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(Ἐρυθρὰ θάλαττα; Erythrà thálatta). [German version] [1] Corresponding roughly to the north-western Indian Ocean A sea (Ionian Ἐρυθρὴ θάλασσα, ‘Red Sea’) frequently mentioned from Herodotus until late antiquity, corresponding roughly in its normal extent to the north-western Indian Ocean (today's Arabian Sea), while today's Red Sea and Persian Gulf were regarded as κόλποι ( kólpoi) of the Erythra thalatta (ET). Later on, however, this name undoubtedly covered an area much further eastwards; even the term Periplus maris erythraei to describe the coast stretching from with…

(Ὕπανις; Hýpanis). [German version] [1] River in the Ukraine River in the Ukraine (modern Bug). According to Hdt. 4,47,52 it flows from west to east, next to  Ister (Danube) and  Tyras (Dniestr) the third of the Scythian rivers that flows to the Pontus. Further sources: Hdt. 4,17,18; Skymni periegesis V. 804 (= GGM 1,229); Str. 2,107; 7, 298; 306; Ptol. 3,5,2; Anonymi periplus Ponti Euxini 60 (= GGM 1,417); Steph. Byz. s.v.  Borysthenes; Mela 2,6; Plin. HN 4,83f. Brentjes, Burchard (Berlin) Treidler, Hans (Berlin) [German version] [2] River in the northern Caucasus Modern Kuban, which …

(Βάκτρος; Báktros). [German version] [1] Inhabitant of the city of Bactra or of the land  Bactria Inhabitant of the city of Bactra or of the land  Bactria (usually ὁ Βάκτριος and Βακτριανός), see Dionys. Per. 736 (GGM II p. 150), Nonnus, Dion. 25,374, Str. 11,11,3 Brentjes, Burchard (Berlin) Treidler, Hans (Berlin) [German version] [2] Southerly tributary of the Oxus Southerly tributary of the Oxus (Āmū-daryā), today Balḫāb (Curt. 7,4,31; Plin. HN 6,48; Str. 11,11,2 i.a.); identical with the  Araxes, according to Aristot. Mete. 1,13,16 and Ps.-Plut. De …

(Ἀλεξάνδρεια; Alexándreia). Name of numerous cities founded by Alexander the Great, including nine in eastern Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. [German version] [1] in Egypt This item can be found on the following maps: Egypt | Caesar | Christianity | Wine | Zenobia | | Diadochi and Epigoni | Alexander | Commerce | Hellenistic states | Hellenistic states | India, trade with | Legio | Legio | Limes | Pilgrimage | Pompeius | Rome | Rome | Athletes | Education / Culture | Egypt Jansen-Winkeln, Karl (Berlin) [German version] A. Topography City on the Egyptian Mediterranean coast foun…

[German version] River in western Central Asia, modern Syr Darya, 2,860 km long; rises at the Taedyk pass in the eastern Altai Mountains. After flowing northwards for a short distance it takes in the Naryn River, which originates not far from Lake Issyk-Kul, then enters the plains of Kazakhstan south-west of Tashkent (where it becomes navigable) and flows into the  Aral Sea (Amm. Marc. 23,6,59). The indigenous Scythians called the I. Silis or Orxantes, Alexander the Great called it Tanais (Plin. HN 6,49; Arr. Anab. 3,30-7-8 et passim, but also I. Arr. Anab. 7,16,3 among others), …

[German version] Longest river (1,000 km) of the Persian core provinces  Arachosia and  Drangiana (modern Helmand Rūd), now inside Afghanistan. Today the Helmand no longer reaches the lake basin of Daryāče-ye Sı̄stān, but disappears in swamps because some of its water is diverted for irrigation. Arr. Anab. 4,6,6 reports that this river flows through the territory of the Εὐεργέται ( Euergétai,  Ariaspae). Plin. HN 6,92 calls the river the Erymandus. Curt. 8,9,10 erroneously located the river in India with the name Ethymantus. Treidler, Hans (Berlin) Bibliography Barrington Atlas…

[German version] [1] River which rises in the Upper Atlas River which rises in the Upper Atlas (Δύρις; Dýris), flows through the region to the south of the Anti-Atlas mountains and into the Atlantic Ocean, today known as Oued Dra. Other forms of the name: Dyris, Vitr. De arch. 8,2,6; Darat, Plin. HN 5,9; Δάραδος or Δάρας; Dárados or Dáras, Ptol. 4,6,6; 9; 14; Dara, Oros. 1,2,31. It is possible that the D. can be identified with the Λίξος ( Líxos) mentioned by Hanno, Periplus 6 (GGM 1,5) and the Ξιῶν/ X iôn mentioned by [Scyl.] 112 (GGM 1,93). Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography C. T. Fischer, s.v. …

[German version] (Δράψακα; Drápsaka). City in  Bactria, first mentioned in connection with Alexander the Great's campaigns, also attested in the forms Δάραψα and Δρέψα ( Dárapsa and Drépsa; Arr. Anab. 3,29,1; Str. 15,725; Ptol. 6,12,6; 8,23,13 N; Steph. Byz. p. 218). The form Δάραψα is preserved in the rural name of modern Andarāb north of Kābul (Hindu kush), while modern Qunduz should be regarded as the ancient D. [1]. Ptolemy includes D. in Sogdiana and also mentions the inhabitants (6,12,4: Δρεψιανοί; Drepsianoí). The Hyrcanian Ἄδραψα ( Ádrapsa) mentioned by Ptol. 6,9,6 has no…

[German version] (Γάγγης; Gángēs, Sanskrit Gaṅga). The largest river in India, known to the west (Arr. Anab. 5,4,1; 5,6,7; 5,9,4; 5,26,1; Curt. 8,9,5, et passim) since Alexander's campaign ( Alexander [4], with map), if not already in Ktesias (in Plin. HN 37,39). Its length was measured in the early Hellenistic period and calculated to be 10,000 stadia (Str. 15,689). According to Str. 15,719 its source lay in the Ēmōdá órē (Himalaya). The G. is mentioned several times by Ptolemy (7,1,29; 30; 42; 51 Nobbe, et passim), its delta described as having five arms (7,1,18), and also the Gangētikós…

[German version] [1] River in Susiana River in  Susiana, famed for the high quality of its water. The Persian king drank only (boiled) water from the Choaspes, carried for him on campaigns and journeys in silver jugs. Partially identified with the  Eulaeus, nowadays with the Karkhe or the Kârûn. Kuhrt, Amélie (London) Sancisi-Weerdenburg, Helen (Utrecht) [German version] [2] River of the southern Hindu Kush River of the southern Hindu Kush, named only the context of Alexander's campaign (Aristot. Mete. 1,13,16; Aristobulus in Str. 15,1,26); in Arr. Anab. 4,2…

[German version] (Ἰσσηδόνες; Issēdónes, Ἰσσηδοί; Issēdoí, Ἐσσηδόνες; Essēdónes). A Scythian people of Asian origin. According to Herodotus (1,201; 4,13-26), they lived southeast of the Aral Sea; however, the heaviest population centres within the regions of their habitation lay in Central Asia. Ptolemy (6,16,5; 16,7; 8,24,3; 24,5 N) ascribes to them the cities of Ἰσσηδὼν Σκυθική (modern Kucha) and Ἰσσηδὼν Σηρική (modern Charqliq), which were located on the Silk Road in Chinese East Turkistan (Tarim Basin, Xinjiang), to the southwest of Lobnor.  Scythians Renger, Johannes (Ber…

(Ἀράξης; Aráxēs). [German version] [1] Largest river in Armenia Largest river in Armenia (today known as the Aras, Georgian Rakhsî), flows into the Caspian Sea; its full extent was not known until Roman times (Pompey) (Mela 3,40; Plin. HN 6,26; Ptol. 5,12,3 M. i.a.). Brentjes, Burchard (Berlin) Treidler, Hans (Berlin) [German version] [2] Another name for the Oxus According to Hdt. 1,202, another name for the Oxus (today Amu-darja), a western tributary of which (today: Wadi Usboi) reached as far as the Caspian Sea in Neolithic times. Brentjes, Burchard (Berlin) Treidler, Hans (Berlin) …

[German version] [1] A people living by the river Gyndes A people living by the river  Gyndes (modern Diyālā), whose territory was traversed by  Cyrus II on his expedition to Babylon (Hdt. 1,189). Oelsner, Joachim (Leipzig) [German version] [2] see Dardae Another form of the name for the  Dardae (Δάρδαι; Dárdai) of northern India. Treidler, Hans (Berlin)

[German version] (Βάκτρα; Báktra). Commercial and residential town at the intersection of two caravan routes in north Afghanistan. Originally Ζαρίασπα ( Zaríaspa; Arr. 3,1,5,71; Pol. 10,49) or Zariastes (Plin. HN 6,48). Today densely populated and, therefore, only excavations at the edge of the tell.  Antiochus III besieged  Euthydemus in vain in 206 BC; the latter built up the Graeco-Bactrian empire from here ( Bactria). In 1966, a hoard find brought forth more than 170 Greek coins from the period before 380 BC. Inhabited and fortified until today. Brentjes, Burchard (Berlin) Trei…

[English version] [1] Fluß in der Susiana Fluß in der Susiana, berühmt für die hohe Qualität seines Wassers. Der persische König trank nur (gekochtes) Choaspes-Wasser, das in silbernen Krügen auf Feldzügen und Reisen für ihn mitgetragen wurde. Teilweise identisch mit dem Eulaios, h. mit dem Karkhe bzw. dem Kârûn. Kuhrt, Amélie (London) Sancisi-Weerdenburg, Helen (Utrecht) [English version] [2] Fluß des südl. Hindukusch Nur innerhalb des Alexanderzuges genannter Fluß des südl. Hindukusch (Aristot. meteor. 1,13,16; Aristobulos bei Strab. 15,1,26), bei Arr. a…

[English version] Dieser Ort ist auf folgenden Karten verzeichnet: Handel | Hellenistische Staatenwelt | Limes | Roma | Syrien Gründung der Artaxias auf Veranlassung Hannibals (188 v.Chr.), Hauptstadt Armeniens (h. Artashat, südöstl. von Jerewan), am linken Ufer des Araxes (h. Aras), von Strab. 11,14,5-6 auch Ἀρταξιάσατα genannt, sonst bezeugt von App. Mithr. 104 (Ἀρτάξατα ἡ βασίλειος), Plut. Luc. 31,3 (τὸ Τιγράνου βασίλειον), Cass. Dio 36,51; 1,49,39,3 und Ptol. 5,12,5; 8,19,10; Tac. ann. 2,56 u.ö. Brentjes, Burchard (Berlin) Treidler, Hans (Berlin)

(Ἀράξης). [English version] [1] Hauptfluß Armeniens Hauptfluß Armeniens (h. Aras, georg. Rakhsî), mündet in das Kaspische Meer, wurde in seinem Gesamtlauf erst in röm. Zeit (Pompeius) bekannt (Mela 3,40; Plin. nat. 6,26; Ptolem. 5,12,3 M. u. a.). Brentjes, Burchard (Berlin) Treidler, Hans (Berlin) [English version] [2] anderer Name für Oxos (h. Amu-darja) Nach Hdt. 1,202 anderer Name für den Oxos (h. Amu-darja), der in neolithischer Zeit mit einem westl. Arm (h. Wadi Usboi) das Kaspische Meer erreichte. Brentjes, Burchard (Berlin) Treidler, Hans (Berlin) [English version] [3] Fl…

[English version] (Καττίγαρα). Erst von Ptol. (1,11,1; 17,4; 23) und Marcianus von Herakleia (1,46, GGM I, p. 538) erwähnter Hafenplatz SO-Asiens; ein ὅρμος τῶν Σινῶν (“Hafen der Sinai”). Der Name der Σῖναι ( Sínai) weist K. in den Bereich des Golfs von Tonking, des ant. Μέγας κόλπος ( Mégas kólpos) [1] oder Σινῶν κόλπος ( Sinṓn kólpos) [2], wie ihn Marcianus selbst und auch Ptol. 7,3,3 nennen. Er bildete die Süd-Grenze der Sínai und bedeutete nach ant. Vorstellung um 200 n.Chr. das östl. Ende der Oikuménē . In diesem Bereich kann nur das h. Hanoi an der Mündun…

[English version] A. Quellen Über das alte B. hat zuerst der den von ihm beschriebenen Ereignissen zeitlich am nächsten stehende Herodot berichtet; alle weitere Überlieferung ist sekundär, vor allem auch die auf die Epoche Alexandros' [4] d.Gr. bezüglichen Nachrichten des Arrianos (an.) und Curtius Rufus, die auf Aristobulos, Ptolemaios und Kleitarchos zurückgehen. Zusammenhängende Darstellungen B.s liefern Strabon (11,11) und Ptolemaios (6,11 N), dazu finden sich verstreute Berichte bei Ailianos […

[English version] Längster Fluß (1000 km) der altpers. Länder Arachosias und Drangiana (h. Helmand Rūd), jetzt innerhalb der Grenzen Afghanistans. Gegenwärtig erreicht der Hilmand wegen Ableitung des Flusses an einigen Stellen zwecks Bewässerung nicht mehr das Seebecken des Daryāče-ye Sı̄stān, sondern verliert sich in Sümpfen. Arr. an. 4,6,6 berichtet über dieses Gewässer, es fließe durch das Gebiet der Εὐεργέται ( Euergétai, Ariaspai). Plin. nat. 6,92 nennt den Fluß Erymandus. Von Curt. 8,9,10 ist der E. unter dem Namen Ethymantus irrtümlich nach Indien verlegt. Treidler, Ha…