Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones

informed decision-making at the time. This is a very standard way for Greeks to think about things. Teleologically, you already know what's going to happen, so let's plant that seed before it ever did.

We're told that he spent years gathering this. So essentially, as soon as the revolt in Egypt is crushed, he starts gathering this army and it takes him about four years before it's ready.

We're told that he spent years gathering this. So essentially, as soon as the revolt in Egypt is crushed, he starts gathering this army and it takes him about four years before it's ready.

We're told that he spent years gathering this. So essentially, as soon as the revolt in Egypt is crushed, he starts gathering this army and it takes him about four years before it's ready.

On the one hand, it's plausible to imagine that if he's really drawing in all these different contingents from all parts of the empire, that it would take a considerable amount of time for them to just get there.

On the one hand, it's plausible to imagine that if he's really drawing in all these different contingents from all parts of the empire, that it would take a considerable amount of time for them to just get there.

On the one hand, it's plausible to imagine that if he's really drawing in all these different contingents from all parts of the empire, that it would take a considerable amount of time for them to just get there.

I mean, if you're drawing in Bactrians and Indians, which are supposedly involved in this, according to Herodotus, and someone must have seen them because he describes them, and Ethiopians as well, I mean, they might have taken six months to get there just if they keep on marching all day long. And so it would have taken time, absolutely.

I mean, if you're drawing in Bactrians and Indians, which are supposedly involved in this, according to Herodotus, and someone must have seen them because he describes them, and Ethiopians as well, I mean, they might have taken six months to get there just if they keep on marching all day long. And so it would have taken time, absolutely.

I mean, if you're drawing in Bactrians and Indians, which are supposedly involved in this, according to Herodotus, and someone must have seen them because he describes them, and Ethiopians as well, I mean, they might have taken six months to get there just if they keep on marching all day long. And so it would have taken time, absolutely.

The other problem there, though, is that if you're gathering an army like that, you are forced to upkeep it. You are forced to essentially supply it while it's gathering, and for years and years, apparently. So that would have been an astonishing logistical operation.

The other problem there, though, is that if you're gathering an army like that, you are forced to upkeep it. You are forced to essentially supply it while it's gathering, and for years and years, apparently. So that would have been an astonishing logistical operation.

The other problem there, though, is that if you're gathering an army like that, you are forced to upkeep it. You are forced to essentially supply it while it's gathering, and for years and years, apparently. So that would have been an astonishing logistical operation.

So we could also imagine that the forces that have come from far away are fairly token, and that the actual organization of this army happens on site primarily with... So the core force that's described by Socrates in some ways of the army that moves with the king. So this is a small group of elite Persians who are sort of the core of the army.

So we could also imagine that the forces that have come from far away are fairly token, and that the actual organization of this army happens on site primarily with... So the core force that's described by Socrates in some ways of the army that moves with the king. So this is a small group of elite Persians who are sort of the core of the army.

So we could also imagine that the forces that have come from far away are fairly token, and that the actual organization of this army happens on site primarily with... So the core force that's described by Socrates in some ways of the army that moves with the king. So this is a small group of elite Persians who are sort of the core of the army.

And then whatever levies they can be, they can sort of bring along on the way. So as they go through the various satrapies, as they move west, there will be, you know, places where they will say, okay, this is the mustering part for this part of the empire here. We will gather the troops from Babylon, from Mesopotamia, from Cilicia, from other parts. And they sort of pick them up as they go.

And then whatever levies they can be, they can sort of bring along on the way. So as they go through the various satrapies, as they move west, there will be, you know, places where they will say, okay, this is the mustering part for this part of the empire here. We will gather the troops from Babylon, from Mesopotamia, from Cilicia, from other parts. And they sort of pick them up as they go.

And then whatever levies they can be, they can sort of bring along on the way. So as they go through the various satrapies, as they move west, there will be, you know, places where they will say, okay, this is the mustering part for this part of the empire here. We will gather the troops from Babylon, from Mesopotamia, from Cilicia, from other parts. And they sort of pick them up as they go.

Yeah, so there's the beautiful piece on the base to an inscription, like the relief there has Skunkar, the subjected Saka King, who has this beautiful pointed hat, which almost doesn't fit the image. So they had to move the text around because he got added in later. But those hats are apparently characteristic.