Alexander

by Guy Maclean Rogers

  see Holt, F., “Spitamenes Against Alexander,” Historikogeographika 4 (1994), pp. 51–58.

  159 securing his rear Fuller (1960), p. 289, once again, here identifies Alexander’s strategic

  practice of securing his rear before proceeding with offensive operations.

  159 across the Jaxartes Arrian, 4.4.2–3.

  159 history of warfare Fuller (1960), p. 296.

  159 in serious danger Arrian, 4.4.4–9.

  159 Alexander might give Arrian, 4.5.1.

  159 left alone In the longer term, however, as Holt, F., “Alexander’s Settlements in Central Asia,”

  Ancient Macedonia 4 (1986), pp. 315–323, has pointed out, this foundation and Alexander’s other

  settlements in Bactria-Sogdiana, while established without too much opposition as long as Alexander

  was in the neighborhood, after he left, became magnets of local resistance. There was also dissent

  within the foundations. That said, it is equally clear from archaeological excavation of sites such as

  Ai Khanoum in southeastern Sogdiana that Greek culture did have its effects. For excavations at Ai

  Khanoum, see the Select Modern Bibliography.

  159 relief force Arrian, 4.5.3.

  159 Sacae nomads Curtius, 7.7.32–33; Bosworth (1988), p. 111.

  159 up to him Arrian, 4.5.4.

  160 Polytimetus (Zeravshan) Arrian, 4.5.5–6.

  160 put to death, too Arrian, 4.5.7–9.

  160 300 infantry survived Arrian, 4.6.1–2.

  160 Maracanda once again Arrian, 4.6.3.

  160 were butchered Arrian, 4.6.4–5.

  160 and Stasanor Arrian, 4.7.1.

  160 sent by Antipater Curtius, 7.10.10–12.

  160 into Sogdiana Curtius, 7.10.13–15.

  160 and Artabazus Reported out of time sequence by Arrian, 4.16.2.

  161 in Sogdiana Bosworth (1988), pp. 112–113.

  161 18,000 feet Curtius, 7.11.1–29; Arrian, 4.18.4–19.6, who places the episode a year later during

  the spring of 327.

  161 Darius’ wife Arrian, 4.19.5.

  161 indeed could fly Curtius, 7.11.5–6.

  161 first man up Arrian, 4.18.7.

  161 did have wings Curtius, 7.11.24.

  161 gave up For Alexander’s use of surprises in warfare, see Fuller (1960), pp. 300–301.

  161 in marriage Arrian, 4.19.5.

  162 the Chorasmians Arrian, 4.15.1–4.

  162 his offer Arrian, 4.15.5–6.

  162 a single stroke Bazaira, in Curtius, 8.1.10–19; Basista, in the summary of Diodorus’ book 17.

  162 since 330 Hammond (1997), p. 150.

  162 advanced age Curtius, 8.1.19.

  162 the Dioscuri Arrian, 4.8.1–2.

  162 early-starting banquets Curtius, 8.1.22.

  162 to Tyndareus Arrian, 4.8.2.

  162 they suggested Arrian, 4.8.3.

  163 as a whole Arrian, 4.8.4–5.

  163 nor marvelous Arrian, 4.8.6.

  163 “This very hand” Arrian, 4.8.7.

  163 by the barbarians Plutarch, 50.4.

  163 named Andronicus Carney, E., “The Death of Clitus,” GRBS 22 (1981), pp. 149–160.

  163 his sister’s husband Carney, E., “The Death of Clitus,” GRBS 22 (1981), pp. 149–160.

  163 laughing at them Plutarch, 50.5.

  163 his own case Plutarch, 50.6.

  164 “Indeed, this cowardice” Plutarch, 50.6.

  164 “Wretched fellow” Plutarch, 51.1.

  164 “But we” Plutarch, 51.1.

  164 “Do not” Plutarch, 51.2.

  164 his Persian girdle Plutarch, 51.3.

  164 to turn out Arrian, 4.8.8.

  165 “he had come” Arrian, 4.8.8, translation from Brunt (1976), p. 367.

  165 with his fist Plutarch, 51.4.

  165 another door Plutarch, 51.5.

  165 “Alas, in Hellas” Euripides, Andromache, line 693, as reported by Plutarch, 51.5, translation

  from Perrin (1958), p. 373.

  165 as Cleitus did In fact, in addition to knowing Euripides well, Alexander may also have been a

  dramatist in his own right. He possibly composed a Satyr-play titled Agên, which may have been

  performed later at the Hydaspes River during the celebration of the Dionysia. For the play, see

  Athenaeus, 2.50.f and 13.595.c.

  165 ran him through Plutarch, 51.5.

  165 “it was not” Arrian, 4.9.2, translation from Brunt (1976), p. 367.

  165 all bodily needs Arrian, 4.9.3–4.

  165 paid no attention Plutarch, 52.1.

  165 decreed by fate Plutarch, 52.1.

  166 all were dead Plutarch, 50.2–3.

  166 conquer his shame Plutarch, 52.2.

  166 Alexander’s feelings Plutarch, 52.2.

  166 lawful and just Arrian, 4.9.7.

  166 lawless than before Plutarch, 52.4.

  166 had done wrong Arrian, 4.9.5–6.

  CHAPTER 16 The End of the Revolts

  168 to be done Curtius, 8.2.12.

  168 governor of Bactria Curtius, 8.2.14.

  169 Zariaspa (Balkh) Arrian, 4.16.4–5.

  169 “with more courage” Arrian, 4.16.7, translation from Brunt (1976), p. 395.

  169 fled into the desert Arrian, 4.17.1–2.

  169 surrendered to Coenus Arrian, 4.17.3–6.

  169 winter of 328/27 Arrian, 4.18.1–2.

  169 rule of the area Curtius, 8.2.19–33.

  170 magnificent funerals Curtius, 8.2.33–40.

  170 drinking and eating Curtius, 8.3.1–8.

  170 ex-husband’s head Curtius, 8.3.9.

  170 identification was not possible Curtius, 8.3.11–13.

  170 away from them Arrian, 4.17.7.

  170 to Alexander Curtius, 8.3.16.

  170 in Parthia and Areia Arrian, 4.18.1.

  171 a new force Arrian, 4.18.2–3.

  171 keep the peace Arrian, 4.22.3.

  171 native phalanx Plutarch, 47.3; Bosworth (1988), pp. 117, 272.

  171 nobleman Oxyartes For an older interpretation, see Renard, M., and J. Servais, “À propos du

  mariage d’Alexandre et de Roxane,” ACl 24 (1955), pp. 29–50.

  172 Macedonian style Curtius, 8.4.27.

  172 same loaf Curtius, 8.4.27.

  172 of his empire Hammond (1997), p. 154.

  172 a son, Herakles Hammond (1997), p. 154.

  172 (though possessed with) Curtius, 8.4.25.

  172 a captive, Briseis Curtius, 8.4.26.

  173 at a banquet Plutarch, 47.4.

  CHAPTER 17 One Kiss the Poorer

  174 called Gazaba Curtius, 8.4.1.

  174 camp followers Curtius, 8.4.2–13.

  174 saving the army Curtius, 8.4.19–20.

  174 toward Bactra Arrian, 4.22.1–2.

  174 for Bactra Arrian, 4.22.2.

  175 before the king Lane Fox (1973), p. 314.

  175 to the king For the Persian background, see Frye, R., “Gestures of Deference to Royalty in

  Ancient Iran,” IrAnt 9 (1972), pp. 102–107; and Lane Fox (1973), p. 315. My discussion is deeply

  indebted to Lane Fox’s excellent presentation.

  175 (or their images) Lane Fox (1973), pp. 314–315.

  175 act of worship Aeschylus, Persai, lines 588–589.

  175 among Greeks Euripides, Orestes, 1508.

  175 barbarian act Aristotle, Rhetoric, 1361.a.36.

  175 any human Herodotus, 7.136.1.

  175 freedom of a citizen Xenophon, 4.1.35; Bosworth (1988), pp. 284–287.

  175 private drinking party Plutarch, 54.3–4; Arrian, 4.12.3–5.

  176 “after he [Alexander] had drunk” Plutarch, 54.3–4, translation from Scott-Kilvert (1973), p.

  312.

  176 ahead of the party Arrian, 4.12.3.

  176 at the party Plutarch, 55.1.

  176 another drinking party Arrian, 4.10.5.

  176 Anaxarchus Cleon, in Curt
ius, 8.5.10.

  176 “Alexander had a better claim” Arrian, 4.10.6–7, translation from Sélincourt (1971), p. 219.

  177 kept quiet Arrian, 4.11.1.

  177 “For my part” Arrian, 4.11.2–3, translation from Sélincourt (1971), pp. 219–220.

  177 “Not even Herakles” Arrian, 4.11.6–9, translation from Sélincourt (1971), pp. 221–222.

  178 prostration further Arrian, 4.12.1.

  178 before Alexander Arrian, 4.12.2.

  178 (with his chin) Curtius, 8.5.22.

  178 “You see” Curtius, 8.5.24.

  178 came to an end Curtius, 8.5.24.

  180 visit to Siwah After careful and full consideration of the episode, Bosworth (1988), p. 287, has

  reached the same conclusion.

  180 away from him Arrian, 4.13.2.

  180 consented to help Arrian, 4.13.3–4.

  180 in his sleep Arrian, 4.13.4.

  180 opportunity to arise Curtius, 8.6.11.

  181 and lived Arrian, 4.13.5–6.

  181 Alexander right away Arrian, 4.13.7.

  181 commit the crime Arrian, 4.13.7–14.1.

  181 close to the sophist Arrian, 4.14.1.

  181 Alexander’s hubris Arrian, 4.14.2.

  181 and the Macedonians Arrian, 4.14.2; Curtius, 8.7.1–15.

  181 on the spot Arrian, 4.14.3.

  181 tortured to death Curtius, 8.8.20.

  181 denounced him Plutarch, 55.3.

  181 kill the king Curtius, 8.8.21.

  181 “By killing the most famous” Plutarch, 55.2.

  182 like anybody else Plutarch, 55.2.

  182 and then hanged Arrian, 4.14.3.

  182 from sickness Arrian, 4.14.3.

  182 kill the king Curtius, 8.8.21.

  182 disease of lice Plutarch, 55.5.

  183 winter of 328/27 Arrian, 4.18.3.

  183 governorship of Syria Arrian, 3.6.8; Curtius, 7.10.12.

  183 and sea forces Arrian, 4.15.6.

  183 before his campaign Arrian, 3.8.3.

  183 (or Omphis) Curtius, 8.12.5.

  183 against his enemies Diodorus, 17.86.4.

  184 conquered Bactria Kuhrt (1995), pp. 491, 528, 609.

  184 visited India Curtius, 8.10.1.

  184 (modern Begram) Arrian, 4.22.3–4.

  184 in the city Arrian, 4.22.5.

  184 the Indus River Arrian, 4.22.6.

  CHAPTER 18 In the Footsteps of Dionysos

  185 British India Hammond (1997), p. 162.

  185 European enemies For these characters and their missions, see the superb account of Hopkirk,

  P., The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia (New York, 1992).

  185 Indus River Arrian, 4.22.7. See also Ferrill, A., “Alexander in India,” Military History

  Quarterly 1 (1988), pp. 76–84; and Hahn, J., Alexander in Indien, 327–325 v. Chr. (Stuttgart, 2000).

  185 and Pakistan Gritzner, J., Afghanistan (Philadelphia, 2002), p. 19.

  186 (in modern Pakistan) Arrian, 4.23.1.

  186 Alexander’s wound Arrian, 4.23.2–5.

  186 did not surrender Arrian, 4.23.5.

  186 again prevailed Arrian, 4.24.5.

  186 and his colleagues Arrian, 4.24.6.

  186 unfit for duty Arrian, 4.24.7.

  186 site synoikismos Fraser, P., Cities of Alexander the Great (Oxford, 1996), pp. 69, 159, 187.

  186 back to Macedon Arrian, 4.24.8–25.4.

  186 to their god Arrian, 5.1.3.

  187 after his nurse Arrian, 5.1.5.

  187 accompany him Arrian, 5.2.1–4; Acuphis also gave his son and his daughter’s son as hostages.

  187 the territory Arrian, 5.2.2.

  187 Bacchic revel Arrian, 5.2.5–7.

  187 had done Euripides, The Bacchae, line 142.

  187 less friendly Arrian, 4.25.5.

  187 30 elephants Arrian, 4.25.5.

  187 or abandoned Arrian, 4.26.1–28.1.

  187 join his army Arrian, 4.27.2–4. Narain, A., “Alexander and India,” GaR 12 (1965), pp. 155–

  165, claims, “At Massaga Alexander massacred 7,000 mercenaries because they refused to join him

  against their own countrymen,” but does not cite the evidence that the mercenaries had reneged on

  their agreement with Alexander.

  187 Attock City Arrian, 4.28.1; Bosworth (1988), p. 123.

  187 arable land Arrian, 4.28.1–3.

  187 had failed Arrian, 4.28.4.

  187 because of an earthquake Curtius, 8.11.2.

  188 of the region Arrian, 4.28.6. The satrap, Nicanor, had responsibility for the region between the

  borders of Parapamisadae and the Indus River.

  188 at Embolima Arrian, 4.28.6–7. Ecbolima, in Bosworth (1988), p. 123.

  188 of the army Arrian, 4.29.1–6.

  188 as they worked Arrian, 4.30.1.

  188 every commander since See Fuller (1960), p. 296.

  188 cliffs of the Rock Arrian, 4.30.4.

  188 set up Curtius, 8.11.24.

  188 then collapsed Arrian, 4.30.5.

  188 near the Indus Arrian, 4.30.7.

  188 Alexander’s army Arrian, 4.30.8.

  188 after thirty days Arrian, 4.22.8.

  189 Ohind (Udabhandapura) Arrian, 4.30.9, 5.3.5; Bosworth (1988), p. 125.

  189 prepared as well Arrian, 5.3.5.

  189 30 elephants Arrian, 5.3.5.

  189 Hydaspes Rivers Arrian, 5.3.6.

  189 the crossing Arrian, 5.3.6.

  189 of the river Arrian, 5.7.1–8.2.

  189 large army Hammond (1997), p. 164.

  189 to Taxila Arrian, 5.8.2.

  189 son Mophis Diodorus, 17.86.4; Omphis, in Curtius, 8.12.5.

  189 140 cubits Arrian, 5.8.2–3; Strabo, 15.1.28; nominally, a cubit is a forearm in length.

  189 3,000 bulls Curtius, 8.12.11.

  191 under Hephaestion Not mentioned by Arrian at 5.3.5.

  191 coined silver Curtius, 8.12.15.

  191 their trappings Curtius, 8.12.16.

  191 worth 1,000 talents Curtius, 8.12.17.

  191 “envious men” Curtius, 8.12.18, translation from Yardley (1984), p. 204.

  191 governors of the district Arrian, 5.8.5.

  191 (the modern Jhelum) Arrian, 5.8.3.

  191 (modern Chenab) Rivers For the region, see Bosworth (1988), p. 126.

  191 Porus’ realm Strabo, 15.1.29.

  191 under arms Curtius, 8.13.2.

  191 war elephants Arrian, 5.15.4, gives 4,000 cavalry, 300 chariots, 200 elephants, and 30,000

  infantry; Curtius, 8.13.6, 85 elephants, 300 chariots, 30,000 infantry; Plutarch, 62.1, 20,000 infantry,

  2,000 cavalry. Devine, A., “The Battle of Hydaspes: A Tactical and Source-Critical Study,” AncW 16

  (1987), pp. 91–95, argues persuasively for the lower figures given by Plutarch.

  191 75,000 combatants Although only including c. 15,000 Macedonians. See Hammond (1997), p.

  164.

  191 defensive position Arrian, 5.9.1.

  191 opposite Haranpur Stein, A., “The Site of Alexander’s Passage of the Hydaspes and the Battle

  with Poros,” Geographical Journal 80 (1932), pp. 31–46; Stein, A., Archaeological

  Reconnaissances in North-West India and South-East Iran (London, 1937), pp. 1–36; cited by

  Devine, A., “The Battle of Hydaspes: A Tactical and Source-Critical Study,” AncW 16 (1987), p. 96.

  191 posted guards Arrian, 5.9.1.

  192 the Danube Devine, A., “The Battle of Hydaspes: A Tactical and Source-Critical Study,” AncW

  16 (1987), p. 96.

  CHAPTER 19 The Battle of the Hydaspes

  193 Taxiles/Mophis Arrian, 5.9.3.

  193 number of places Arrian, 5.9.3–4.

  193 September 326 Bosworth (1988), p. 127.

  194 when to deceive Crick, B., “Introduction,” in Machiavelli: The Discourses (London, 1978), pp.

  29–30.

  194 shadowing his mov
ements Arrian, 5.10.3–4.

  194 modern Haranpur Arrian, 5.11.2.

  194 (Adana) Arrian, 5.11.1; Devine, A., “The Battle of Hydaspes: A Tactical and Source-Critical

  Study,” AncW 16 (1987), p. 96.

  194 5,000 Indians Arrian, 5.11.3.

  194 the river immediately Arrian, 5.11.4.

  194 “pinning force” Devine, A., “The Battle of Hydaspes: A Tactical and Source-Critical Study,”

  AncW 16 (1987), p. 97.

  194 Indians engaged Arrian, 5.12.1.

  196 5,000 cavalry troops Arrian, 5.12.2, 5.14.1.

  196 final preparations Arrian, 5.12.2–3.

  196 was initiated Devine, A., “The Battle of Hydaspes: A Tactical and Source-Critical Study,”

  AncW 16 (1987), pp. 91–113, basing his reconstruction on Arrian’s account, which is by far the most

  tactically coherent (p. 97), although it is also not without its problems (as Arrian on the Granicus also

  is).

  196 Seleucus The future founder of the Seleucid dynasty, which would rule Alexander’s Asian

  empire after his death in 323 B.C.E.

  196 the hypaspists Arrian, 5.12.4–13.1. See Stein, A., “The Site of Alexander’s Passage of the

  Hydaspes and the Battle with Poros,” Geographical Journal 80 (1932), pp. 31–46.

  196 of their approach Arrian, 5.13.1.

  196 by a stream Arrian, 5.13.2.

  196 to the necks of the horses Arrian, 5.13.2–3.

  197 infantry phalanx Arrian, 5.13.4.

  197 for his infantry Arrian, 5.14.1

  197 the mounted archers Arrian, 5.14.3.

  197 killed Bucephalas Arrian, 5.14.4.

  197 because of the mud Arrian, 5.14.5–15.2.

  197 20,000 infantry These figures take into account the losses suffered by the Indians as a result of

  the destruction of the force sent out with Porus’ son at the beginning of the battle. See Devine, A.,

  “Alexander the Great,” in Warfare in the Ancient World, ed. J. Hackett (New York, 1989), p. 125.

  198 on the flanks Arrian, 5.15.5–7.

  198 (opposite Porus’ left) Arrian, 5.16.1.

  198 stay behind them Arrian, 5.16.2–3.

  198 Macedonian cavalry charge Arrian, 5.16.3.

  198 could mass Arrian, 5.16.4.

  198 and Coenus Arrian, 5.17.1.

  198 screen of elephants Arrian, 5.17.2.

  199 Alexander and his men Arrian, 5.17.3–18.1.

  199 taken prisoner Diodorus, 17.89.1–2.

  199 captured alive Diodorus, 17.89.2.

  199 were destroyed Arrian, 5.18.2.

  199 lost their lives Diodorus, 17.89.3.

  200 and execution Devine, A., “The Battle of Hydaspes: A Tactical and Source-Critical Study,”

  AncW 16 (1987), p. 109.