If, in this TL, Alexander, or his heirs have further designs on India, would it not be worth the cost of keeping the Persian Gulf Squadron in service a little longer? Of course, nothing more numerous than a handful of triremes would be needed for the task, really.
As Befits a King - The Brainstorm
- Thread starter Thermopylae
- Start date
Oh absolutely. In fact my sources suggest that, given that Alexander desired to conquer Arabia "to the Heroopolite Gulf" [Suez], he had expanded on the fleet that was already in service there.
Okay guys. I'm at the point where I could begin posting the timeline. I've actually been at that point for a week, but when writing this TL I've decided that I want to be a little bit ahead before I post anything. That way I can figure out how to piece out the updates, etc.
I've just got another question to help me out for where I am right now.
How exactly did Pontus avoid Alexander's conquest?
There seems to be precious little information with regards to this. It seems as though Alexander just skipped it in pursuit of Darius. Is this the case?
I've just got another question to help me out for where I am right now.
How exactly did Pontus avoid Alexander's conquest?
There seems to be precious little information with regards to this. It seems as though Alexander just skipped it in pursuit of Darius. Is this the case?
From what I could gather, Pontus did not become an actual kingdom until after Alexander's death. It seems that before it's foundation by Mithradates Ctistes, it was a sparsely populated, mountainous backwater region, that the Achaemenids were scarcely bothered about. Before Mithradates' founded the kingdom, he was the hereditary ruler of the Hellenic city of Cius, in Mysia. Apparently, Mithradates was implicated in his father's death, which provoked the suspicion of Antigonos I Monophthalmos (one-eyed). Fearing for his life, Mithradates fled to the country of Paphlagonia in northern Asia Minor, where he resided, while recruiting an army, and eventually carved himself his new homeland.
Ahh, very interesting. No diadochi at this time more or less butterflies Pontus, theoretically.
Thank you, this is a very important piece of information!
I'm thinking by Monday I'll be able to go live with this TL, for anybody curious.
I think this is pretty much correct. I just wanted to add that part of the reason that the region that became Pontus escaped Alexander was due to the terrain and the difficulty of getting an army to it while Alexander invaded Mesopotamia and after he started chasing Darius. Hence, terrain and distance and the fact of its political insiginifance mean he could ignore it.
There had been Greek colonies there earlier, though, because IIRC Xenophon and the 10,000 end reach the Black Sea there (it's where they start shoughting Thalassa!)
Minor point.
Look forward to the start of things, though!
Sounds good man, Alexandrian timelines are always interesting to me. To say nothing of your timelines. I'm looking forward to Greek Java, Arabic Australia and Punic South Africa.
I saw a documentary, the other day, on the History Channel, about the mysterious death of Alexander. One of the historians said that after years of fighting halfway across Asia, the generals weren't too eager about the upcoming Arabian expedition, which might have lead to a possibility that Alexander's death was an assassination. I certainly think that the plan was definitely to help secure the sea-route south between Egypt and India. So I'm hoping the generals and nobility understood why he needed the expedition, and that his death was brought on by West Nile Fever, rather than one of his subordinates had him poisaned.
That's certainly a possibility, however I haven't found any sources to the effect that the generals were TIRED of campaigning. In fact according to my sources those veterans no longer fit for service who were sent back with Craterus by order of Alexander were apparently nearly driven to tears, and more or less had to be bribed to return to Macedon.
But perhaps there would be some elements in Alexander's army perhaps looking forward to a return to Macedon.
I certainly doubt anyone in the high command, or the government, would have wanted to assassinate him. After twelve glorious years of conquest under Alexander's rule, it just doen't make sense that anyone would decide to kill him. Surely, such massive success would have made his position unassailable.
Bump.
To Alexander, son of Philip, King of Macedonia and Asia, Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt, King of Kings of the Medes and Persians, Maharajah of the Indus, Leader Supreme of the Hellenes.
Observing your campaign, I note that on your excursion northward along the coast towards Israel, you will pass near a town called Makoraba. On the basis of my experiences and observations, I recommend that you take the following steps.
Makoraba is approximately four hundred stadia inland. It lies in a pass, controlling a major route for caravans. It is extremely hot, and void of any husbandry or industry.
Once you have seized it, it is imperative that you summon together all the members of the Kuraus clan, particularly the Beni Hasem. Given the nature of the Arabs, the best way to gather all of them is to state that the tribesmen will be given a great treasure, but only if all of them without exception attend. The whereabouts of members off on banditry or caravan can be determined once the locals are assembled.
Once all the Kuraus are assembled, they should all be killed, without exception. The members not present should be hunted down and also exterminated.
When this has been achieved, the town of Makoraba should be razed utterly. In particular, the great temple (which would disgrace a Hellenic polis of a handful of shepherds) should be specially demolished, all its stones being heated and cracked with vinegar, as the Poeni are known to do.
As for the non-Kuarus, it is hard to say what to do. Arabs do not make good slaves, having no will to perform labor. Their husbandry consists of destroying the fertility of the land; their industry is banditry and trade.
(There is a very specialized type of slave that is in demand among the more effete Mesopotamians, being an expert in what is called "hard trade". The Arab practice of intercourse is like that.)
Once Makoraba is no more, it might be also desirable to hunt down and eradicate the more nomadic clans of the Saud and the Ouaab, these being among the most detestable of the lot, which says something.
The blessings of the Gods of Olympus, of the Egyptians, of the Persians, of the Land of the Two Rivers, of the Indians, and of the nameless deity of the Judeans upon you.
To Alexander, son of Philip, King of Macedonia and Asia, Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt, King of Kings of the Medes and Persians, Maharajah of the Indus, Leader Supreme of the Hellenes.
Observing your campaign, I note that on your excursion northward along the coast towards Israel, you will pass near a town called Makoraba. On the basis of my experiences and observations, I recommend that you take the following steps.
Makoraba is approximately four hundred stadia inland. It lies in a pass, controlling a major route for caravans. It is extremely hot, and void of any husbandry or industry.
Once you have seized it, it is imperative that you summon together all the members of the Kuraus clan, particularly the Beni Hasem. Given the nature of the Arabs, the best way to gather all of them is to state that the tribesmen will be given a great treasure, but only if all of them without exception attend. The whereabouts of members off on banditry or caravan can be determined once the locals are assembled.
Once all the Kuraus are assembled, they should all be killed, without exception. The members not present should be hunted down and also exterminated.
When this has been achieved, the town of Makoraba should be razed utterly. In particular, the great temple (which would disgrace a Hellenic polis of a handful of shepherds) should be specially demolished, all its stones being heated and cracked with vinegar, as the Poeni are known to do.
As for the non-Kuarus, it is hard to say what to do. Arabs do not make good slaves, having no will to perform labor. Their husbandry consists of destroying the fertility of the land; their industry is banditry and trade.
(There is a very specialized type of slave that is in demand among the more effete Mesopotamians, being an expert in what is called "hard trade". The Arab practice of intercourse is like that.)
Once Makoraba is no more, it might be also desirable to hunt down and eradicate the more nomadic clans of the Saud and the Ouaab, these being among the most detestable of the lot, which says something.
The blessings of the Gods of Olympus, of the Egyptians, of the Persians, of the Land of the Two Rivers, of the Indians, and of the nameless deity of the Judeans upon you.