The Campaigns of Alexander (Classics) (46 page)

55
. For the royal tombs see Diodorus 17.71.2.

56
. 330
B.C.

57
. Barsine, usually called Stateira. For her marriage to Alexander see p. 353.

58
. The modern Asterabad.

59
. Probably Meshed.

60
. Also called Zariaspa (Strabo 11.11.2), the modern Balkh.

61
. Arrian also calls the country Drangiana, as on p. 182. It lay to the west of Arachotia.

62
. At Phrada, later called Prophthasia (‘Anticipation’) with reference to the detection of the plot. For Philotas’ alleged plot see Plutarch
Alexander
48–9, Diodorus 17.79. 1–80.2, Curtius 6.7–11, who all say that Philotas was tortured to extract a confession.

63
. According to Plutarch, Alexander had Antigone, Philotas’ mistress, report his utterances to him.

64
. In fact, there was
no
evidence against Philotas, except that he twice failed to arrange an audience for a Macedonian named Cebalinus who claimed that he had important information to give the king. It transpired that this concerned a plot against Alexander.

65
. Or stoned to death (Curtius 6.11.38).

66
. Details in Curtius 7.2.11–35.

67
. See, e.g., pages 78 and 91. The Thessalian cavalry were particularly his command, the Pharsalian squadron corresponding to Alexander’s Royal Squadron (p. 166).

68
. For the trial of Amyntas see Curtius 7.1.10–2.10.

69
. i.e. Cleitus ‘the Black’, who had saved Alexander’s life at the Granicus.

70
. By the ‘Indian Caucasus’ Arrian means the Hindu Kush; see pp. 262-3, and cf. Strabo 11.8.1. The city is generally known as ‘Alexandria by the Caucasus’, founded perhaps on the site of Begram, 25 miles north-east of Kabul.

71
. It is represented on the coins of Cyrene.

72
. For the ‘Tanais’ see p. 199.

73
. For Bactra see p. 190 n. 60. The other towns are the modern Kunduz and Tashkurgan respectively. Alexander crossed the Hindu Kush by the Khawak pass, 11,600 ft high.

74
. Arrian is mistaken. The Oxus (Amu Darya) flows into the Aral Sea, of which he had no knowledge.

75
. Repeating his manoeuvre on the Danube in 335 (p. 47).

76
. The modern Samarcand.

77
. Orexartes is Aristobulus’ form for the R. Jaxartes (Syr Darya), which, like the R. Oxus, flows into the Aral.

78
. The Tanais of which Herodotus speaks (4.45.57) is the Don and Lake Maeotis is the Sea of Azov. Alexander and his followers identified the Jaxartes with the Tanais (Plutarch
Alexander
45.5), and Strabo (11.7.4) regards the identification as part of a ‘stratagem’ to prove that Alexander has conquered all Asia. Gadeira is now called Cadiz. Like many ancient writers, Arrian considers Libya a part of Asia.

1
.
Iliad
13.6.

2
. ‘Alexandria the furtherest’, the modern Chojend.

3
. Arrian has not mentioned the occupation of these seven frontier posts.

4
. More probably Alexander optimistically thought of arranging a general settlement.

5
. Chojend, mentioned on p. 201.

6
. See Herodotus 4.122–142.

7
. Curtius 7.7.24–9 relates that Aristander changed his prophecy and declared that the sacrifices had never been more favourable.

8
. This is the first mention (apart from p. 91) of ‘regiments’ (Hipparchies) of the Companion cavalry; see the Introduction, p. 38. For the operations against the Scythians see especially Fuller pp. 236–41.

9
. 1,000 according to Curtius (7.6.10).

10
. Curtius (4.7.30–9) agrees with Aristobulus that the Macedonians fell into an ambush; otherwise his account differs considerably from those in Arrian. Of an original force of 3,000 infantry and 800 cavalry, 2,000 and 300 were killed respectively.

11
. Now the Zarafshan.

12
. For the ‘Benefactors’ see p. 193.

13
. 329/8 B.C.

14
. For their departure from Nautaka a year later see p. 232.

15
. Arrian is writing loosely. Menes had been sent from Susa late in 331 (p. 174), Epocillus from Ecbatana some months later (p. 181).

16
. It is generally agreed that the name Bessus here is due to the mention of Bessus, the murderer of Darius, immediately before. A probable emendation would read ‘Asclepiodorus, the satrap of Syria, and of Menes, the “governor”’ (see Tarn,
Alexander
2.179–80). The Greek word translated ‘governor’ is again ‘Hyparchos’; seep. 174, n. 42.

For the details of the reinforcements, totalling 19,000 men, see Curtius 7.10.11–12.

17
. For this ‘barbarous’, i.e. non-Hellenic, form of mutilation see, e.g., Herodotus 3.154.

18
. Plutarch
Alexander
45 more accurately says that Alexander adopted a mixed Persian and Median dress, avoiding the most ‘barbarous’ elements of the latter. Arrian later (p. 397) acknowledges that the motive for its adoption was political.

19
. See also Arrian’s remarks on pp. 348f., 382; cf. Alexander’s speech on p. 293.

20
. It took place at Marakanda in the autumn of 328. For some what different accounts of what took place see Plutarch
Alexander
50–2 and Curtius 8.1.20–2.12. The various versions are analysed by T. S. Brown,
AJP
1949, 236 ff.

21
. A native of Abdera in Thrace and the teacher of Pyrrhon the sceptic. His attitude is frequently contrasted with that of Callis-thenes; see, e.g., Plutarch
Alexander
52–3.

22
. The connexion of Justice (
Dike
) with Zeus is at least as old as Hesiod (
.Works and Days
, 256ff.); cf. Sophocles,
Oedipus at Colonus
, 13 8 if; Anaxarchus interprets the old myth to suit himself.

23
. It is very probable that Alexander’s attempt to introduce prostration (
proskynesis
) as a court practice, like his adoption of a mixed dress, was due to his desire to place Macedonians and Persians on an equal footing. The best discussion is J. P. V. D. Balsdon’s article in
Historia
1950, 371ff. See also T. S. Brown,
AJP
1950, 242ff.

24
. For these see Plutarch
Alexander
2–3.

25
. Hipparchus was killed in 514 and Hippias was expelled from Athens in 510; see Thucydides 6.54–9.

26
. The Persians did not consider their kings to be gods, although the Greeks regarded prostration as an act of worship; see especially Herodotus 7.136.

27
. Alexander’s mother, Olympias, was the daughter of Neoptolemus, the king of Epirus, who traced his descent from his namesake, the son of Achilles, the grandson of Aeacus.

28
. See Herodotus 1.204–14 and 4.83–144.

29
. According to Curtius (8.5.22) it was Polyperchon who mocked the Persian.

30
. This is the version given by Chares, the Royal Chamberlain (Plutarch,
Alexander
54.4–6).

31
. The Persian king customarily kissed his ‘kinsmen’ on the mouth (Xenophon,
Cyropaideia
1.4.27, 2.2.31; cf. Herodotus 1.134); see below, p. 364.

32
. Plutarch (
Alexander
55.1–2) relates that Hephaestion maintained that Callisthenes had agreed to perform prostration and had gone back on his word, and that certain flatterers of Alexander sought to increase Callisthenes’ unpopularity.

33
. See also Curtius 8.6.2–6.

34
. This took place at Bactra early in 327. cf. pp. 238–9. Curtius (8.6.8–8.23) relates the story of the plot at length. He gives a slightly different list of conspirators and differs from Arrian in a number of details.

35
. And to Curtius.

36
. Plutarch (
Alexander
55.6) cites a letter written by Alexander to his generals, Craterus, Attalus, and Alcetas, who were campaigning in Pareitacene (p. 238), in which he says that only the Pages were involved in the conspiracy. For the authenticity of this letter see CQ 1955.219ff.

37
. Curtius (8.7) follows this tradition.

38
. Plutarch (
Alexander
55.7) confirms the manner of their death. Curtius (8.8.20) says that they were tortured.

39
. Plutarch (loc. cit.) reports both versions, and adds that Chares said Callisthenes was kept in confinement for seven months until he died.

40
. For the first occasion see p. 201.

41
. The Chorasmians inhabited the country (Khiva) between the Caspian and Aral seas.

42
. For the Amazons see p. 369.

43
. The first mention of petroleum in Greek literature.

44
. The Massagetae were a Scythian tribe, living east of the Caspian, who had defeated and killed Cyrus the Great (Herodotus 1.201–16).

45
. Because of his heroism Alexander had a bronze statue of him erected at Delphi, holding his lyre and a levelled spear (Plutarch,
Moralia 334f
.).

46
. Artabazus is said by Curtius (6.5.4.) to have been 95 years old in 330, but this is either an exaggeration or else we should read 55 for 95.

Alexander had intended Cleitus to succeed Artabazus, but he had not lived to take up his post.

47
. What these were is not known, unless, as has been suggested, the report of their arrival at Bactra in the previous winter (p. 212) is a mistake and they now brought with them Arsames and Barzancs.

48
. Curtius (7.11) also describes the capture of the Rock, which he calls the Rock of Ariamazes. He relates, with evident exaggeration, that it was about 18,000 ft high. The year was 327
B.C.

49
. The equivalent of one talent.

50
. Whatever his feelings for Roxane may have been, Alexander doubtless hoped by this marriage to conciliate the Bactrian barons.

51
. For Alexander’s treatment of the Persian royal family see pp. 122–3. Darius’ wife, Stateira, died in childbirth early in 332
B.C.
(Plutarch,
Alexander
30).

52
. Told also by Curtius (4.10.25–34) and by Plutarch (
Alexander
30), who notes that most writers related it.

53
. i.e. Ahura Mazda. In Plutarch Darius more appropriately calls on his ancestral gods.

54
. The Pareitacae lived between the rivers Oxus and Jaxartes. Curtius (8.2.19) calls Chorienes Sisimithres.

55
. Of the year 327.

56
. Seep. 194n. 70.

57
. The modern R. Kabul.

58
. The ruler of the great city of Taxila, north-west of Rawalpindi, and the territory between the rivers Indus and Hydaspes. Taxiles was his official title, his personal name being Omphis (Ambhi); see Curtius 8.12.14.

59
. At Ohind, 16 miles above Attock.

60
. The modern territories of Bajaur and Swat. Alexander was making for the Indus above Attock.

61
. ‘Possibly Nawagai, the present capital of Bajaur’ (Fuller p. 126).

62
. Leonnatus was given Attalus’ infantry battalion and Balacrus’ javelin-men, Ptolemy Philotas’ infantry battalion and Philip’s unit, probably light-armed (see Tarn,
Alexander
2.144).

63
. Its site has not been identified.