Saturday, July 13, 2024

Alexanders-Turks




There are many mercenaries in Alexander's army, so that we can find most probably Türks among them. That is why I searched the book "Whos Who in the Age of Alexander the Great Prosopography of Alexanders Empire by Waldemar Heckel.

Here are the results:


name

who 

possible Türkic name

meaning

Agathocles (Agathokles) 


Samian taxiarches in Alexander’s army (presumably a com- mander of allied infantry, perhaps mercen- aries) 


okle: oglu

agit-: to lift higher

Apama

there are two: Daughter of Spitamenes 

 and Daughter of Artabazus. See s.v. Artacama


apa ama

both mean Mutter

Argilias 


Son of Laonicus. A cavalryman from Orchomenus, he served with Alexander’s allied cavalry until the expedi- tion reached Ecbatana in 330 

argıl/ırgıl

fortune teller (<ırk-)

Assacenus 

Assakanos:. Indian dynast; leader of the Assacenians, whose kingdom centered on the area between the Panjkora (Guraeus) and Swat rivers. 


khan

Türkic title

Attalus

there are 4

ata

father; atali: he who has a father (hw who has a past/a good family?)

Bagodaras 

Cobares, Gobares). For the name see Justi 60 (cf. Briant 740 for the rar- ity of Medes in the Alexander historians). A Mede – possibly a magus (C 7.4.8) – who remained with Bessus after he usurped the kingship 

bagatur

the hero

Balakros

there are 3 

balak

little child; Balak-er?

Barsine

Daughter of Artabazus 

bars

leopard

Caranus

there are 2

karanu

darkness (dark skinned?)

Delios

phesian of unknown family, companion (hetairos) of Plato. Sent by the Asiatic Greeks to Alexander (perhaps at Corinth in 336) to encourage him to campaign against Persia (P1126d). 

deli/teli

crazy, mad

Erigyius 

Son of Larichus and brother of Laomedon (A 3.6.5, 11.10). A Mytilenaean by birth (D 17.57.3), Erigyius was a naturalized Makedon, having been granted property in Amphipolis 

erig

wild

Euctemon 


One of the spokesmen of the mutilated Greeks (cf. s.v. Theaetetus) who encountered Alexander’s army between the Araxes River and Persepolis. 

öktem

proud, imposing

Euthycles 


Spartan, presum- ably a relative of the ambassador of the same name sent to the Persian court in 367 

ötük > Ötüklü

prayer; boots > with prayers; with boots

Gergithius 


Quintessential flatterer of Alexander 

kerki: adze, mattock

kerkit: a kind of tool for webbing rugs

Gorgatas 

Gorgatas. A young Macedonian, Gorgatas was a favorite of the queen mother, Olympias, and taken against her wishes from the court to Asia by Amyntas son of Andromenes 

korkut

still a Turkish name (korku: fear)

Gorgias 


Macedonian. Hetairos of Alexander. He commanded a battalion of discharged veterans in 324, but this does not mean that he himself was born ca. 380, as Berve ii.113 maintains. (There is an other Macedonian with this name) 

gorgu/gorgi 

fear (like in Gorgones)

Gorgus [1]. (Gorgos). 


reek from Iasus. Son of Theodotus and brother of Minnion (SIG307). Hoplophylax of Alexander, Gorgus was apparently also a shameless flatterer; for in Ecbatana in 324 he offered the King, whom he addressed as “son of Amun,” a golden crown worth some 3,000 staters and promised to supply armor and equipment for a siege of Athens (there is an other Greek with this name)

gorgu/gorgi 

fear

Harpalus 


Son of Machatas (A 3.6.4), in all probability the nephew of Philip’s Elimeiot wife Phila 

arpağ > arpağlı

magic > magical

Holcias (Holkias, Olkias, Olcias). 

Perhaps Illyrian, though Berve ii.283 identifies him as Macedonian (cf. Hoffmann 211–12). This enigmatic figure, who plays such an important role in the events described by the political pamphlet on The Last Days and Testament of Alexander the Great 373 and who may be the author of the tract, is attested only once outside the work: Holcias, a commander of infantry, led an uprising of some 3,000 troops against Antigonus in 319 bc. 

alkı

praise

Iolaus

there are 3 (2 of them Macedonian)

Yolluğ/Yollug

lucky

Mauaces 


Commander of the Sacae (i.e., Scythian) mounted archers (hippotoxotai) at Gaugamela 

bayak

predecessor; bay: rich, numerous

Musicanus (Mousikanos 


Indian dynast of southwestern Sogdia; ruler of the Mushika. 

buzi-kan

khan: the Türkic title

Ochus (Ochos) 

Son of Darius III and Stateira, 

okuz/öküz:

bull

Orontopates 


Prominent Persian, as is clear from his later position at Gaugamela (331 bc) and son-in-law of Pixodarus, who had usurped the satrapy of Caria 

oron

throne

Orthagoras


Author of a work called Indikoi Logoi, men- tioned by both Nearchus and Onesicritus. 

orta: the middle

gor: place?, koru: protected place?

Oropius 


The name is uncertain and looks more like an ethnic, but it could be a corruption of an Iranian name. Dexippus makes the curious comment that Oropius ruled Susiana not by “ances- tral right” but as an appointee of Alexander 

orop: to warp, to tie

to bridle

Oxicanus 

he form Oxycanus (given by Berve no. 587) is unattested in the MSS. Indian dynast, nomarches of a region of Sind, perhaps based at the city of Azeika (PtGeog 7.1.57; Eggermont 12). He did not submit to Alexander, who was sailing down the Indus from Alor (Musicanus’ realm; summer 325) and took two of his cities by assault, capturing Oxicanus in the second (A 6.16.1–2). 

okuz/öküz: bull

khan: the Türkic title

Parysatis 

The youngest daughter of Artaxerxes III Ochus 

pars/paris

leopard

Porticanus 


ndian dynast (Str 15.1.33 [701]), ruler of the Praesti (C 9.8.11; cf. Lassen ii186). Eggermont 11–12 would make him ruler of Pardabathra (PtGeog 7.1.58); hence we should distinguish between Oxicanus (A 6.16.1–2), who ruled Azeika 


khan

Türkic title

Sabictas 

Possibly a high-ranking Persian – or perhaps a native Cappadocian – Sabictas was appointed satrap of Cappadocia near Taurus 

sabık

it is a very old personal name (Sabık Basar)

Satibarzanes 


Satibarzanes. Noble Persian. Satrap of Areia and commander of the satrapal levies at Gaugamela (A 3.8.4). He is otherwise unattested in the battle. 

satı-bars

satı-barsın? of SATI-BARS? Sati is a very old personal name.

Sauaces 

(Sabakes; Sauakes; also Sataces, Tasiakes or Stasiakes). Satrap of Egypt under Darius III, in late 333 bc Sauaces led the Egyptian contingent to Issus where he fell on the battlefield 

sayak: from say-: to be respectful

or maybe sayak like yellow?

Sibyrtius 

Macedonian 


Sibir/siber/Sawur, etc.

a Türkic peoples

Sippas 

The name is otherwise unattested. Sippas was left as strategos in Macedonia, when Antipater moved south into Thessaly in 323 

sıpa<sıp

2-year-old colt; donkey colt

Sisines 

(Also Sisenes). Prominent Persian, but of unknown family back- ground. According to Curtius 

sis: sharp stick

şişen: he who swells (fat), from „š-, šɨš-, šiš-„1 to swell 2 swelling, tumour

Sisygambis 

(also Sisyngambris). Mother of Darius III, Oxyathres, and (possibly) Stateira and four other children 

çiçek: flower 

amb-: still, relaxed

Tauriscus (Tauriskos) 

Man of unknown family, apparently a Greek (cf. Pape & Benseler 1495).698 He was perhaps a mem- ber of Alexander’s army or entourage and befriended Harpalus, whom he persuaded to flee from Alexander shortly before the battle of Issus. 

tau: mountain

er: warrior

Teutamus (Teutamos). 

Unattested in the Alexander historians, but possibly a mem- ber of the hypaspists (Argyraspids) during the King’s lifetime 

toy- to get satiated 

toy: a bird of pray, suffix -mis is very often in Old Türkic, like in the personal name Toktamis 

Thrasybulus 

(Thrasyboulos; Thrasyboulus). Athenian. Son of Thrason. Born no later than 375; he appears in a naval list of 353/2 (IG ii1613.270); he served with Chares at the Hellespont. 

oulu/oglu 

the son of…

Zopyrion 

Macedonian. Zopyrion suc- ceeded Memnon as strategos of Thrace. He conducted an expedition, allegedly totaling 30,000 (J 12.2.16; 37.3.2), against the Getae, marching to the Borysthenes and besieging Olbia in 325 

çopur

pock-marked, veriegated

*




akontistai.

Javelin-men.

Akınla-:

to lead the warriors march

gynaion 

A “little woman.” , The term can be used affectionately of an older woman or pejoratively of a woman of low standing or of a mistress or common-law wife

kün

second wife, (kuma)

hegemon 


a military leader or commander 

egemen

souvereign

toxotai

archers

okçu 

archer


*


Uzunbacak Adem 


No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Strabo-words-with-a-possible-Turkic-etymology-part-III

  * A list of words that could have a Türkic etymology in Strabo's Geography: * Strabon'un Coğrafya'sında Türk kökenli olabilece...