Alexander and Ice

[rocktupac]

I can't remember where (it may have been on the History Channel's program "Modern Marvels"), but I heard a story about when Alexander was around Tyre or Gaza and how he paid certain soldiers a reward if they brought back ice from the mountains in the area; the ice was used as a display of luxury. I have not been able to find out where this story is taken from and have never heard it again outside of that single (unreliable) source. Can anyone help me out?

[athenas owl]

It's the History Channel...I've come to realise just how crappy the "history" shows are...

Something was on the other night, about the Sphinx maybe? Anyway, the narrator was talking about the Sphinx and he said that the Greeks had never used the sphinx imagery until Alexander came to Egypt. I turned the channel.

Which reminds me of a show I watched the other day, more background noise than anything while I was working. It was called "Apocalypse Island" and what a bunch of hooey! The best part was the impression they were giving that the two "explorers" were going to some abandoned island in the South Pacific, requiring a boat and DANGER! and a mysterious Mayan ruin.

They neglected to mention that the island had a runway and 600 plus residents, not to mention the camerman who was filming them arriving on this "desolate" island from the island ...it was so laughable..I almost enjoyed it. And yes, it was on the History Channel.

[amyntoros]

I can't remember where (it may have been on the History Channel's program "Modern Marvels"), but I heard a story about when Alexander was around Tyre or Gaza and how he paid certain soldiers a reward if they brought back ice from the mountains in the area; the ice was used as a display of luxury. I have not been able to find out where this story is taken from and have never heard it again outside of that single (unreliable) source. Can anyone help me out?

Not Tyre or Gaza, but there is something similar mentioned about India.

Athenaeus Book III. 124 c

Even the excellent Xenophon, in the Memorabilia, knows of the use of snow in drinking, and Chares of Mitylene, when he recounts the siege of the Indian capital Petra. He says that Alexander dug thirty refrigerating pits which he filled with snow and covered with oak boughs. In this way, he says, snow will last a long time.

Chares doesn't say that Alexander offered a reward though, or that the snow was used as a display of luxury although it could have been an indicator of status, I suppose. Even with 30 pits I doubt that the common soldier got to partake of the snow.

Athenas Owl, I know what you mean about the History Channel, although we probably should blame the producers and writers of the documentaries rather than the channel itself. I've come to view any and all historical documentaries the same way that I do Wikipedia, i.e., if it's something I've never heard of before then it needs to be researched and proven before it is believed.

Best regards,

[rocktupac]

Not Tyre or Gaza, but there is something similar mentioned about India.

Athenaeus Book III. 124 c

Even the excellent Xenophon, in the Memorabilia, knows of the use of snow in drinking, and Chares of Mitylene, when he recounts the siege of the Indian capital Petra. He says that Alexander dug thirty refrigerating pits which he filled with snow and covered with oak boughs. In this way, he says, snow will last a long time.

Chares doesn't say that Alexander offered a reward though, or that the snow was used as a display of luxury although it could have been an indicator of status, I suppose. Even with 30 pits I doubt that the common soldier got to partake of the snow.

Athenas Owl, I know what you mean about the History Channel, although we probably should blame the producers and writers of the documentaries rather than the channel itself. I've come to view any and all historical documentaries the same way that I do Wikipedia, i.e., if it's something I've never heard of before then it needs to be researched and proven before it is believed.

Best regards,

Ah! Yes, that is it! I knew I would probably have the story wrong, it was a very long time ago that I first heard of it. Thank you so much! It has been bugging me for a while and just popped in my head, so I had to ask the forum. Thanks for the answer.