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The Geography of Strabo, Volume 3 (of 3)

Strabo · late 1st century BCE to early 1st century CE (composition of Strabo’s Geography; Volume 3 corresponds to books ca. VII–XVII) primary

passage 140 of 312 · BOOK XIV. > CHAPTER IV. (16/16)

in brief
Strabo concludes by arguing about alternative readings of the poet’s names for peoples near one another and links Arabian wealth to Alexander’s intended plan, which ended with his sudden death.

Greeks called Arimæi or Arimi. But the alterations of names, especially of barbarous nations, are frequent, Thus Darius was called Darieces; Parysatis, Pharziris; Athara, Atargata, whom Ctesias again calls Derceto.[790]

Alexander might be adduced to bear witness to the wealth of the Arabians, for he intended, it is said, after his return from India, to make Arabia the seat of empire. All his enterprises terminated with his death, which happened suddenly; but certainly one of his projects was to try whether the Arabians would receive him voluntarily, or resist him by force of arms; for having found that they did not send ambassadors to him, either before or after his expedition to India, he was beginning to make preparations for war, as we have said in a former part of this work.

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topics: fate, destiny, and necessity · history and the writing of history

The Geography of Strabo, Volume 3 (of 3) · Strabo · 54 BCE–24