia, on the western side of the Ganges. The Gangaridae were allies of the Prasii, who lay nearer the Indus towards the northwest. The united forces of these two nations awaited the army of Alexander on the other side of the Hyphasis; but report made them so formidable in numbers and valour that the wearied and alarmed Macedonians refused to cross the stream, in spite of all the efforts and remonstrances of their king (Justin, xii. 8; Q. Curt. ix. 2; Georg. iii. 27).