Marcus on Issus

[Nicator]

Hi Marcus,Which source(s) are you finding to be the most informative? I am going to double back and spruce up Issus when I get my sources back from the library. I haven't read Hammond or Fuller's account fully on this battle. For now, I still have Green, Wilcken, Bosworth, Arrian, Fox, and Savill. Agnes Savill's book is sometimes innacurate, but overall surprisingly good. I'm having difficulty with Fox's writing style...very choppy. Bos and Wilcken may be accurate, but boringly vague. I don't think I will be re-ordering them anytime soon. Here's a bit towards the end of the aftermath secion of Guagamela...
GÇ£King AlexanderGÇ¥, GÇ£mastered Darius in battleGÇ¥
GÇ£became lord of AsiaGÇ¥ printed on head cattle
later Nicator

[marcus]

Hi Nick,Ultimately, I'm using Arrian (although with a slight pinch of salt for the usual things, such as Persian numbers etc.), and I'm using Fuller as my main modern source.What I tend to do is to limit myself to a couple of sources, and then go to all the others for sense-checking etc. So I'll be checking Curtius, Hammond, Green et al once I've scoped out the main text using Arrian and Fuller. Plutarch is no good for the battles, and I'm purposefully *not* using Diodorus or Justin for anything :-)All the bestMarcus

[jan]

Marcus, I just wrote a post asking about the uniforms worn during the battle of Issus. What do you know of these uniforms. I apologize for bringing up my dream again but it is still with me, and as I had made such a point about the tunis (chitons) I was rather stunned by how long it took me to put dream memories and reliefs on sarcophagus together. I remembered from some novels, whether Manfredi's or whose,I don't remember now, that there is a lot of discussion about the wearing of armor. Such as when Alexander put on the armor of Achilles when he landed at Troy.So when I first tried to analyze the memory type dream, I was taken up with the sandals and the uniforms worn at the time. I remember distinctly bare arms and legs, and I know that the relief does show what appears to be sleeves. I am inclined to believe that is the sculptor's way of demonstrating inability to show muscles in stone relief form.Anything you can tell me about the uniforms worn would help me. Thanks a lot.Jan

[jan]

Hello Marcus,Well, one thing is certain. Ask and ye shall receive. I went to Border's right after asking this and found a book in which I found a chiton, a camp dress and a hunting dress. I guess what I saw was camp dress.The point of the argument is that in the sarcophagus relief Alexander wears a helmet, which is more likely than without as in the Mosaic, and that hair coloring should not be an issue. All paintings and sculptures are for propaganda purposes anyway, but I dislike the mosaic for being false in the hair color and the lack of a helmet with white plume.Sorry if I annoyed you on this subject. I just read Robin Lane Fox's kissing scene with Bagoas after the return of the fleet, and found that it only meant much relief, and I cannot detect passion or lust there at all.I believe Alexander to be straight, not gay, and that is that.I think Mary Renault did Alexander a disservice.I am on JOhn's side on that subject.Faithfully,Jan

[marcus]

Jan,I have been away for a few days, so I wasn't in a position to respond to your posts. Sorry about that.But it sounds as if you found the book you were looking for. I was going to suggest the book in the Osprey Men-at-arms series, and I assume this is what you found?Re: you last comment on the sexuality 'thing' - I do my level best to keep completely out of these arguments, because it leads to an easier life. I don't really much care what opinions people have, because they are either (a) overly romantic, (b) horribly bigoted, (c) completely misunderstanding of Greek sexuality and mores, or (d) full of modern political agendas.Sorry, I don't mean to lambast you, but I just want to make it clear - and if anyone should find me leaping into any conversations about Alexander's sexuality, please stop me! :-)All the bestMarcus