Ariamazes
Ariamazes ( ancient Greek Ἀριαμάζης ; also called Arimazes or Ariomazes ( ancient Greek Ἀριομάζης )) was a Sogdian territorial lord whose castle, which was difficult to access, was probably at the beginning of 327 BC. Could be conquered by Alexander the great .
The castle of Ariamazes, located in the east of the Persian Satrapy of Sogdia, was built on the high and steeply sloping Sogdian rock and was considered to be almost impregnable. Before Alexander's approach, many Sogdians had fled to Ariamazes' mountain fortress. The Bactrian or Sogdian nobleman Oxyartes had also sent his wife and daughters, including Alexander's future wife Roxane , there to bring them to safety from the Macedonians. A peaceful settlement proposed by Alexander, which provided for the voluntary surrender of the castle against the free escape of those who had fled on the rocks, was rejected by the defenders with the scornful remark that only men with wings could storm the fortress. Thereupon the Macedonian king had 300 men with experience in mountaineering climb the summit above the castle at night against the promise of large sums of money. Their surprised crew believed that the entire enemy army had occupied the mountain peak and surrendered.
According to Quintus Curtius Rufus , Alexander is said to have had Ariamazes, his relatives and other captured nobles crucified in the Persian style , while the reliable Alexander historian Arrian reports nothing of such atrocities and does not mention Ariamazes at all. Even with Polyainus there is no confirmation of the alleged crucifixion of Ariamazes.
literature
- Alexander Demandt : Alexander the Great. Life and legend . CH Beck, Munich 2009, ISBN 978-3-406-59085-6 , p. 237.
- Julius Kaerst : Arimazes . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume II, 1, Stuttgart 1895, Col. 828.
- Robin Lane Fox : Alexander the Great . 3. Edition. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-608-94078-2 , p. 414f.
- Siegfried Lauffer : Alexander the Great . 3. Edition. Dtv, Munich 1993, ISBN 3-423-04298-2 , p. 134f.
Remarks
- ↑ Strabon 11, 517.
- ^ Curtius Rufus 7, 11, 1ff.
- ↑ a b Polyainos , Strategika 4, 3, 29.
- ↑ Arrian , Anabasis 4, 18, 4-19, 4; Curtius Rufus 7, 11, 1-8, 1, 1; Diodorus 17, ep. 25; Strabo 11, 517; Polyainos, Strategika 4, 3, 29.
- ^ Curtius Rufus 7, 11, 28.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Ariamazes |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Arimazes; Ariomazes |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Sogdian prince |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 4th century BC Chr. |
| DATE OF DEATH | 4th century BC Chr. |