Alexandria Ariana
Coordinates: 34°14′33″N 62°26′57″E / 34.24246°N 62.44904°E The first of many Alexandrias in the Far East of the Macedonian Empire, Alexandria in Ariana was a city in what is now present-day Afghanistan, one of the twenty-plus cities founded or renamed by Alexander the Great. The third largest Afghan city, Herat, is the city's modern name.[1][2]
In 330 BC, the Greek armies of Alexander moved the capital of the satrapy of Aria[3] from Artacoana to the new site.[4] In doing this, he expanded an existing Persian fortress.
_-_Asiae-Tabula_IX.jpg)
Mercator Map (1578) - Asiae-Tabula IX
The location of this town is difficult to determine due to the sparsity of ancient sources. However:
- Ptolemey[5] places it near lake Arius possibly on the west side of lake Zerra at a town called Corra.
- Pliny says [6] it was on the Arias River the location of modern Herat.
- Eratosthenes states that Alexandria Arion is 3870 Stadia from Bactra and 6400 Stadia from the Caspian Gates.[7]
- Mannert takes the Arius River to be the modern Hari river making the site the village of Pilki.[8]
Alexandria in Ariana is listed on the Parthian Stations Itinerarium and is also shown on the Tabula Peutingeriana.
References
- ↑ Jona Lendering (2007-12-16). "Alexander the Great: his towns". Livius.org. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
- ↑ "The Empire and Expeditions of Alexander the Great". World Digital Library. 1833. Retrieved 2013-07-26.
- ↑ Pliny vi 61 93
- ↑ Strabo, xi 8,9 and 10.
- ↑ Ptolemey, Geography vi 17
- ↑ Pliny History Nat vi 23
- ↑ Strabo xi c 8
- ↑ Penny Cyclopaedia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, Volume 1 By Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (Great Britain) p.317
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, August 31, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.