Sogdian rock

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The Sogdian Rock , also called the Ariamazes Rock , was a high and steeply sloping rock massif in the east of the Persian province of Sogdia , on which there was a fortress that was previously unlocated because of its inaccessible location . Alexander the Great was able to use this rock castle during his campaign in Asia - probably in the year 327 BC. . Chr still occupy -.

Dating

The dating of the conquest of the Sogdian Rock by Alexander the Great is uncertain. According to the reliable Alexander historian Arrian , it was found in the spring of 327 BC. After which the Macedonian king succeeded in defeating another, similarly strong mountain fortress, that of Sisimithres (or Chorienes). According to Quintus Curtius Rufus and Diodor, however, Alexander had already in the spring of 328 BC. In the possession of the castle located on the Sogdian rock. Most ancient historians, including Alexander Demandt , follow Arrian's chronology, which is therefore used as a basis in the following.

prehistory

Since Alexander the Great at the end of 328 BC When Sogdia had still not been able to subdue it completely, he decided to winter with his troops in the city ​​of Nautaka , located in the center of this Persian satrapy . After beating Alexander dangerous opponent Spitamenes by Koinos the Sogdian-Bactrian resistance was essentially broken, and the Macedonian conqueror now had to particular two previously independent lords, Ariamazes (as Arimazes or Ariomazes called) and Sisimithres (named by Arrian Chorienes) , wrestle down.

siege

In the spring of 327 BC Alexander moved with his army from Nautaka to the southeast in the direction of the Sogdian Rock, on which many Sogdians had sought refuge. The Sogdian or Bactrian nobleman Oxyartes had also sent his wife and daughters, including Roxane , to the castle there, where they were supposed to be safe from the Macedonians. To them, the natural fortress actually seemed almost impregnable and the Sogdians had prepared themselves for a long siege by accumulating large food supplies, which was also made more difficult by deep snow. Therefore, Alexander initially wanted a peaceful settlement and offered free retreat for those who had fled on the rocks in exchange for the defenders' voluntary surrender. But the opposing leaders only mocked that he would need men with wings to take the castle.

This ridicule irritated Alexander. He wanted to have volunteer, experienced mountaineers climb the top of the rock above the castle and promised them high rewards for such a risky undertaking; whoever would be the first to reach the summit should even receive the enormous amount of twelve talents silver. There were 300 men ready, who - professionally equipped - dared to climb an extremely steep rock face at night, which the castle crew had found to be too dangerous for surveillance. The climbers hammered iron tent pegs into the frozen snow or crevices in the rock and attached strong ropes to them, which they then hung up. During the ascent, 30 men fell to their deaths whose bodies could no longer be recovered. The others finally arrived at the summit at sunrise and signaled this to the troops on the plain. Alexander now repeated his request to surrender, which a herald brought to the enemy guards with the remark that the men had been sent to the summit with wings. The surprised crew of the fortress saw the enemy above them. She believed that the entire Macedonian army had occupied the mountain top and surrendered.

consequences

According to the Vulgate tradition, Alexander is said to have taken 30,000 prisoners and crucified Ariamazes and his relatives , while Arrian reports nothing of such atrocities and does not mention Ariamazes at all. In any case, along with many of the others who had fled to the rock castle, Roxane also fell into the hands of Alexander, who fell in love with the beautiful woman, treated her well and shortly afterwards took her as his rightful wife. With this marriage he also sent a political signal to the Persians. The Macedonian king soon became reconciled with Roxane's father, Oxyartes, who had not been on the Sogdian Rock. Oxyartes also persuaded the lord of the castle Sisimithres to hand over his fortress to Alexander. After short further military actions, Alexander was able to consider Sogdia pacified and returned to Bactra , where he began to prepare his march to India .

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ Arrian, Anabasis 4, 18, 4 and 4, 21, 1.
  2. ↑ a b Demandt, Alexander the Great , p. 237.
  3. ^ Lauffer, Alexander the Great , p. 132.
  4. ↑ Arrian, Anabasis 4, 18, 4-19, 4; Curtius Rufus 7, 11, 1-8, 1, 1; Diodorus 17, ep. 25; Strabon 11, 517; Polyainos , Strategika 4, 3, 29.
  5. ^ Lauffer, Alexander the Great , p. 133ff.