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Dr Reames has posted a video on her YouTube page featuring Reyhan Korpe, who has done extensive surveys on Alexander's route to the Granicus and the battle site.
I'm afraid I found this rather difficult to follow, but I think the gist of what he is saying is that he believes Alexander arrived in the Granicus valley about 5 km further south than traditionally thought, following Hammond, because the north of the flood plain would have been marshy. I don't actually think he is disputing the traditional site of the battle (although I could be wrong).
In the first picture posted in this thread, the hill the Greek mercenaries fighting on the Persian side were stationed on this hill.
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He also seems to be saying that the Granicus river has not substantially changed its position.
Alexias wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 3:46 pm
Dr Reames has posted a video on her YouTube page featuring Reyhan Korpe, who has done extensive surveys on Alexander's route to the Granicus and the battle site.
I'm afraid I found this rather difficult to follow, but I think the gist of what he is saying is that he believes Alexander arrived in the Granicus valley about 5 km further south than traditionally thought, following Hammond, because the north of the flood plain would have been marshy. I don't actually think he is disputing the traditional site of the battle (although I could be wrong).
He also seems to be saying that the Granicus river has not substantially changed its position.
I struggled to follow it as well, but the glimpses of the slides suggests it's a rehash of what we discussed earlier:
a) Korpe believes they identified Hermoton and based on that, reconstructs Alexander's route through the mountains further south. But there's no information as to exactly where Hermoton is.
b) he believes the battlefield was not near Cemealti because according to geomorphology, the area was too marshy to be a battlefield. He says it was 5km south-east, near Gumuscay, with this being the hill of the mercenaries
c) yes, he says that the upper part of the river nearer where it enters the alluvian plane did not change course.
he's probably right on all accounts - he's local and it's his field of expertise. But then the battle was fought in the triangle between two rivers (today called Cam Stream & Hosap Stream) which converge at modern day Cinarcopru. The Persians, who got there first, would have had to cross the eastern (Hosap) stream and then fled back across it. Unless of course that river wasn't there 2400 years ago - which I would call a major change.
As an aside: I can't see any reason for Alexander marching through the mountains at all, let alone a more southern route which is even longer through mountains. why make 40,000 men and six thousand horse go up and down over hills when there's a perfectly good coastal route, with your navy sailing alongside. it's only a couple of kilometers longer.
All men by nature desire understanding. Aristotle.
chris_taylor wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 7:41 pm
a) Korpe believes they identified Hermoton and based on that, reconstructs Alexander's route through the mountains further south. But there's no information as to exactly where Hermoton is.
I think there was a slide which did show a map with the site that has been excavated on it, but I'd have to hunt for it. His argument against the northern route is that in the surveys they did, there was no evidence found of a settlement which would equate to Alexander's third camp site on the march to the Granicus.
chris_taylor wrote: ↑Mon Jul 07, 2025 7:41 pm
b) he believes the battlefield was not near Cemealti because according to geomorphology, the area was too marshy to be a battlefield. He says it was 5km south-east, near Gumuscay, with this being the hill of the mercenaries
That is what I thought he said, but then the photos with the sunflowers has a dirty great sign saying 'Battlefield of the Granicus', so that is the site which tourists are directed to, and he specifically says that the Greek mercenaries' hill is the one in the distance beyond the sunflowers. So is he saying that the battle site is in a different direction from this hill?
I am away for a few days, but I will try and look at the link you've provided, and come back to you.
