Arrian on Alexander's Government
and the Weddings at Susa (324bc)
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These are your set-texts on Alexander's government and the Weddings at Susa. Text in black is the Board's set text. Text in italics is the Board's optional extras. Mouse-over the emboldened words to read the glosses. Where words are blue and underlined, there is also a hyperlink to another site. (you may be interested to compare Arrian's account below with that of Plutarch) Arrian, Anabasis of Alexander 7.4 |
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At this point Alexander sent Atropates to his satrapy after he reached Susa. He arrested and killed Abulites and his son Ozathres, because they had administered the Susians badly. Many offences had been committed by those who were in charge of the countries which Alexander had conquered. These related to temples, graves and the subjects themselves, because the king had been undertaking the expedition to India, and it did not seem credible that he would return from such a great number of nations and elephants! They thought that he would be killed beyond the Indus, Hydaspes, Acesines and Hyphasis. The disasters which happened to him in Gadrosia did yet more to encourage the satraps to despise any idea of his return home. Not only this, but Alexander is said to have become quicker in giving credence to accusations at this time, as if they were to be believed all the time, and to give great punishments even to those who were convicted of small offences, because he thought they might carry out great offences based on the same thoughts. He also held weddings at Susa for himself and his companions. - He himself married Barsine, the eldest of the daughters of Darius, and another woman in addition to her, Parysatis, the youngest of the daughters of Ochus, according to Aristobulus. He was already married to Roxanne, the daughter of Oxyartes from Bactria. - To Hephaestus he gave Drypetis, another daughter of Darius and the sister of his own wife. For he wanted Hephaestion’s children to be cousins to his own. - To Craterus he gave Amastrine the daugher of Oxyartes, Darius’ brother; - To Perdiccas, a daughter of Atropates, satrap of Media. - Ptolemy, his bodyguard, and Eumenes, the royal secretary, married the daughters of Artabazus, Artacama and Artonis respectively. - Nearchus married the daughter of Barsine and Mentor; - Seleucus, [Apama] the daughter of Spitamenes from Bactria, and likewise the other Companions – about eighty in all - married the most noble daughters of the Persians and the Medes. These marriages were conducted according to Persian custom. Thrones were put out for the bridegrooms in turn, and after they had drunk, the brides came and sat next to their bridegroom. The bridegrooms took them with their right hand and kissed them. The king led the way and did this first. All of these marriages took place at the same time. These particular actions more than any other showed Alexander to be one of the people and a lover of his companions. After they had received their brides, each bridegroom led her home. Alexander gave them all dowries. He ordered all the Macedonians who had married Asian women to register their names; there were more than ten thousand. Alexander gave these people gifts on their weddings as well. . |