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Alexander's Garrisons: A Clue to his Administrative Plans?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 May 2015

C. G. Thomas
C. G. Thomas*
Affiliation:
University of Washington, Seattle
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Extract

Quintus Curtius' bold statement is more than tantalizing to the historian interested in Alexander's plans for the administration of his empire. If Curtius is correct in maintaining that Alexander established garrisons and founded cities throughout the territory he had conquered, then an examination of the location of his settlements as well as the composition of troops and colonists detailed to remain should suggest the nature of Alexander's policy. Furthermore, since garrisons were established from Asia Minor to India, changes in that policy should be revealed if ever his disposition of guards altered markedly.

Type
Research Article
Information
Antichthon , Volume 8 , 1974 , pp. 11 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © Australasian Society for Classical Studies 1974

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References

1 Curtius x 2.8.

2 Curtius vii 3.5.

3 Kandahar: Fischer, K., Zur Lage von Kandahar an Landverbindungen zwischen Iran und Indien’, Bonner Jahrbücher 167 (1967), 129–232Google Scholar; Ghazni: Tarn, W. W., Alexander the Great (Cambridge, 1948) Vol. i, p. 65Google Scholar and Vol. ii, App. 8, 1. Nor have I attempted to make exhaustive citations of modern works dealing with Alexander as, for instance, Berve's, H.Das Alexanderreich auf prosopographischer Grundlage (Munich, 1926)Google Scholar, which every student of Alexander must use. Attention is focused rather on the primary sources.

4 Halicarnassus and the rest of Caria (i 23.6); Side (i 26.5); Celaenae (i 29.3); Aegean Islands and mainland (ii 2.4); Soli (ii 5.5); lowland Syria (ii 13.7); Pelusium (iii 1.3); Memphis (iii 5.3); Aornus (iii 29.1); along the Tanais (iv 1.4, 4.1); in Bactria (iv 16.4-5); Zariaspa (iv 16.6); near Bazira (iv 27.7); Ora and Massaga (iv 28.4); Orobatis (iv 28.5); Peucelaotis (iv 28.6); Aornus in India (iv 30.4); Taxila (v 8.3, vi 15.2); cities under Porus (v 24.8); capital of Musicanus (vi 15.7); cities of Musicanus (vi 17.1); Pattala (vi 20.5). The troops detailed to guard the satrapy of Philip (vi 15.2) should be equated with those left at Taxila (v 8.3). The later reference demonstrates that Alexander was simply defining the boundaries of the satrapy. The left near Bazira (iv 27.7) may be duplicated in the reference to Orobatis (iv 28.5). I have, however, included Bazira and Orobatis as separate references.

5 How long must a garrison remain before it can be judged permanent; that is, how do we distinguish between temporary and permanent forces? Certainly Arrian v 21.4 refers to temporary guards: so that the troops with Craterus and Coenus could pass safely. In most cases, however, the information is less easy to judge. Perhaps it will be safe to note as permanent those garrisons (1) left in unpacified regions which were vital to communications; (2) established in already- or recently-fortified citadels; (3) associated with major settlements.

6 Sardes (i 17.7-8); Susa (iii 16.9); Maracanda (iv 3.6); cities of Musicanus (vi 17.1).

7 City 500 stades from the Acesines (vi 6.5); city of the Brahmins (vi 7.4); Mallian city (vi 10.4).

8 Dascylion (i 17.2); Halicarnassus (ii 5.7); Babylon (iii 16.3-4); Miletus (i 18.3); Cilician Gates (ii 4.3); Ephesus (i 17.9-13); Hyparna (i 24.4).

9 Site near Bazira (iv 27.7); Orobatis (iv 28.5); city at junction of Acesines and Indus (vi 15.2); Pattala (vi 18.1, 20.5); Arigaeum (iv 24.7); city near the Acesines (v 29.3); Ora and Massaga (iv 28.4); near Sogdia (vi 15.4); Nicaea and Bucephala (v20.2).

10 Along the Tanais (iv 4.1); other side of the Indus (vi 17.4); Sogdiana (iv 16.3); Rambacia (vi 21.5). The reference at vi 22.3 probably duplicates the reference to Rambacia.

11 Alinda (i 23.8); Gaza (ii 25.4,27.7); capital of Musicanus (vi 15.7).

12 Damascus (ii 15.1); Ecbatana (iii 19.7).

13 Alexandria near Mt. Caucasus (iii 28.4); Phaselis (i 24.6); Issus (ii 7.1); Areia (iii 25.2); Embolima (iv 28.7); Aspendus (i 26.3); temporary outposts (v 21.4).

14 Issus (iii 7.7); Gaugamela (iv 12.1); Babylon (v 1.20, 1.43); Susa (v 2.16-17); Persepolis (v 6.11); among the Bactriani (vii 5.1); Egypt (iv 8. 4-5); among the Arachosii (vii 3.5); Soli (iii 7.2); Maracanda (vii 6.10); city near the Acesines (ix 4.8); Antigonus in Lycia (iv 1.35); Rhodes and Chios (iv 8.12); capital of Musicanus (ix 8.10).

15 Susa (v 2.16-17); Maracanda (vii 6.10); city near the Acesines (ix 4.8); Celaenae (iii 1.6); Bactrian citadel (ix 7.1-2); Siwa (iv 7.20); city among the Uxii (v 3.11).

16 Lesbos, Chios, Cos (iii 1.19); Chios (iv 5.17); Chios, Andros, Siphnos (iv 1.37); Egypt (iv 1.28, 1.30); Mytilene (iv 5.22); Sardes (iii 12.6); Crete (iv 1.40).

17 Alexandria in the Caucasus (vii 3.23); near Margiana (vii 10.15-16); Greeks in Bactria (ix 7.1-2); Alexandria by the Tanais (vii 6.25); Nicaea and Bucephala (ix 1.6, 3.23); Alexandria in India (ix 8.8); in the land of the Horitae (ix 10.7).

18 Damascus (iii 8.12); Rock held by Ariamazes (vii 11.1); Aornus (viii 11.25).

19 Ambraciots (xvii 3.3); Thebes (ib. 3.4, 8.3); Sardes (ib. 64.6); Babylon (ib. 64.5); Persepolis (ib. 69.1, 71.1); Halicarnassus (ib. 23.4); Siwa (ib. 50.3); Mallian city (ib. 98.4).

20 In the Caucasus (ib. 83.1-2); Nicaea and Bucephala (ib. 89.6, 95.5); Alexandria in India (ib. 102.4); city near the sea (ib. 104.8); Cossaea (ib. 111.6).

21 Although Arrian does not write of Lycian garrisons in the same terms, he does know of troops left with Antigonus (i 29.3).

22 Lycia (iv 1.35); among the Arachosii (vii 3.5); rock of Ariamazes (vii 11.1); cities near Margiana (vii 10.15); Crete (iv 1.40); city among the Uxii (v 3.11).

23 Halicarnassus-Caria (i 23.6); Side (i 26.5): lowland Syria (ii 13.7); Aornus (iii 29.1); near Bazira (iv 27.7); Orobatis (iv 28.5); Taxila (v 8.3); cities of Porus (v 24.8); city at junction of Acesines and Indus (vi 15.2); cities of Musicanus (vi 17.1); Pattala (vi 20.5); Dascylion (i 17.2); Alinda (i 23.8); Gaza (ii 25.4, 27.7); Arigaeum (iv 24.7); Ora and Massaga (iv 28.4); other side of Indus (vi 17.4); Ephesus (i 17.9-13); Miletus (i 18.3); Hyparna (i 24.4).

24 Sardes (i 17.7-8); Halicarnassus (i 23.6); lowland Syria (ii 13.7); Memphis (iii 5.3); Ecbatana (iii 19.7); along the Tanais (iv 1.4, 4.1); Maracanda (iv 3.6); Zariaspa (iv 16.6); Arigaeum (iv 24.7); Peucelaotis (iv 28.6); Taxila (v 8.3); cities under Porus (v 24.8); city near the Acesines (v 29.3); city at junction of Acesines and Indus (vi 15.2).

25 Bactra (ix 7.1-2); city near the Acesines (ix 4.8); Babylon (v 1.20, 1.43); Susa (v 2.16-17); Alexandria in the Caucasus (vii 3.23).

26 Curtius: Mytilene (2000 Persians, iv 5.22); Egypt (4000 soldiers, iv 8.4-5); Babylon (700 Macedonians and 300 mercenaries, v 1.43); Susa (3000 soldiers, v 2.16-17); Persepolis (3000 Macedonians, v 6.11); among the Arachosii (4000 infantry and 600 cavalry, vii 3.5); Maracanda (1000 soldiers, vii 6.10): among the Sogdiani (3000 infantry, vii 10.10). Arrian: Celaenae (1500 soldiers, i 29.3); Halicarnassus-Caria (3000 mercenary infantry and cavalry, i 23.6); Zariaspa (80 mercenary cavalry, iv 16.6).

27 In recent investigations, Professor N. G. L. Hammond has demonstrated the quite remarkable accuracy of Arrian's topographical detail regarding Alexander's Illyrian campaign. His conclusions support the present contention that Arrian and his sources were concerned with specific detail rather than with attempts to reckon numbers. See now Hammond, N. G. L., ‘Alexander's Campaign in Illyria’, JHS 94 (1974), 66–87CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

28 This reckoning simply increases the numbers given by Curtius by one and a half times for the additional nine garrisons.

29 Arrian: along the Tanais, Arigaeum, Taxila, the city near the Acesines. Curtius: Susa, Alexandria in the Caucasus and the city near the Acesines.

30 Arrian: Ecbatana, along the Tanais originally, Maracanda, Peucelaotis. Curtius: Babylon and Persepolis.

31 Badian, E., ‘The Administration of the Empire’, Greece and Rome, 2nd ser., 12 (1965), 177CrossRefGoogle Scholar: ‘The eastern part of Iran — Bactria-Sogdiana, Aria, and Arachosia — formed a solid layer of provinces strongly held by Greeks or Macedonians, watching over western Iran (in Oriental hands) and guarding Alexander's rear for the Indian campaign.’

32 Arrian vii 8.2-3.

33 Badian, op. cit., 175 on the appointment of Mazaeus described as ‘… a proclamation of Alexander's future policy: the lawful successor to the Achaemenids was calling for the co-operation of the Iranian aristocracy — the traditional administrators of the Empire, without whose help he could not hope to run it.’

34 Habicht, C., ‘Die herrschende Gesellschaft in den hellenistischen Monarchien’, Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschajtsgeschichte 45 (1958), 1–16Google Scholar, esp. 6 f.

35 Arrian iv 7.2.

36 Arrian v 24.8.

37 Badian, op. cit., 171.

38 Ibid., 175.

39 Arrian vii 6.2-5.

40 ‘It [Alexander's thinking about his empire] also shows him — except where fears and passions impinge — at his best: empirical, adaptable, even opportunist; making the best use of what he found when it served the purpose of the moment, and the minimum of change when it did not or when the purpose itself had changed; achieving simplicity and utility rather than uniformity; and, though ready enough to delegate responsibility, retaining ultimate control and exercising it, where he thought it necessary, with speed and determination.’ Badian, op. cit., 182.

I am grateful to E. Badian for his critical comments which have rescued this article from serious errors. He is not, of course, responsible for the views expressed.