02-01-2006, 08:21 AM
Salvete Comerus and others,
thank You for the site with the vase paintings - obviously they refer to the same event during one battle between Alexander and Darius. BTW, Bernard Andreae lets the question unanswered which battle is shown on the mosaic: Issos or Gaugamela. There seem to be reasons for both to be represented.
But IMHO the key is the scene with the noble Persian that defends his king (and brother?). I found the following part of a report about the battle of Issos on this excellent site:
[url:2r0q58fg]http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexander/alexander_t51.html[/url]
This Oxyathres was a younger brother of Darius and that makes Darius' frightening and despair on the mosaic plausible. He is not to confound with Oxyathres, father of Alexander's later wife Roxanne. Elsewhere I read that Oxyathres survived Alexander's attack. And this might explain why he and/or the Noble Persian is shown breaking the lance on the Etruscan ash urn and on the relief cup of C. Popilius, may-be an artistic reference that the man perforated by Alexander survived the attack.
About the infantryman on the left close to Alexander. Thank You for Your advise. I knew the theory that he should wear a kausia. But I confused this with the white rein that is close over his head and denied it up to now. But after Your last comment I examined the detail again - and I think You are right, there are traces of some red or purple color behind this man's forehead:
[url:2r0q58fg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/uwe-bahr/Tafel05.jpg[/url]
Thanks and greets - Uwe
thank You for the site with the vase paintings - obviously they refer to the same event during one battle between Alexander and Darius. BTW, Bernard Andreae lets the question unanswered which battle is shown on the mosaic: Issos or Gaugamela. There seem to be reasons for both to be represented.
But IMHO the key is the scene with the noble Persian that defends his king (and brother?). I found the following part of a report about the battle of Issos on this excellent site:
[url:2r0q58fg]http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexander/alexander_t51.html[/url]
Quote:The translation of section 17.34 of the World history was made by C. Bradford Welles.
The Persian Oxyathres was the brother of Darius and a man highly praised for his fighting qualities. When he saw Alexander riding at Darius and feared that he would not be checked, he was seized by the desire to share his brother's fate. Ordering the best of the horsemen in his company to follow him, he threw himself with them against Alexander, thinking that this demonstration of brotherly love would bring him high renown among the Persians. He took up the fight directly in front of Darius' chariot and there, engaging the enemy skillfully and with a stout heart slew many of them. The fighting qualities of Alexander's group were superior, however, and quickly many bodies lay piled high about the chariot. No Macedonian had any other thought than to strike the king, and in their intense rivalry to reach him took no thought for their own lives.
This Oxyathres was a younger brother of Darius and that makes Darius' frightening and despair on the mosaic plausible. He is not to confound with Oxyathres, father of Alexander's later wife Roxanne. Elsewhere I read that Oxyathres survived Alexander's attack. And this might explain why he and/or the Noble Persian is shown breaking the lance on the Etruscan ash urn and on the relief cup of C. Popilius, may-be an artistic reference that the man perforated by Alexander survived the attack.
About the infantryman on the left close to Alexander. Thank You for Your advise. I knew the theory that he should wear a kausia. But I confused this with the white rein that is close over his head and denied it up to now. But after Your last comment I examined the detail again - and I think You are right, there are traces of some red or purple color behind this man's forehead:
[url:2r0q58fg]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v219/uwe-bahr/Tafel05.jpg[/url]
Thanks and greets - Uwe
Greets - Uwe
