pothos.org

In 328, the Macedonians were campaigning in eastern Sogdia. Alexander divided his army in five units, each pillaging a river valley north of the Oxus, deporting the populace to new settlements. One of these units was commanded by Ptolemy.Ptolemy reached the upper valley of his river, and must have seen a mountain that has been called Mount Romanov, Pik Lenin, Pik Stalin, Pik Kommunisma, and is now known as Pik Imeni Ismail Samani - one century of Central-Asian history summarized in one mountain. This mountain is 7495 meters high.So far, so good. Ptolemy established the European record "looking at high mountains". He must have remained the European champion for centuries. Now my utterly irrelevant question: who broke it? In other words, who was the first European to see a mountain higher than 7500 meter?I know this question is silly, but since I started to wonder about it, about eight months ago, this question returns to me - I simply can't get it out of my head.Anyone any thoughts? The name of a British or French explorer in India? A traveller on the Silk Road?Jona

Interesting question, maybe one of Greek mercenaries who served in Persian armies!"Ptolemy reached the upper valley of his river, and must have seen a mountain that has been called Mount Romanov, Pik Lenin, Pik Stalin, Pik Kommunisma, and is now known as Pik Imeni Ismail Samani - one century of Central-Asian history summarized in one mountain. This mountain is 7495 meters high."And now an absolutely irrelevant answer! I think Ismail Samani was really a great man, he had a big role in reviving the Persian culture in Central Asia, he is the national hero of Tajikistan and Tajikistan is the only Persian speaking country in the Central Asia.

Which route did Marco Polo take?

Don't know Polo's route, but he did record his sight of the solitary tree and empty plain of Gaugamela. This is from Paolo Moreno's book, Apelles, The Alexander Mosaic. (Both Moreno and Ada Cohen say that the Alexander Mosaic is of Gaugamela and not Issus.)(Il Milione 39, 4-7) And then there is a very large flat province where there is the Solitary Tree, which Christians call the Dead Tree; and I shall tell you what it is like. It is tall and imposing; its leaves are green on one side and white on the other, and it produces prickly burs like chestnuts, but there is nothing inside, it has a strong wood, yellow like box. And there is no other tree for a hundred miles, except in one direction, ten miles away. And the people of this place say that the battle between Alexander and Darius took place here."Another irrelevant reply, I know, but you did bring up Marco Polo and I couldn't resist this quote. :-)Linda Ann

More irrelevant info: this does not refer to a battle, but to the site of Darius's death. The tree was in northern Iran, not Iraq. I hope to visit the site in January.Anyhow, the important thing is, as Linda correctly observes, that any temptation to quote Marco Polo should immediately be yielded to...Jona