The Logistics of Alexander the Great

Instructions: The purpose of this paper exercise is two-fold: 1) to have you conduct a bibliography search, and 2) to guide your research into an aspect of Alexander’s career. You may also select your own topic after clearing it first with the instructor.
Bibliography Search: Most of the items listed below are found in the Library. If you cannot find them there, that is OK, but you will have to find alternate sources by doing a literature search. Be ingenious. Look in books on Alexander, and in journal articles. Go to the section of the library that concerns Alexander and look at the titles on the shelves. Most of the items on my list are published before 2000 and are only intended to get you started. You must read every one of these items and refer to them in your paper. Additionally, I’d like to see at least two items from AFTER 2000, more if possible. Don’t forget to check out the references in your textbooks too, particularly Arrian. Online dictionaries and encyclopedias do not count.

You must look at every item that you include in your bibliography. Journals (e.g., Historia, Phoenix, Classical Quarterly, Transactions of the American Philological Society, American Journal of Ancient History can be found in the online catalog of the library (many are in JSTOR). If you consult physical books in the library, please return them to the shelves so that others may also use them. You might also check out various on-line bibliographies by searching for “Alexander the Great bibliography”. If you have never done such a search before, then schedule an appointment with me to ask for advice. In your final paper, you must include at least two “new” items (i.e., not on my bibliography) that date after 2000.

Ancient references: When writing up your paper, I expect to see lots of references to the ancient sources. It is imperative that you look up (that is, read) all ancient source references in the major Alexander historians (Arrian, Plutarch, Diodorus, Curtius and Justin). To get you started, I have included a list of ancient references with almost every topic listed below. NB, that text of Diodorus 17 is available online here. Curtius is available here, Books 1-5 & 6-10. Justin is available here. If you experience difficulty in finding these texts, contact me so that I can help you.

You may need to go to the library to find copies. Copies are also available in SOC 254, but they do not circulate.

Maps/Plans: I expect to see illustrative maps for all topics that involve Alexander moving across the landscape. This would include battle topics and logistics.

Abbreviations: Please use the following abbreviations for all references to the major Alexander historians: Arr. Anab., Diod., Plut. Alex., Curt., Just. Do not use these abbreviations when you refer to the author in your narratives. For secondary sources, use the short form in the text of your paper (Example: Murray 2012, 34), and then present the full bibliographical form on a separate bibliography page (Example: Murray, William M. 2012. The Age of Titans. The Rise and Fall of the Great Hellenistic Navies. New York: Oxford University Press). For online texts that you use (like the translations), you may list the original book, or the relevant URL, or both (Example: Justinus, Marcus Junianus. Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus. Trans. by John Selby Watson. 1853. Convent Garden, England: Henry G. Bohn. Accessed at the following URL: http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/justin/english/.).

Paper topic: Your paper should be brief (5-7 pp. excluding the results from your bibliography search and any maps or plans you include), written in 12 point Times Roman font, double spaced, with inch margins on 8.5 X 11 inch paper. It should present your understanding of the topic as guided by the questions listed after each topic. It should also present the sources which inform your answers to these questions. Include maps where applicable (and maps do not count toward the page total).

Questions to consider:
1. What is meant by the term “logistics”?
2. What can we learn about Alexander’s campaign if we consider logistical problems? Include information like: a) How much food and water are required for the men? the pack animals? the horses? b) How long can a pack animal carry food before it begins to consume more than it can carry?
3. Should a consideration of logistics figure into our verdict on Alexander’s “greatness”? Why or why not?

One source used must be:
Arrian, The Landmark Arrian: The Campaigns of Alexander, edited by J. Romm (Anchor Books: New York, 2010)
Students are also responsible for adding at least 2 items to their bibliography published since 2000.
Other sources to be used, which I will upload:
D. Engels, Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army (Berkeley: Univ. of Calif. Press, 1978). Pages 0-53, 54-99, 100-151, 152-194.

E.N. Borza, “Alexander’s Communications,” in Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Ancient Macedonia (Thessaloniki, 1977) 295-303.

Look up every important reference to the major Alexander historians (Arrian, Diodorus, Curtius, Plutarch and Justin).
include pictures of any maps referenced after the bibliography