Alexander's landscape

[marcus]

Happy New Year to all Pothosians.

A little while ago, someone suggested that it would be nice to have more pictures of the places Alexander visited, to help people get an idea of the landscape, etc. I think this was specifically in relation to the rivers, in fact.

I haven't finished putting together this album - there are plenty more photos to go in - but if you follow this link to my Facebook album you will be able to see some of the photos I've taken over the last few years, of places related to Alexander's travels.

All the best.

[jan]

Happy New Year, Marcus, and everyone at Pothos,

I want to congratulate you on your photographic essay which you have compiled on Facebook. I enjoyed studying each and every photograph, some of which are very daunting to consider how you managed to get them as you clearly have done...That was some trip...and I appreciate your sharing this with us...Jan

[Fiona]

Those are really helpful, Marcus, it's great to see the rivers and terrain like that. I liked how they were in chronological order - it was actually quite moving, seeing the places like that, as if the pictures were telling the story. Thank you so much.
It's good to hear there are even more to come, too. You have been to a lot of places 'in the footsteps of', and you take good photographs!
Happy New Year to one and all,
Fiona

[SKY]

Bravo Marcus - keep them coming.

[marcus]

Bravo Marcus - keep them coming.

Thanks for the comments, guys. I've now finished uploading the photos I intended to include - around 130 of them. I hope that they give people and idea of the sorts of landscape Alexander and his army were travelling through - as well as giving an idea of what remains of his passing, in some cases!

Anyone else got any pics they could create a similar album with?

ATB

[Taphoi]

Anyone else got any pics they could create a similar album with?

Hi Marcus,

Congratulations on having assembled a fascinating and atmospheric collection of images - nicely photographed too.

To respond to your query - I have a set of 14 photos of Alexander related spots in Alexandria already online at:

http://www.alexanderstomb.com/main/imag ... /index.htm

The overall Image Library on my site currently comprises 367 items including 142 antique images of Alexander and his campaigns, 105 antique images of Alexandria, 47 antique maps of Alexandria and 27 ancient coins of Alexander and Alexandria. There are also image collections for Babylon and the possible tomb of Alexander at Saqqara.

Best wishes,

Andrew

[marcus]

To respond to your query - I have a set of 14 photos of Alexander related spots in Alexandria already online at:

http://www.alexanderstomb.com/main/imag ... /index.htm

The overall Image Library on my site currently comprises 367 items including 142 antique images of Alexander and his campaigns, 105 antique images of Alexandria, 47 antique maps of Alexandria and 27 ancient coins of Alexander and Alexandria. There are also image collections for Babylon and the possible tomb of Alexander at Saqqara.

Thanks, Andrew. And yes, I fully endorse Andrew's collection of photos/pictures - Andrew does indeed have a great collection of antique maps and drawings of Alexandria (in his personal collection); so Pothosians should indeed make sure they have a gander at his site!

ATB

[Fiona]

These are fantastic, Marcus, thanks so much. It's really helpful to see such a selection for each place - far more than you'd get in most books - it gives a much better idea of a place.
They're such good photos, too, they'd look great in a book.
It gets more and more atmospheric! To see the Oxus - amazing. And Siwa, those were so beautiful.
And Cyrus' tomb, with its little roof on! What an experience that must have been.
Thanks for all the captions - it's great looking at the photos and 'hearing' this commentary explaining how near we are to Alexander's route, what he would have seen, etc.
I loved the ancient tree! Good grief, it was old when he went past.
And the waterfall near Ecbatana, you can imagine it being a summer capital, and cooler, if there were waterfalls around.
It's really helpful to see which mountains are steep and jagged and which ones are hills and which ones have snow on top - also which deserts are sandy and which are bare rock.
That green strip between the coast and the inland plains in Lebanon was good too.
I think I've read that Mesopotamia was more fertile in ancient times, or was that an area further east?
But it really brings it home how far they all travelled through inhospitable places, and I bet they did miss their olive trees.
So, where are you going for your next trip? Pella and Mieza would make a good addition to your collection!
Thanks so much,
Fiona

Thanks for the comments, guys. I've now finished uploading the photos I intended to include - around 130 of them. I hope that they give people and idea of the sorts of landscape Alexander and his army were travelling through - as well as giving an idea of what remains of his passing, in some cases!

Anyone else got any pics they could create a similar album with?

ATB

[marcus]

I think I've read that Mesopotamia was more fertile in ancient times, or was that an area further east?
But it really brings it home how far they all travelled through inhospitable places, and I bet they did miss their olive trees.
So, where are you going for your next trip? Pella and Mieza would make a good addition to your collection!

Thanks for your kind words, Fiona. I have to say, with regard to the Siwa pics (and those of Alexandria), that I was very pleasantly surprised how well they came out considering I had to scan prints, as I took them before I ever got a digital camera.

My favourites must include those of the Euphrates, taken from the walls of Dura Europos - now that was atmospheric! It was like stepping into a David Roberts painting ...

Overall Mesopotamia was more fertile then than now, although I think it would be fair to say that there was a fair amount of desert, and at least scrubland, even if the fertile parts were much broader.

Next trip? Well, I haven't been to Pella and Aigai, so I really ought to, at some point. I haven't been to Troy and the Aegean Coast of Turkey (Ephesus, etc.) yet, either. But currently I am considering a Silk Road trip in Western China and Kyrgizstan - no Alexander places there, unfortunately. So we'll see ... I have work to do on my flat, first, which might require me staying at home more in the holidays!

ATB