pothos.org

Dear friends,I've put online the text of the so-called Arabia Chronicle at http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/ ... ia_01.html .Frankly, it is a rather boring cuneiform text that describes the events of the Spring of 323. There's a reference to Alexander's army at the Tigris, it confirms that embassadors arrived to visit Alexander, and it mentions preparations for Alexander's planned campaign against Arabia. There's also a word or two about a gate in Babylon, which may or may not refer to Alexander's entry through the forbidden eastern gate.So, it contains no information that we did not know already, but on the other hand, corroboration of knowledge is also an advance.To the Alexander Chronicle I already published online, I have now added a picture: http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/ ... lternative .Best wishes,Jona

Incredible! Your work is fascinating to me. Makes me think of court reporting and the need for briefs! Thanks for all your hard work, and plowing through what may be boring to some but to me absolutely incredibly interesting! Think how long it took to prepare the tablets, and how gossip would not have been included. Only the facts, just the facts. I love it!

Today I've added another chronicle, called the "Antiochus and Sin chronicle" (a.k.a. Chronicle 11, ABC 11 or BCHP 5). It describes how Antiochus, son of Seleucus, sacrices to the Babylonian moon god Sin, and how he resettles the (children of the?) Macedonians left in Babylon by Alexander to Seleucia.This chronicle was published for the first time in 1975, but this last piece of information is based on a "match", i.e., a new part of the tablet that has been discovered and was added to the main text.It is not entirely without significance, because it suggests that Alexander wanted Babylon to be a mixed Macedonian-Babylonian city, a policy that was continued by Antigonus and Seleucus. Antiochus disagreed with this policy, which was resumed by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Those who want to argue that Alexander wanted to establish "unity of mankind" (something I do not believe), can use this text as an argument.http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/ ... 1.htmlJona

And a final addition, for the time being: the Ruin of Esagila Chronicle. In 323, Alexander ordered large scale repairs to the two main sanctuaries of Babylon, Esagila (the temple of Marduk = Bel, Greek Belos or Zeus) and the Etemenanki (the ziggurat, or "tower of Babel"). Removing the debris took almost 30 years - not surpisingly because the Second Diadoch War and the Babylonian War. During the reign of Seleucus Nicator, the job was finished by his crown prince Antiochus.http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/ ... 01.htmlThe end of the 'tower of Babel' is almost funny. The last stage of the removal of the debris was inaugurated with a sacrifice, but Antiochus stembled and fell. In a fit of anger, he seems to have ordered his elephants to remove everything. The monument was never rebuilt.Jona

Hello,Just a quick note basically to second Janet's recognition of the work you have put in Jona- 10 out of 10,Thanks,
Dean.