Question for Jona re Gaugamela

[karen]

Hi Jona (and other pothosoi):I am working on the Gaugamela scene of my novel, and want to make mention of the Assyrian canal... but I can't make out quite where it was located. In the chapter excerpt you mention that the Mak army had to *cross* it... but from the map it appears they crossed a river that flowed into or out of the canal, not the canal itself.Looking forward to hearing your thoughts...Warmly,
Karen

[jona]

Ahem... an error. I am sorry, this is something I should have noticed. I will correct it immediately.More about Sennacherib's canal, BTW, in an old publication: Thorgild Jacobsen and Seton Lloyd, "Sennacherib's Aqueduct at Jerwan", in: *Oriental Institute Publications* 24 (1935), Chicago.About the current situation, I once read that today, the canal is still an important aspect of the landscape as it is sometimes still eight meters deep, but I don't remember who wrote it.Jona

[karen]

Thanks, Jona!But... is the error in the text, or the map?I'll have my friend/research assistant see if she can scare up the article from the library of the university at which she studies.Still there after how many thousand years? Amazing. I wish I could see it.Thanks again,
Karen

[jona]

Ahem, the error was in the translation. (I found it unkind towards the translator to mention this, but I see no way to keep her out of the discussion now.)The canal must really have been immense, and if it was really 8 meters deep, I can understand that it is still visible. I suppose that today, satelite pictures may be useful. I once saw aerial photos of the place where once was Xerxes's canal, and you can see that the vegetation is more green: http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodotus/hist05.htm .Jona

[karen]

Hi Jona:Now I feel a bit badly. But really, I think no less of the translater. Everyone makes mistakes, myself included!Thanks for the clarification, plus URL.Warmly,
Karen