Alexander and the Scythians

[Sweetmemory41]

Here’s an interesting article about the Battle of the Jaxartes River - https://www.labrujulaverde.com/en/2024/ ... dysentery/

[marcus]

That's an interesting article, and I like that the author has taken the trouble to sketch out the probably development of the confrontation between the Scythians and the Macedonians.

I crossed the Jaxartes on a very cold and rainy day in 2009. It wasn't anything like as glamorous as I expected!

[Alexias]

Cool, Marcus!

An interesting article, Sweetmemory., thanks. I doubt Alexander, though, would have seen the slaughter as unnecessary. He might not have intended to invade Scythia, but he needed to decisively stamp his authority on the region, and he succeeded if it lasted for 1800 years.

[chris_taylor]

I crossed the Jaxartes on a very cold and rainy day in 2009. It wasn't anything like as glamorous as I expected!

I remember you posting about this all these years ago. enviable! I had hoped to retrace the route through Uzbekistan this year, but as a single female, logistics & cost are prohibitive

just two points about the article. Franz v. Schwarz who travelled extensively in Uzbekistan around 1890 argues that

a) the Cyropolis mentioned in Arrian is modern Istaravshan, not Khujand (that might have been a different Cyropolis, though). he bases this on the distances given in Arrian

b) the dystentry of the Macedonian army was due to nitrite in the water. it still happened during his time, when people drank too much of it when they were very thirsty.

[marcus]

I had hoped to retrace the route through Uzbekistan this year, but as a single female, logistics & cost are prohibitive

I feel for you. There are quite a few good companies who offer tours in Uzbekistan (and the other 'stans'), which you might consider looking at. They are, of course, more expensive than going solo; but the itineraries are all sorted out, along with all in-country travel and hotels. Definitely worth investigating further.