Submitted by babushkalauncher t3_ylcpl7 in history

Some sources say that Alexander founded up to 70 cities. Not all of them were named ‘Alexandria’ but quite a few were. Today very few of them exist, and some we don’t even know the exact location of. However a handful have become major metropolitan areas. The Alexandrias we know the exact locations of are:

  • Alexandria (the most famous one and the second largest city in Egypt)
  • Alexandria on the Latmus (Alinda, now present day Karpuzlu, Turkey)
  • Alexandria on the Bay of Issus (Iskanderun, Turkey. Previously known as Alexandretta)
  • Alexandria in Mygdonia (Erbil, Iraq. It is unknown if Alexander founded a new city close to Arbela (Irbil) or simply renamed the existing city. Very close to where the Battle of Gaugamela took place).
  • Alexandria in Susiana (Now abandoned, near Maysar, Iraq. Was also called Antiochia in Susiana and Charax Spasinu.)
  • Alexandria in Carmania (Location unknown but highly likely it was located near the village of Gulashkird, Iran, now present-day Faryab)
  • Alexandria in Aria (Herat, Afghanistan)
  • Alexandria Prophthasia (Farah, Afghanistan)
  • Alexandria in Arachosia (Kandahar, Afghanistan)
  • Alexandria Opiana (Ghazni, Afghanistan)
  • Alexandria in the Caucasus (Bagram, Afghanistan)
  • Alexandria in Margiana (Merv, Turkmenistan, now destroyed)
  • Alexandria Tharmata (Not known if this was the exact name. Located by present day Termez, Uzbekistan)
  • Alexandria Eschate (Khojand, Tajikistan)
  • Alexandria Bucephalia (Jhelum, Pakistan. Named after Alexander’s horse Bucephalus)
  • Alexandria Hyphasis (Near Amritsar, India)
  • Alexandria on the Indus (Uch, Pakistan)
  • Port of Alexander/Alexandrou Limen/Xylinepolis (near Karachi, Pakistan)
  • Alexandria in Rhambacia (Near modern day Bela, Pakistan)

In addition, Alexander also founded these cities which were not named after him:

  • Nicaea in Afghanistan, located near the city of Jalalabad, Afghanistan
  • Gaza, Palestine. Whether he founded it or destroyed an existing settlement and rebuilt it is disputed. Gaza is the Greek name for the city.
  • Arigaeum, exact location unknown but it was in northern Afghanistan
  • Nicephorium (Although some historians believe this city was founded by Seleucus). Present day Raqqa, Syria.
  • Patala, located near present day Thatta, Pakistan.

Other potential cities that we don’t know the exact location of:

  • Alexandria on the Pallakopas, potentially near Najaf, Iraq
  • Alexandria Soriana (Maybe Shorkot, Pakistan) but the existence of the city is disputed
  • Nicaea in India, located close to Alexandria Bucephalus.
  • Alexandria of the Sogdoi, located on the Indus River in Pakistan
  • Alexandria on the Acesines (located near the modern Chenab river in Pakistan)
  • Alexandria on the Oxus. Location unknown, but identified as either Ai-Khanoum in Afghanistan or Kampir Tepe in Uzbekistan
  • Alexandria in Sacastene, potentially near Zaranj, Afghanistan although this may also just be Alexandria Prophthasia
  • Alexandropolis Maedica, unknown location in present day Bulgaria
  • Alexandropolis in Parthia, potentially another name for the Parthian capital of Nisa in Turkmenistan but this is disputed
  • Alexandria near Bactra, close to Balkh, Afghanistan. May have been Alexandria Tharmata or Alexandria on the Oxus.

SOURCES:

  • The Hellenistic Settlements in the East (Getzel M. Cohen, 2013)

  • pleiades.stoa.org

  • Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites

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Comments

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Stalins_Moustachio t1_iuzsoez wrote

His legacy in modern day Afghanistan, and beyond, continues to astound me. It's such a shame that we will likely never find his body or burial site. Damn you Caligula!!

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NiceButOdd t1_iv1k154 wrote

Did you check the Alexandria Wiki?

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