Studia Hercynia (Oct 2021)
Flipping the Coin: Alexander the Great’s Bactrian-Sogdian Expedition from a Local Perspective
Abstract
The present paper examines written sources pertinent to Alexander the Great’s expedition in Bactria and Sogdiana. It focuses on the impact of the military campaigns on the local inhabitants in four interconnected fields of human activity (military, political, urban, and administrative) and addresses their responses to the invading army. It argues that Alexander’s military activities took place not in Bactria-Sogdiana as a whole, but rather in specific Sogdian territories, inflicting heavy casualties in the process. It proposes that Alexander’s decision to appoint Artabazus as satrap disrupted the political status quo, forcing a Sogdian faction to rebel and that his alliance with another local faction was crucial for pacifying the region. Comparing the available textual and archaeological evidence regarding the settlements of Bactria-Sogdiana in the 320s BC it assess that Alexander’s city building activity was limited. Lastly, the majority of the local population seems to have accepted the regime change.
