The 10,000 - total casualties?

[Timotheus]

Does anyone have a good source on the total losses of the 10,000 mercenaries under Xenophon as they retreated to the Black Sea? I have one source that says 5 out of 6 Greeks made it back and that a majority of the ones that did fall died of exposure climbing the mountains and not from battle. This sounds way too high, unfortunately while I can find dozens of places where I can read the entire journey I cannot find a decent summary with figures. I just do not have time at the moment to read the book.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Jona Lendering]

Does anyone have a good source on the total losses of the 10,000 mercenaries under Xenophon as they retreated to the Black Sea?

If I recall correctly, Xenophon himself states that there were 14,000 soldiers in the army when they marched from the Syrian Gate to the Euphrates, and 6,000 returned to the Propontis.

[bachmat66]

salve,
I do not recall how many Hellens died during the famous Anabasis - from the time they left the battlefield of Cunaxa until the Black Sea coast, but as you say not too many fell due to actual fighting, I think the most casualities came due to harsh Anatolian winter. Most combat causalties came from misile wounds inficted on the Hellens early into the epic march, before Xenophon organised a troop of slingers etc.
...and if I may quote what the ancients used to say - festina lente, make haste slowly - take some time off and read the book, for Xenophon's book is a great story to read... paint or sculpt.
perhaps this will help as the begining point to your research http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabasis_(Xenophon )
the book itself
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/x/xenophon/x5an/
a book that might deal with your querry http://books.google.com/books?id=gSq00X ... q=&f=false

[Justin of the New Yorkii]

Near the end of the story, they offer their services to the Thracian king Seuthes, but when the campaign is over he tried to avoid giving them the pay he had promised. Xenophon argues with him, saying that until this point the Greeks had great respect for Seuthes and that if he gave them the wages they were owed, Seuthes could continue to enjoy his cordial relationship with them:

Anabasis, 7.21:
"I cannot forget that, next to the gods, it was they who raised you up to a conspicuous eminence, when the made you king of large territory and many men, a position in which you cannot escape notice, whether you do good or evil. For a man so circumstanced, I regarded it as a great thing that he should avoid the suspicion even of ungrateful parting with his benefactors. It was a great thing I thought, that you should be so well spoken of by six thousand human beings; but the greatest thing of all, that you should in no wise discredit the sincerity of your own word."

This is just a few pages from the end of the book.

[Justin of the New Yorkii]

Anabasis 1.6:
"At the same time, also, came Sosis the Syracusean with three thousand hoplites, and Sophaenetus the Arcadian with one thousand hoplites; and here Cyrus held a review, and numbered his Hellenes in the park, and found that they amounted in all to eleven thousand hoplites and about two thousand peltasts."

[Timotheus]

Near the end of the story, they offer their services to the Thracian king Seuthes, but when the campaign is over he tried to avoid giving them the pay he had promised. Xenophon argues with him, saying that until this point the Greeks had great respect for Seuthes and that if he gave them the wages they were owed, Seuthes could continue to enjoy his cordial relationship with them:

Anabasis, 7.21:
"I cannot forget that, next to the gods, it was they who raised you up to a conspicuous eminence, when the made you king of large territory and many men, a position in which you cannot escape notice, whether you do good or evil. For a man so circumstanced, I regarded it as a great thing that he should avoid the suspicion even of ungrateful parting with his benefactors. It was a great thing I thought, that you should be so well spoken of by six thousand human beings; but the greatest thing of all, that you should in no wise discredit the sincerity of your own word."

This is just a few pages from the end of the book.

Thank you very much. As someone else suggested in their post I will read the book when I get the chance. I just do not have a chance right now and I needed this information today or tomorrow.

Thanks again.