Alexandria in the Caucasus (Ancient Greek: Ἀλεξάνδρεια) (medieval Kapisa, modern Bagram) was a colony of Alexander the Great (one of many colonies designated with the name Alexandria). He founded the colony at an important junction of communications in the southern foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains, in the country of the Paropamisadae.[1]
In Classical times, the Hindu Kush mountains were also designated as the "Caucasus"[2][3] in parallel to their Western equivalent, the Caucasus Mountains between Europe and Asia.
Ancient cities founded by Alexander the Great in Central and South Asia
Alexander populated the city with 7,000 Macedonians, 3,000 mercenaries and thousands of natives (according to Curtius VII.3.23), or some 7,000 natives and 3,000 non-military camp followers and a number of Greek mercenaries (Diodorus, XVII.83.2), in March 329 BC. He had also built forts in what is now Bagram, Afghanistan, at the foot of the Hindu Kush, replacing forts erected in much the same place by Persia's kingCyrus the Great c. 500 BC, Alexandria being in fact a refoundation of an Achaemenid settlement called Kapisa.[3]
Alexandria in the Caucasus is located to the south of Bactria, in the mountains of the Hindu Kush.
Alexandria of the Caucasus was one of the capitals of the Indo-Greek kings (180 BC – AD 10).[4]
During the reign of Menander I the city was recorded as having a thriving Buddhist community, headed by Greekmonks. The epic Sri Lankan poem Mahāvaṃsa mentions the Greek (Pali: Yona, lit: "Ionian") Buddhist monk Mahadhammarakkhita (Sanskrit: Mahadharmaraksita), who is said to have come from “Alasandra” (thought to be Alexandria of the Caucasus), with 30,000 monks for the foundation ceremony of the Maha Thupa at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka:
From Alasanda the city of the Yonas came the thera (elder) Yona Mahadhammarakkhita with thirty thousand bhikkhus.[5]
Archaeology
Some archaeological evidence concerning Alexandria of the Caucasus was gathered by Charles Masson (1800–1853), providing insight into the history of that lost city.[6] His findings include coins, rings, seals and other small objects. In the 1930s Roman Ghirshman, while conducting excavations near Bagram, found Egyptian and Syrian glassware, bronze statuettes, bowls, the Begram ivories and other objects including statues.[7] This is an indication that Alexander's conquests opened India to imports from the west.
Today the cities' remains feature a rectangular tell 500 by 200 metres in area and a nearby circular citadel about 3km northeast of Bagram Airforce base. The tell lies beside the main road north and has been slightly damaged due to shelling during Afghan War of the 21st century.
Gallery
Begram Guimet
Begram Guimet
Begram Pitcher
Begram Plaque
Begram Scales
Begram Ivories
Begram Medallion
Begram Medallion
Begram Medallion
Begram Medallion
Begram Goblet
Begram Harpocrates
Further reading
Edmund Richardson: Alexandria: The Quest for the Lost City (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2021). ISBN978-1526603784
^Curtius Rufus, Quintus (2007). The life and death of Alexander the Great, King of Macedon in ten books. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Text Creation Partnership. p. 281.
^"Alexander in the Hindu Kush - Livius". www.livius.org. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
^ ab"Alexandria in the Caucasus (Begram) - Livius". www.livius.org. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
^ abTarn, William Woodthorpe (1966), "Alexandria of the Caucasus and Kapisa", The Greeks in Bactria and India, Cambridge University Press, pp. 460–462, doi:10.1017/CBO9780511707353.019, ISBN9780511707353, retrieved 2 November 2018
^"THE MAHAVAMSA » 29: Beginning of the Great Thupa". mahavamsa.org. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
^Richardson, E. (2012-07-25). "Mr Masson and the lost cities: a Victorian journey to the edges of remembrance". Classical Receptions Journal. 5 (1): 84–105. doi:10.1093/crj/cls008. ISSN 1759-5134.
^Francine, Tissot (2006-12-31). Catalogue of the National Museum of Afghanistan, 1931-1985. Paris, France: UNESCO Publishing. p. 354. ISBN9789231040306.
January 31, 2023
alexandria, caucasus, other, uses, alexandria, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news,. For other uses see Alexandria disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Alexandria in the Caucasus news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2007 Learn how and when to remove this template message Alexandria in the Caucasus Ancient Greek Ἀle3andreia medieval Kapisa modern Bagram was a colony of Alexander the Great one of many colonies designated with the name Alexandria He founded the colony at an important junction of communications in the southern foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains in the country of the Paropamisadae 1 Alexandria in the CaucasusAle3andreiaMenander I coinShown within AfghanistanLocationAfghanistanRegionParwan ProvinceCoordinates34 59 45 N 69 18 39 E 34 99583 N 69 31083 E 34 99583 69 31083 Coordinates 34 59 45 N 69 18 39 E 34 99583 N 69 31083 E 34 99583 69 31083TypeSettlementHistoryBuilderAlexander the GreatIn Classical times the Hindu Kush mountains were also designated as the Caucasus 2 3 in parallel to their Western equivalent the Caucasus Mountains between Europe and Asia Contents 1 Alexander the Great 2 Indo Greek capital 3 Archaeology 4 Gallery 5 Further reading 6 See also 7 ReferencesAlexander the Great Edit Ancient cities founded by Alexander the Great in Central and South Asia Alexander populated the city with 7 000 Macedonians 3 000 mercenaries and thousands of natives according to Curtius VII 3 23 or some 7 000 natives and 3 000 non military camp followers and a number of Greek mercenaries Diodorus XVII 83 2 in March 329 BC He had also built forts in what is now Bagram Afghanistan at the foot of the Hindu Kush replacing forts erected in much the same place by Persia s king Cyrus the Great c 500 BC Alexandria being in fact a refoundation of an Achaemenid settlement called Kapisa 3 The deity of the city seems to have been Zeus as suggested by coins of the Greco Bactrian king Eucratides 4 Indo Greek capital Edit Alexandria in the Caucasus is located to the south of Bactria in the mountains of the Hindu Kush Alexandria of the Caucasus was one of the capitals of the Indo Greek kings 180 BC AD 10 4 During the reign of Menander I the city was recorded as having a thriving Buddhist community headed by Greek monks The epic Sri Lankan poem Mahavaṃsa mentions the Greek Pali Yona lit Ionian Buddhist monk Mahadhammarakkhita Sanskrit Mahadharmaraksita who is said to have come from Alasandra thought to be Alexandria of the Caucasus with 30 000 monks for the foundation ceremony of the Maha Thupa at Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka From Alasanda the city of the Yonas came the thera elder Yona Mahadhammarakkhita with thirty thousand bhikkhus 5 Archaeology EditSome archaeological evidence concerning Alexandria of the Caucasus was gathered by Charles Masson 1800 1853 providing insight into the history of that lost city 6 His findings include coins rings seals and other small objects In the 1930s Roman Ghirshman while conducting excavations near Bagram found Egyptian and Syrian glassware bronze statuettes bowls the Begram ivories and other objects including statues 7 This is an indication that Alexander s conquests opened India to imports from the west Today the cities remains feature a rectangular tell 500 by 200 metres in area and a nearby circular citadel about 3km northeast of Bagram Airforce base The tell lies beside the main road north and has been slightly damaged due to shelling during Afghan War of the 21st century Gallery Edit Begram Guimet Begram Guimet Begram Pitcher Begram Plaque Begram Scales Begram Ivories Begram Medallion Begram Medallion Begram Medallion Begram Medallion Begram Goblet Begram HarpocratesFurther reading EditEdmund Richardson Alexandria The Quest for the Lost City Bloomsbury Publishing 2021 ISBN 978 1526603784See also EditList of cities founded by Alexander the GreatReferences Edit Curtius Rufus Quintus 2007 The life and death of Alexander the Great King of Macedon in ten books Ann Arbor Michigan Text Creation Partnership p 281 Alexander in the Hindu Kush Livius www livius org Retrieved 2018 11 02 a b Alexandria in the Caucasus Begram Livius www livius org Retrieved 2018 11 02 a b Tarn William Woodthorpe 1966 Alexandria of the Caucasus and Kapisa The Greeks in Bactria and India Cambridge University Press pp 460 462 doi 10 1017 CBO9780511707353 019 ISBN 9780511707353 retrieved 2 November 2018 THE MAHAVAMSA 29 Beginning of the Great Thupa mahavamsa org Retrieved 2018 11 02 Richardson E 2012 07 25 Mr Masson and the lost cities a Victorian journey to the edges of remembrance Classical Receptions Journal 5 1 84 105 doi 10 1093 crj cls008 ISSN 1759 5134 Francine Tissot 2006 12 31 Catalogue of the National Museum of Afghanistan 1931 1985 Paris France UNESCO Publishing p 354 ISBN 9789231040306 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexandria in the Caucasus amp oldid 1136297041, wikipedia, wiki, 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