Another Alexander fort?

It is entirely by accident that I came across the mention of The Citadel of Alexander the Great in Farah, Afghanistan. I must confess that I never looked for it as I didn’t expect to find much traces of the Macedonian king in that country.

Farah is the modern name for ancient Phrada, Alexandria in Drangiana or Alexandria Prophthasia. Besides being a fortress, the site made headlines because of the famous conspiracy of Philotas that occurred in 330 BC (see: The Philotas Affair). After the treachery of Philotas was brought to a good end – at least for Alexander – Alexandria in Drangiana was renamed Alexandria Prophthasia, appropriately meaning “Anticipation” since Alexander anticipated widespread consequences and acted before the others could attack him.

[Alexander's Citadel, from Michael Yon On-Line]

The events as told by Curtius unfolded in and around Alexander’s tent. That is probably the reason why I was not looking for a nearby fortress of any kind. On the other hand, it has not been established with certitude that Alexandria Prophthasia is to be found on the site of Farah either.

Under these circumstances, it is not unreal to assume that local legend has its own truth and that the Citadel of Farah was once occupied by Alexander and his Macedonians. Reaching a diameter of approximately one square kilometer, its size is impressive enough. Even today, the earthen walls, which initially were about 15 meters high, crown the hill next to Farah’s bazaar.

Farah as all of Afghanistan, unfortunately, lacks in-depth archaeological research and excavations. Alexander’s occupation may, after all, be resting on local folklore. Another theory is that the citadel was built by the Zoroastrians in the days of Darius I (the Great), i.e., in the 6^th century BC. This would mean that it already existed when Alexander arrived.

After the king’s death, the Seleucids ruled the region until in the 2^nd century BC the Graeco-Bactrians emerged followed by the Parthians and eventually, the Sacae.

It is not surprising that because of the repeated later additions and transformations, the origin of this fort remains enigmatic. The Citadel is in deplorable condition, and recent occupations by the Soviet army and the Mujahedeen fighters have led to serious disrepair of the site.

All is not lost, it seems since funds are being requested officially with the Ministry of Information and Culture to restore the historic site. 

It will take much effort and even more time to disclose the story behind these walls, especially since so much of Afghanistan is in dear need of excavation and protection (see: Saving Afghanistan’s Incredible Heritage).