Issos numbers

maciek · Post by **maciek** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 7:52 am

HI All!!I have a question about numbers of soldiers in Issos. I know what is writen in books but I can't find place in sources where specific numbers are given. I mean Alexander's side. I've found in two books about Persian side. Maybe I should just assume the same number Alex's soldiers as in Granicos and plus or minus some reinforcements or losses. Well maybe some of You found such information in sources which I couldn't.Regards
Maciek

marcus · Post by **marcus** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 8:28 am

Hi Maciek,Good to hear from you, by the way!I can't give you any specific numbers off the top of my head, but I remember reading recently, in a Hammond article, I think, that his (Hammond's) estimate was that Alexander had at least the same numbers as the Granicus, possibly a few more. He worked this out based on the numbers left as garrison troops, or elsewhere (Halicarnassus, besieging the citadel), dead and wounded, balanced out with the reinforcements that came out to Gordium.I don't think he can have had *fewer* than at the Granicus, anyway.All the bestMArcus

maciek · Post by **maciek** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 8:42 am

Hello Marcus!!That is what I also think about it. I tried to find any information in all five main sources and I couldn't. So only one way is to count midding and added and it give the number of those which were in Issos battle. Thanks Marcus for Your answer!
Maciek

nick · Post by **nick** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 11:54 am

At Issos Alexander's full force was very small. In the battles article for pothos http://www.pothos.org/alexander.asp?paraID=95
I used the numbers given by most secondary sources. Their estimates are deducted by using Alexander's force that crossed the Hellespont and then counting inforcements and garrissons left behind. The battle came at a moment during the campaign when the strength of the army had been depleted by the need for garrissons (like Antigonus' forces in Asia Minor) and substantial reinforcements had not yet arrived. I am very much in favor of the low 30,000 estimate of Fuller and Delbr++ck.Regards -
Nick

marcus · Post by **marcus** » Wed Oct 29, 2003 12:58 pm

Hi Nick,Thanks for the rescue there! I must get into the habit of checking what else is on the site! :-)Yeah, I think that is pretty much the number most sources agree on, when one has levelled out the garrisons/dead/reinforcements.And my understanding is about 42,000 for Gaugamela.All the bestMarcus

maciek · Post by **maciek** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:16 am

Thanks!I wanted to be sure that nowhere in sources the exact number is writen. Now when I asked the specialists I'm sure that I didn't missed it.
Well just to shere with You I needed it to those book about which I wrote some time ago. There is a lot of differnt numbers in books so in mine I wanted to write all versions from ancient texts and modern estimates that the reader could see this and decide who can be right. BTW Nick I posted e-mail twice to You and You about that book didn't answered, do I maybe use incorrect e-mail adress? Or You just too busy?Regards
Maciek

nick · Post by **nick** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:29 am

Hi Maciek -I never received your e-mails. Check here:
http://www.pothos.org/alexander.asp?paraID=50Please try again!Thanks -
Nick

maciek · Post by **maciek** » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:30 am

Well I posted on this adress:
nick@gaugamela.com
Tommorow I'll try to send You another e-mail. I't is nothing importand - just excerpt from book I've wrote. But the book will be in polish language (ofcourse excerpt is in english

) so I don't know if You will be interested in posting it on the site.Regards
Maciek

pothos.org

Issos numbers

Issos numbers

Re: Issos numbers

Re: Issos numbers

Re: probably 30,000

That's the magic number, Nick

Re: That's the magic number, Nick

Re: That's the magic number, Nick

Re: That's the magic number, Nick