Page:From Constantinople to the home of Omar Khayyam.djvu/230

 118 ON THE TRACK OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT

the East in ancient days. Its fame was renowned, and I shall give the details on this subject, with citations in full, in a sepa- rate monograph on the Caspian Gates, to which I may refer the reader who may be interested in these more technical details.^

Alexander reached Ragha in the latter part of June, 330 B.C., after a series of forced marches from Ecbatana, in which scarcity of water, rapidity of movement, and the prevailing heat had caused large numbers both of men and horses to fall by the way. 2 Here, therefore, he decided to give his troops a much- needed rest of five days. It is possible that the length of this stay may have been determined in part by the phase of the moon (a new moon falling on June 27) and the prospective necessity of night marches, imposed by the heat.^ All this was over two thousand years ago, but even now we could see the site of ancient Ragha, or Rhagae, in the ruins of Rai, as we looked to the right from our wagon over the level tract backed by jagged mountains. The Gabr Dakhmah^ or ' Tower of Silence,' showed out clear with its gypsum-covered walls — a whitened sepulchre indeed, since on its top the Zoroastrians of Teheran still expose their dead to be devoured by vultures, as enjoined in the sacred books of their religion.* The site

1 This monograph, Caspiae Portae, 330 b.c. According to this the moon or the Caspian Gates of Antiquity, was full on or about June 12 and July- will appear later. 12 of that year.' Travelers who have

2 Arrian, Anab. 3.20. 1-4; Plutarch, caravaned in Persia in the hot season Alex. 42. 3. The time of the year may will best appreciate the significance of be deduced from Arrian, 3. 22. 2 ; con- night marches. There was, besides, a suit also ZoUing, Alexanders Feldzug strategic advantage in selecting the in Central-Asien, pp. 108, 113, 2 ed., night, since the Persians were averse Leipzig, 1875. to making night attacks, both because

' The probable phase of the moon of their method of encamping (cf. for June 27, 330 b.c, I have learned Xenophon, Anab. 3. 4. 35 ; Arrian, from Dr. M. G. Weinrich, of the De- Anab. 3. 10. 1), and because of theii partment of Astronomy at Columbia belief that darkness was one of the University. He has kindly informed creations of Ahriman (cf. Avesta, Ys. me that 'in all probability the moon 57. 18 ; Vd. 3. 35 ; 19. 30). was new on the 178th day of the year * For a description of Rai (Ragha) 330 B.C. (chronological), or, according and a sketch of its history see Jack- to modern reckoning, on June 27, son, Persia, pp. 428-441, 403 ; and see

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