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BRIDGES

ROBERT ROLLINGER

University of Innsbruck

Herodotus uses different terms for bridges: gephyra (γέϕυρα) is the most common, applied to the bridges across the HALYS RIVER (1.75.3–4), the Babylonian queen NITOCRIS’ bridge across the EUPHRATES (1.186), CYRUS (II)’s bridge across the ARAXES (1.205.2), DARIUS I’s bridges across the Thracian BOSPORUS (3.134.4; 4.85 etc.) and the ISTER (Danube) River (4.97.3 etc.; 7.10.γ.1), and XERXES’ bridges across the STRYMON RIVER (7.114.1) and the HELLESPONT (7.10.β.2 and elsewhere in Books 7–9). The word skhediē (σχεδίη) has the more special meaning of pontoon bridge; it qualifies Darius’ bridges across the Bosporus (4.88.1–2) and Ister (4.89.3, 97.1, 98.3; 5.23.1; 6.41.3) as well as Xerxes’ bridge across the Hellespont (7.36.4; 8.97.1, 107.1, 108.2, 117.1). The Bosporus (4.88.1) and Hellepont bridges (7.35.3) are also labeled as zeuxis (ζεῦξις), a derivation of ζευγνύω, “yoking,” which refers to the technique applied to interconnect the ships of the pontoon bridges; both ζευγνύω and γεϕυρῶ are used as verbal forms for “bridging” (see Powell 1960 for references).

Herodotus pays special attention to construction techniques when he describes Nitocris’ bridge in BABYLON and Xerxes’ Hellespont bridge. The existence of a bridge in Babylon has been proved by archaeological excavations (Rollinger 1993, 74). Pontoon bridges have a long‐standing tradition in the ancient Near East (Rollinger 2013, 67–73). Whether Herodotus’ report about the construction techniques of such a bridge is based on facts has been debated (positive, Hammond and Roseman 1996; skeptical, West 2013). For Darius’ bridge over the Bosporus, Herodotus mentions its “master‐builder” (ἀρχιτέκτων) MANDROCLES of SAMOS. He is said to have dedicated a painting of his bridge at the HERAION on Samos showing the Persian army crossing the Bosporus and Darius sitting on a throne and VIEWING the spectacle (4.88). Herodotus might have seen this picture himself and concluded that Darius led the Persian army in person, which might actually not have been the case (West 2013).

More important than the technical aspects of bridging, however, is Herodotus’ transformation of these episodes into deeper lectures on history. The great RIVERS, and especially the straits of the Bosporus and Hellespont, designate divine BOUNDARIES. Their crossing is interpreted as an act of HUBRIS and transgression that results in PUNISHMENT and catastrophe. Against this backdrop, the attentive reader of the Histories will notice that Darius’ and Xerxes’ gigantic bridge‐building projects already anticipate the dramatic failure of their campaigns. What the Persian kings regarded as demonstrations of their divinely sanctioned might and capacity to manipulate and control nature are rearranged as showpieces of Persian blindness and intoxication with power.