Alexander und die grossen Strome
Die Flussuberquerungen im Lichte altorientalischer Pioniertechniken (Schwimmschlauche, Keleks und Pontonbrucken)
by Robert Rollinger
Paperback (Published)
(July 2013)
ISBN: 9783447069274
6.65 x 9.49 inches
Price: $55.00
On back order
It was already well-known to the kings of Assyria and Persia, and after the days of Alexander, it was recorded well into Late Antiquity and beyond. This fact has however been completely ignored by traditional sources. Even though the major bridges that Darius I. and Xerxes I. had constructed across the Bosporus and Hellespont can only be understood against the background of these masterpieces of engineering, our sources only ever look at the achievements of the ancient Near Eastern rulers from the perspective of Near Eastern despotism and royal hubris and fail to acknowledge that even Alexander ultimately benefited from the ingenuity of a world that is nowadays commonly referred to as the “Orient” (Middle East). German text.
English summary: Alexander the Great was well prepared for his campaign to the Middle East and Central Asia. In order to cross the great rivers of the Asian countries, he used indigenous engineering techniques that had proven to be effective for centuries: with the help of inflatable floats, which could also be used to make rafts (Kelek) and pontoon bridges, not only individuals, but also large troop formations could be transported from one river bank to the other. This brilliant home-grown technical aid was both versatile and extremely economical to use. It was already well-known to the kings of Assyria and Persia, and after the days of Alexander, it was recorded well into Late Antiquity and beyond. This fact has however been completely ignored by traditional sources. Even though the major bridges that Darius I. and Xerxes I. had constructed across the Bosporus and Hellespont can only be understood against the background of these masterpieces of engineering, our sources only ever look at the achievements of the ancient Near Eastern rulers from the perspective of Near Eastern despotism and royal hubris and fail to acknowledge that even Alexander ultimately benefited from the ingenuity of a world that is nowadays commonly referred to as the “Orient” (Middle East). German description: Alexander der Grosse war fur seinen Feldzug nach Vorder- und Zentralasien bestens gerustet. Um uber die grossen Strome der asiatischen Naturraume zu setzen, bediente er sich indigener Pioniertechniken, die sich seit Jahrhunderten bestens bewahrt hatten: Mit aufblasbaren Schwimmbalgen, die sich auch fur die Herstellung von Schlauchflossen (Keleks) und Pontonbrucken eigneten, konnten nicht nur einzelnen Personen, sondern grosse Truppenverbande von einer Flussseite auf die andere gebracht werden. Dieses geniale einheimische technische Hilfsmittel liess sich vielfaltig und ausserst okonomisch einsetzen. Es war bereits den neuassyrischen und persischen Konigen bekannt und lasst sich nach Alexander bis in die Spatantike und noch weit daruber hinaus nachverfolgen. Die klassischen Quellen indes blenden diesen Sachverhalt vollstandig aus. Obwohl die grossen Brucken, die Dareios I. und Xerxes I. uber Bosporus und Hellespont schlagen liessen, nur vor dem Hintergrund dieser pioniertechnischen Meisterleistungen verstandlich werden, betrachten unsere Quellen die Errungenschaften der altorientalischen Herrscher in erster Linie unter dem Blickwinkel orientalischer Despotie und grosskoniglicher Hybris und ignorieren vollkommen, dass selbst Alexander letztlich von dem Erfindungsreichtum eines Raumes profitierte, den man heute gemeinhin als Orient bezeichnet.
- By (author) Robert Rollinger
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