The correct option is Megasthenes.
Explanation
Following the conflict between Chandragupta Maurya and the Seleucid Empire, a peace treaty was established which included matrimonial alliances and the exchange of envoys. This diplomatic relationship led to the presence of Greek ambassadors in the Mauryan capital, Pataliputra.
Option Analysis
- Periplus Periplus: This is incorrect. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea is not a person but an anonymous navigation and trading text (logbook) written by a Greek sailor in the 1st century CE. It details trade routes and ports between Roman Egypt and India.
- Megasthenes Megasthenes: This is correct. Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador sent by Seleucus I Nicator to the court of Chandragupta Maurya (referred to as Sandrokottos in Greek texts). He lived in Pataliputra and compiled his observations on Mauryan administration, society, and geography in a book titled Indika. The original text is lost, but fragments survive in the works of later writers like Arrian, Strabo, and Diodorus.
- Xuan Zang Xuan Zang: This is incorrect. Xuan Zang (Hiuen Tsang) was a Chinese Buddhist monk and traveler who visited India much later, during the reign of King Harshavardhana in the 7th century CE.
- Fa Xian Fa Xian: This is incorrect. Fa Xian was a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) of the Gupta Empire in the early 5th century CE.
Key Takeaway
Megasthenes was the Seleucid ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya and authored Indika, which serves as a vital source for understanding Mauryan municipal administration and social structure.