Conquered

Sri Lanka and the Time of Sorrows

Far north of Sri Lanka, Megasthenes, the Greek Ambassador to the Indian Maurya court around 290 BCE, was reading his copy of Thucydides, noting as he did so the famous historian's thoughts about what fails a people most: "want of sense, of courage, or of vigilance."

For it was the want of all three, especially the last of these attributes, which was to tip the Vijayan kingdom not once but twice into such long and shocking periods of surrender that for well over half a century it was a kingdom under occupation; its great city of Anuradhapura recast with a Tamil polish; and its plaintiff kings killed or exiled.

In Conquered, book seven in The Ceylon Press History of Sri Lanka, take a tour of Sri Lanka's two terrible invasions form India; and how its kings attempted to fight back.

The Ceylon Press Pocket Professor History of Sri Lanka is made up of 100 very short books, or talks, which explore the great themes of Sri Lankan history, alongside its day-to-day story down the centuries.

It can also be enjoyed as a Podcast at theceylonpress.com.