CLAS 0810 A ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE

  • Slides: 22
Download presentation
CLAS 0810 A ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE ALEXANDER TRADITION CLASS 15 OVTOBER 6,

CLAS 0810 A ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE ALEXANDER TRADITION CLASS 15 OVTOBER 6, 2014 From Alexandria to Afghanistan: Alexander’s Cities

Cities supposedly founded by Alexander the Great

Cities supposedly founded by Alexander the Great

Plutarch, On the Fortune or Virtue of Alexander I, 328 e “Alexander established more

Plutarch, On the Fortune or Virtue of Alexander I, 328 e “Alexander established more than 70 poleis among barbarian peoples, and planted all Asia with Greek magistrates, and thus overcame its uncivilized and brutish mode of life. ”

The idea of city-founding a well established Greek tradition: • Greek colonization in 7

The idea of city-founding a well established Greek tradition: • Greek colonization in 7 th and 6 th centuries BC — settlers moved to coastal Asia Minor, Cyprus, the north coast of the Aegean, the Black Sea and (especially) Sicily and southern Italy.

The idea of city-founding a well established Greek tradition: • Greek colonization in 7

The idea of city-founding a well established Greek tradition: • Greek colonization in 7 th and 6 th centuries BC — settlers moved to coastal Asia Minor, Cyprus, the north coast of the Aegean, the Black Sea and (especially) Sicily and southern Italy. Some new poleis established in the 5 th and early 4 th centuries. The idea was still alive in the later 4 th century: • e. g. , Philip II’s foundation of Philippi and Philippopolis in Thrace Alexander himself also founded a city in Thrace called Alexandroupolis (according to Plutarch, Alexander 9). • Aristotle wrote an essay entitled On Colonies, possibly in association with this first city-founding by Alexander

Greek colonization vs. Alexander’s foundations Usually founded by a mother-city Founded by an individual,

Greek colonization vs. Alexander’s foundations Usually founded by a mother-city Founded by an individual, and all named after him Independent of the founding city, legally autonomous Subject to Alexander, via his satrap or governor Mostly in coastal locations Mostly well inland Settlers drawn mainly from a single founding city in Greece Ethnically mixed populations

Why are Alexander city-lists confused and contradictory? Ambiguity of the term polis A tendency

Why are Alexander city-lists confused and contradictory? Ambiguity of the term polis A tendency to ascribe to Alexander actions he never performed The name Alexandria was adopted later by cities Alex. had not founded Some settlements that began modestly under Alexander later grew to become significant cities Some cities Alexander intended to found were not in fact begun until after his death (e. g. , Troy, a. k. a. Alexandria Troas).

Alexandria All of Alexander’s cities in the east had the same official name… …so

Alexandria All of Alexander’s cities in the east had the same official name… …so there grew up popular names to distinguish them: Alexandria-by-Egypt Alexandria Oxiana [on the River Oxus in Sogdiana = modern Termez? ] Alexandria Ariana [in Aria = modern Herat] Alexandria Arachosia [in Arachosia = modern Ghazni or Kandahar? ] Alexandria Eschate [“the farthest” = modern Chodjend] Alexandria Susiana [at the mouth of the River Tigris] Alexandria in the Caucasus Alexandria Bactra Alexandria Bucephala [on River Jhelum, named after Bucephalas] Alexandria Troas [= Troy, but not founded by Alexander] Alexandria kat’Isson [= modern Alexandretta] (About two dozen such names occur in our sources. )

The character of these cities was very varied • Absolutely new city-foundations e. g.

The character of these cities was very varied • Absolutely new city-foundations e. g. , Alexandria in Egypt, Alexandria Eschate • Royal residences or old sites turned into cities e. g. , Alexandria Ariana [= modern Herat] • Existing towns refounded, enlarged, and hellenized e. g. , Alexandria Bactra, Alexandria by Issus (? ) • Some founded and failed, but later refounded e. g. , Alexandria Margiana [= modern Merv] • Some planned by Alexander, but built by others e. g. , Alexandria Troas (founded by Antigonus as Antigoneia, then refounded and renamed by Lysimachus) N. B. • Some Alexander had nothing to do with, but romantic legend later attached his name to them e. g. Samarkand, Kandahar [from Iskander, his Islamic name]

Alexandria Ariana (Herat) Alexandria in Arachosia (? ), near Kandahar

Alexandria Ariana (Herat) Alexandria in Arachosia (? ), near Kandahar

Modern-day Alexandria-by-Egypt

Modern-day Alexandria-by-Egypt

How were these new cities populated? Arrian describes the regular procedure: • Settle a

How were these new cities populated? Arrian describes the regular procedure: • Settle a body of Greek mercenaries and/or veteran/disabled Macedonians • Bring into the town many natives (especially women) from surrounding district • Plan to bring out additional hellenized settlers later An important issue is: • How did these setlements relate to Alexander’s ideas about hellenization and the fusing of European and Asiatic populations — possibly as part of the so-called notion of the “brotherhood of man”?

An excavated example: Aï Khanum in Afghanistan

An excavated example: Aï Khanum in Afghanistan

Aï Khanum (“hill of the lady” in Uzbek) At the confluence of the Oxus

Aï Khanum (“hill of the lady” in Uzbek) At the confluence of the Oxus and Kokcha rivers, on the Afghanistan. Uzbekistan border Strategic location Fertile plain 180 -foot high acropolis Fighting aginst the Taliban Subsequent looting

Greek-style column capitals, Corinthian and Ionic

Greek-style column capitals, Corinthian and Ionic

Aï Khanum (“hill of the lady” in Uzbek) At the confluence of the Oxus

Aï Khanum (“hill of the lady” in Uzbek) At the confluence of the Oxus and Kokcha rivers, on the Afghanistan. Uzbekistan border Strategic location Fertile plain 180 -foot high acropolis Fighting aginst the Taliban Subsequent looting

Aï Khanoum

Aï Khanoum

A Greek-style funerary cult shrine (“heröon”)… …with Delphic maxims inscribed in Greek, set up

A Greek-style funerary cult shrine (“heröon”)… …with Delphic maxims inscribed in Greek, set up on a base inside it

A palatial complex, with a Greek-style Columned (“peristyle”) courtyard

A palatial complex, with a Greek-style Columned (“peristyle”) courtyard

Dolphin’s head waterspout from public fountain Reverse imprint of a Greek papyrus, on clay

Dolphin’s head waterspout from public fountain Reverse imprint of a Greek papyrus, on clay floor of the library in the 2 nd-century BC palace

Pebble mosaic in palace bathing quarters, Ca. 150 BC Silver-gilt medallion of Cybele in

Pebble mosaic in palace bathing quarters, Ca. 150 BC Silver-gilt medallion of Cybele in her chariot, Ca. mid-3 rd century BC [Subtle fusion of Greek and Oriental elements]