Alexander
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116 or riders Diodorus, 17.60.7.
117 reaching him Diodorus, 17.60.7.
117 by Darius’ flight Diodorus, 17.60.8.
117 elephants, and camels Arrian, 3.15.4.
117 the Persian king himself Arrian, 3.15.5.
117 alternative tradition Arrian, 3.15.1; and Plutarch, 33.6, citing Callisthenes, and thus the official
version of what happened.
117 once again victorious Arrian, 3.15.2.
117 Darius was fleeing Diodorus, 17.60.4.
118 had won it Arrian, 3.15.7.
118 cavalry and infantry killed Diodorus, 17.61.3.
CHAPTER 11 The Sack of Persepolis
119 the Khorasan road Kuhrt (1995), p. 652; Van de Mieroop (2004), p. 255.
119 the foreign mercenaries Arrian, 3.15.5, 16.1–2.
119 to capture him Arrian, 3.15.5.
119 was still alive Plutarch, 34.1.
120 were autonomous Plutarch, 34.1.
120 (against the Persians in 479) Plutarch, 34.1.
120 the common danger Plutarch, 34.2.
120 after the battle Curtius, 5.1.17.
120 and the city Curtius, 5.1.17.
120 frankincense and perfumes Curtius, 5.1.20.
120 Babylonian cavalry Curtius, 5.1.21–23.
120 storm god, Baal Arrian, 3.16.4. The story of Xerxes’ (486–465 B.C.E.) destruction of Babylon’s
temples is discounted by scholars of the ancient Near East, including Kuhrt (1995), p. 671. It is
possible that the state of the temples in Babylon in which Alexander found them was the result of
neglect by the Babylonians rather than active destruction by Xerxes.
120 instructions of the Chaldaeans Arrian, 3.16.5. The Chaldaeans were a tribal people who
periodically had seized the throne of Babylon since c. 850 B.C.E.
120 and tax collector Arrian, 3.16.4.
120 friendly to strangers Diodorus, 17.64.4.
121 was paid for Curtius, 5.1.36–37.
121 shared common interests Curtius, 5.1.36–38.
121 two months’ pay Diodorus, 17.64.6; a mina consisted of one hundred drachmae, and was one-
sixtieth of a talent. The average pay for a cavalryman must have been at least two drachmae per day.
121 and 380 cavalry Diodorus, 17.65.1; Curtius 5.1.39–41.
121 of proven courage Arrian, 3.16.11.
121 while he slept Curtius, 5.1.42.
121 in twenty days Arrian, 3.16.7.
121 of his empire Van de Mieroop (2004), p. 275.
121 surrendered the city Curtius, 5.2.9–10.
122 the royal footstool Diodorus, 17.66.3–7.
122 dangling legs Diodorus, 17.66.3.
122 form of Persian Darics Diodorus, 17.66.1–2; the Daric was the standard Persian gold coin,
minted by the Persian kings with an image of the king as archer on one side.
122 the Lacedaemonian war Arrian, 3.16.10.
122 Athens in 480 Arrian, 3.16.7–8.
122 called the Kerameikos Arrian, 3.16.8. Originally, a potter’s quarter in the northwestern district
of Athens, which was also later used as an extramural cemetery. There were many elaborate funerary
statues and inscriptions in the district.
122 an athletic contest Arrian, 3.16.9.
122 made general there Arrian, 3.16.9.
122 with Greek tutors Diodorus, 17.67.1.
123 his own mother Curtius, 5.2.18–22.
123 including Persian kings Arrian, 3.17.1.
123 their usual payment The exact location of the pass is uncertain; see Bosworth (1988), p. 89.
123 they had demanded Arrian, 3.17.2.
123 wiped out by Craterus Arrian, 3.17.4–5.
123 30,000 sheep Arrian, 3.17.6.
123 the baggage train For Parmenio’s route, see Bosworth (1988), p. 90.
123 and advanced scouts Arrian, 3.18.1–2.
123 (perhaps the gorge known as Tang-i Mohammed Reza) Bosworth (1988), p. 90.
124 Ariobarzanes’ men survived Arrian, 3.18.3–9.
124 the city to Alexander Diodoros, 17.69.1.
124 ears and noses Diodorus, 17.69.2–4.
124 the Persian alphabet Curtius, 5.5.6.
124 moved to tears Diodorus, 17.69.4.
125 no one harmed them Diodorus, 17.69.8.
125 his natural kindness Diodorus, 17.69.9.
125 blot Persepolis out Curtius, 5.6.1. For Alexander and Persepolis generally, see Borza, E., “Fire
from Heaven: Alexander at Persepolis,” CP 67 (1972), pp. 233–245.
125 plunder and murder Diodorus, 17.70.1–6; Curtius, 5.6.1–8.
125 hands off the women Curtius, 5.6.8.
125 “an act of outrage” Bosworth (1988), p. 92.
125 throughout its history As is indeed implied by Diodorus, 17.70.2.
125 6,000 talents was confiscated Curtius, 5.6.10. Herzfeld, E., “Pasargadae,” Klio 8 (1908), pp.
20–25; and more recently, Stronach, D., Pasargadae (Oxford, 1978).
125 120,000 talents Curtius, 5.6.9.
126 kept with the army Curtius, 5.6.9; it took 10,000 pairs of mules and 5,000 camels to carry off
the wealth of Persepolis, according to Plutarch, 37.2.
126 April of 330 Curtius, 5.6.12–20.
126 Persian kings Arrian, 3.18.11; for a recent reevaluation, see Hammond, N., “The
Archaeological and Literary Evidence for the Burning of the Persepolis Palace,” CQ 42 (1992), pp.
358–364.
126 pan-Hellenic campaign itself Arrian, 3.18.12.
126 more scandalous tale Plutarch, 38.1–4; Curtius Rufus, 5.7.3–10; Diodorus, 17.72.1–6.
126 of the Persians Diodorus, 17.72.2.
126 into the palaces Diodorus, 17.72.6.
126 and in sport Diodorus, 17.72.6.
127 to extinguish it Plutarch, 38.4; Curtius, 5.7.11.
127 his next objective Arrian 3.18.11, 19.1.
CHAPTER 12 The Death of Darius
131 claws its hunter Kuhrt (1995), pp. 683, 679.
131 of the kingdom For the connections between the ethos of the hunt and warfare in Macedon, see
Lloyd, A., “Philip II and Alexander the Great: The Moulding of Macedon’s Army,” in Battle in
Antiquity, ed. A. Lloyd (London, 1996), pp. 173–174.
132 the Median satrapy Kuhrt (1995), p. 657.
132 made of silver Polybius, Histories, 10.27.5–10.
132 Media and Parthyene Arrian, 3.19.1–2.
132 satrap over them Arrian, 3.19.2.
132 and 6,000 infantry Arrian, 3.19.4–5; Diodorus, 17.73.2, puts the number of Persians and Greek
mercenaries with Darius at 30,000.
132 and the archers Arrian, 3.20.1.
132 a few light troops Arrian, 3.19.7.
134 the Caspian Gates Arrian, 3.20.2.
134 Arachotia and Drangiana Arrian, 3.21.1.
134 the day before Arrian, 3.21.1.
134 (Shahr-i Qumis) Arrian, 3.21.6–9; Bosworth (1988), p. 96.
134 died of his wounds July 330 B.C.E.
134 had seen him Arrian, 3.21.10; Diodorus, 17.73.3; according to Curtius, 5.13.25, the
Macedonians found Darius half-alive, run through many times by spears. Plutarch, 43.1–2, also
recounts a dramatic death scene, with Darius receiving a last sip of cold water from a Macedonian
soldier named Polystratus.
134 full, royal funeral Diodorus, 17.73.3.
134 divinely selected ancestors Arrian, 3.22.1.
134 moderate and decent Arrian, 3.22.2–6.
135 some god willed it For a balanced assessment, see Nylander, C., “Darius III—the Coward
King: Point and Counterpoint,” in Alexander the Great: Reality and Myth, ed. J. Carlsen et al.
(Rome, 1993), pp. 145–159.
135 in association with him Arrian, 3.22.1
135 the wive
s and children Justin, 12.3.2; Diodorus, 17.74.1; Curtius, 6.2.18–21.
135 the Persian race Curtius, 6.3.1–18.
136 he wished to go Curtius, 6.4.1.
136 ten minas Diodorus, 17.74.3.
136 in Alexander’s eyes For the congress held at Corinth establishing the alliance in 337, see
Diodorus, 16.89.1–3, and reconfirmed at Corinth after Philip’s death in 335–33 B.C.E., 17.4.9.
136 three talents each Diodorus, 17.74.4.
136 she had conceived Justin, 12.3.1–7.
136 The story has been Diodorus, 17.77.1–3; Curtius, 6.5.24–32; Justin, 12.3.5–7; Plutarch, 46.1–2;
Arrian, 4.15.2–4. The core of the Amazon story perhaps goes back to Cleitarchus, who was known to
embellish the truth, but he may have got the basic story from Onesicritus, who was there. The story
cannot be dismissed out of hand.
137 (probably modern Sari) Arrian, 3.23.1–2.
137 gave themselves up Arrian, 3.23.4.
137 to his post Arrian, 3.23.7.
137 respect and honor Arrian, 3.23.7.
137 of their options Arrian, 3.23.8–9.
137 mountain strongholds Diodorus, 17.76.3–4.
137 satrap of Tapuria Arrian, 3.24.3.
138 beg for forgiveness Diodorus, 17.76.5–8.
138 rate of pay Arrian, 3.24.5.
139 was still raging Arrian, 3.24.4
139 their own king Arrian, 3.24.4.
139 mounted javelin troops Arrian, 3.25.1–2.
139 from Scythia Arrian, 3.25.3.
139 and allied troops Arrian, 3.25.4.
139 arrogance and dissipation Diodorus, 17.77.4–7; Curtius, 6.6.1–8; Plutarch, 45.1–2; Justin,
12.3.8–12.
139 upper garment Athenaeus, 12.535f.
140 he added concubines Diodorus, 17.77.6–7, translation from Welles (1963), p. 343.
140 barbaric and effeminate E.g., Alexander’s speech before the battle of the Issos as reported by
Curtius, 3.10.1–10.
140 suddenly died Curtius, 6.6.18.
141 after Bessus Curtius, 6.6.19.
141 opportunity should arise Arrian, 3.25.5.
141 new governor of Areia Arrian, 3.25.7.
141 treachery to Darius Arrian, 3.25.8.
CHAPTER 13 Anticipation
142 his father, Philip Badian, E., “The Death of Parmenio,” TAPA 91 (1960), p. 324; Heckel, W.,
“The Conspiracy Against Philotas,” Phoenix 31 (1977), pp. 9–21.
142 report the episode Plutarch, 48.1–49.7; Justin, 12.5.1–8; Arrian, 3.26.1–27.5; Diodorus,
17.79.1–80.4.
142 commander of the phalanx Curtius, 6.7.1–7.2.38.
143 distinguished men Curtius, 6.7.2–6.
143 (not the phalanx commander) Curtius, 6.7.15.
143 without delay Curtius, 6.7.18.
143 during his arrest Curtius, 6.7.19–30.
143 an object of ridicule Curtius, 6.7.31–33.
144 in the crime Curtius, 6.8.1–15.
144 “Your majesty” Curtius, 6.8.19–22, translation from Yardley (1984), p. 135.
144 6,000 soldiers Curtius, 6.8.23; the presence of only 6,000 soldiers shows that Philotas was not
tried, at least initially, before the entire army.
144 in the case But he was not the judge, let alone a member of the jury. The Macedonian army
acted as the jury.
144 he alleged Curtius, 6.9.1–12.
144 twice a day Arrian, 3.26.2.
144 dangerous plot Curtius, 6.9.13–15.
144 and army Curtius, 6.9.28–31.
144 a lover’s quarrel Curtius, 6.10.1–37.
145 divine parentage Curtius, 6.11.1–7.
145 certain Hegelochus Hegelochus perhaps had died in battle at Gaugamela; see Heckel, W.,
“Who Was Hegelochus,” RhM 125 (1982), pp. 78–87. Heckel argues persuasively in this article and
elsewhere that Hegelochus indeed had reason to plot against Alexander (being a relation of one of
Alexander’s former enemies). If that was the case, then Parmenio’s involvement in a conspiracy
hatched in Egypt (but not carried out at the time because Darius was still alive) becomes a real
possibility.
145 as his father Curtius, 6.11.13–33.
145 customary practice Curtius, 6.11.34–38.
145 “lacking words” Diodorus, 17.80.2, translation from Welles (1963), p. 351; cf. Curtius, 7.1.5–
9.
145 closeness to Philotas Arrian, 3.27.1–3.
145 good name intact Arrian, 3.27.3.
146 battle of Gaugamela Curtius, 4.15.6.
146 and Menidas Arrian, 3.26.3.
146 to Parmenio Curtius, 7.2.23.
146 stabbed him to death Curtius, 7.2.24–27.
146 “Disciplinary Company” Diodorus, 17.80.4.
146 the two divisions Arrian, 3.27.4.
146 the executed Demetrius Arrian, 3.27.5, who probably mistakenly places the arrest of Demetrius
and the appointment of Ptolemy later, when Alexander had moved into the country of the Ariaspians.
Curtius, 6.11.35–38, is probably correct that Demetrius was executed at the same time as Philotas.
146 Prophthasia, “Anticipation” Meineke, A., Stephanos Byzantinii ΕΘΝΙΚΩΝ (A Geographical
Lexicon on Ancient Cities, Peoples, Tribes and Toponyms) (Chicago, 1992), p. 670, s.v.
προφΘασια; Plutarch, Moralia, 328f.
146 varied reactions See the seminal article of Badian, E., “The Death of Parmenio,” TAPA 91
(1960), pp. 324–338.
146 Philotas’ implication Hammond (1997), pp. 132–135.
147 Persian customs Especially, Badian, E., “The Death of Parmenio,” TAPA 91 (1960), p. 324.
147 his brother Nicomachus Curtius, 6.7.18.
147 “passive disloyalty” Bosworth (1988), p. 102.
148 under torture In the ancient view, such a confession was not suspect, as it is in our eyes.
Torture was routinely used on suspects to uncover the “truth.”
148 faraway Phrada Hammond (1997), pp. 132–133.
149 and his own After the assassination of Philip, when agents of Alexander were sent to Asia
Minor to get rid of Attalus, who had insulted Alexander at the fateful wedding feast of Kleopatra and
Philip. Parmenio could have resisted the assassination of Attalus, but he chose to be on the winning
side—Alexander’s.
CHAPTER 14 The Massacre of the Branchidae
150 Cyrus the Great Curtius, 7.3.1–3. The Ariaspians were given the title of the Benefactors by
Cyrus after they had brought 30,000 wagons with provisions to his army when it was campaigning in
the desert nearby and had nearly run out of food according to Arrian, 3.27.5, and Diodorus, 17.81.1.
150 lands of their neighbors Arrian, 3.27.5.
150 to the south Curtius, 7.3.4; Diodorus, 17.81.2.
150 revolt in Areia Diodorus, 17.81.3.
150 Caranus The leaders according to Arrian, 3.28.2.
150 Andronicus Curtius, 7.3.2.
150 suppress the rebellion Arrian, 3.28.2.
150 put down the revolt Arrian, 3.28.2.
150 his overall objective For the wisdom of the strategy, see Fuller (1960), p. 289.
151 with a spear Arrian, 3.28.3.
151 turn and flee Arrian, 3.28.3.
151 to the king Curtius, 7.4.40.
151 some 5,600 Greeks Curtius, 7.3.4.
151 and 600 cavalry Curtius, 7.3.5.
151 by March 329 Bosworth (1988), p. 105.
151 wild temperature swings Curtius, 7.3.12; Diodorus, 17.82.2, says that the land was snow-
covered and not easily approached by other tribes because of the extreme cold.
151 are not unknown Gritzner, J., Afghanistan (Philadelphia, 2002), p. 19.
&nb
sp; 151 supply of provisions Curtius, 7.3.18.
151 (perhaps located near modern Begram) Bosworth (1988), p. 107.
151 Alexandria-in-the-Caucasus Curtius, 7.3.22–23; Arrian, 3.28.4; Diodorus, 17.83.1.
151 spring of 329 Curtius, 7.3.21; Arrian, 3.28.4.
151 pursued him Curtius, 7.4.1.
153 ravaging the countryside Arrian, 3.28.8.
153 in Bactria Arrian, 3.29.1.
153 raise an army Diodorus, 17.83.3.
153 or 8,000 Arrian, 3.28.8; Curtius, 7.4.20.
153 (Amu Darya) Which flows along the border of Afghanistan with modern Tajikistan, Uzbekistan,
and Turkmenistan for 680 miles before turning northwestward toward the Aral Sea; see Gritzner, J.,
Afghanistan (Philadelphia, 2002), p. 20.
153 planning to flee Arrian, 3.28.9–10.
153 governor of the region Arrian, 3.29.1
153 across the river Arrian, 3.29.2–4.
153 the Persian empire Curtius, 7.5.28–29.
154 into slavery Curtius, 7.5.30–35.
154 face of the earth For a similar analysis of what led Alexander to commit this atrocity, see
Hammond (1997), pp. 141–143.
154 hand him over Arrian, 3.29.6–7.
154 his men had left Arrian, 3.29.7–30.2.
154 Macedonians would pass Arrian, 3.30.3.
155 save their lives Arrian, 3.30.4.
155 for execution Arrian, 3.30.5.
155 arrows shot into him Curtius, 7.5.38–40.
CHAPTER 15 The Wrath of Dionysos
157 royal city of Maracanda Arrian, 3.30.6.
157 out of the 30,000 survived Arrian, 3.30.10–11.
157 (the modern Syr Dar’ya) Arrian, 3.30.7.
157 the European Tanais Metaphysics, 1.13.350a24–25; Bosworth (1988), p. 109.
157 Asia and Europe Arrian, 3.30.9.
158 with the latter Arrian, 4.1.2, 15.5.
158 across the river Arrian, 4.1.3–4. For a detailed analysis of the foundation, see Fraser, P., Cities
of Alexander the Great (Oxford, 1996), pp. 66–67, 151–153.
158 in Tajikistan Bosworth (1988), pp. 110, 248.
158 time-expired Macedonians Arrian, 4.4.1; Holt, F., “Alexander’s Settlements in Central Asia,”
Ancient Macedonia 4 (1986), pp. 315–323; Fraser, P., Cities of Alexander the Great (Oxford,
1996), p. 152.
158 Bactrians as well Arrian, 4.1.4–5.
158 sinister purpose Arrian, 4.1.5.
158 Cyrus the Great Arrian, 4.2.2–3.5.
158 at Cyropolis alone Arrian, 4.3.4.
158 behind at Maracanda Arrian, 4.3.6.
159 the local peoples Arrian, 4.3.7. For Alexander’s ultimately successful pursuit of Spitamenes,