«Es leben die Soldaten, / der Bauer gibt den Braten, / der Winzer gibt den Most, / das ist Soldatenkost…» Die «Zehntausend» des Xenophon und die Logistik der Söldnerarmee im Gebirge
Journal Title: Philia: International Journal of Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Year 2018, Vol 4, Issue
Abstract
In his Anabasis (written around 380 B.C.) Xenophon of Athens describes a Greek Army of at least 13.000 mercenaries, the so called ‘Ten Thousand’ or ‘Cyreans’, on their march back from Cunaxa in Babylonia to the sea on the Euxine coast. How could such a large army (and its followers and train) be fed throughout the route, especially in winter 401/400 from their entry into Carduchia, then continuing into western and northern Armenia and traversing central Anatolia as far as the Pontic coastal mountains? How was the army supplied, and what role did the officers play in provisioning the Ten Thousand? Was there any administration and organization of logistics? What role did villages and village clusters play in the mountains? Is Xenophon to be trusted when he finally, in Trapezunt, does not even mention hunger and thirst as a reason for human losses on the march? Certainly not: Book IV of the Anabasis definitely includes episodes of suffering from hunger as a reason for illness and death.
Authors and Affiliations
Oliver Stoll
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