Alexander and Turkey

As you’ll know by now, I like to follow the latest archaeological news in the Hurriyet Daily News. When the news is about Alexander the Great, it has my undivided attention.

Last summer (July 2011), they published an article written by Frank White, Professor Emeritus at City University of New York, under the title “Alexander and the land that became Turkey”. I was, as can be expected, very much intrigued by what he could be revealing about the role of today’s Turkey in Alexander’s conquests. After all, the king of Macedonia spent only a good year crossing this country from the Hellespont (today’s Dardanelles) to the Syrian border. Still, he fought two major battles against the Persians, one at the Granicus River and the other at Issus. In both cases, he was evidently victorious.

But I found this article very disappointing. There were no new facts or revelations, no accent on any part of Alexander’s campaigns, sieges, or routes, while Turkey certainly can provide a wealth of information on these matters. Yet all I read is a speedy list of successive countries, cities, and territories which Alexander crossed over during the twelve years of his conquest of Asia, and I entirely fail to understand the relation between the title and the contents. I would have expected more from a university professor, especially since he lives in Alanya part of the year and should be familiar with Alexander’s traces in Turkey.

In any case, the article will make good reading for whoever wants to have a compact text about the life and conquests of Alexander the Great. You are free to fill the gaps where and whether you want.