ancient Greek account of central Asia

Cafe Society
1

A few months ago I came across mention of a first-person travelogue written by an ancient Greek (or maybe Roman) author. The author described peoples and places he experienced while traveling through central Asia - or maybe just the Caucasus. The book was common enough that I found it listed in a nearby public library catalog.

Since then I’ve forgotten the author, and the specifics of his travels. I tried searching Google and Amazon’s Listmania, but I haven’t been able to find it.

Anyone know which book I’m thinking of?

2

Was he in the company of an army? That might’ve been Xenophon’s Anabasis

3

Thanks for the quick reply. That may be it. Any other possibilities?

4

Issaac Asimov wrote a short piece about an ancient greek traveler to central asia. Supposedly, in those days, the Aral sea and the caspian seas were united-this lake was called the Sarmatian Sea-any info on this?

5

Herodotus wrote a fair amount of travelogue and IIRC part does involve the culture of the scythians, The Histories

6

According to The Heritage of Central Asia by Richard N. Frye the earliest Greek contact with Scythians came through Greek colonies in southern Russia. I think he meant just north of the Black Sea. All throughout recorded history Central Asia is in the wider sphere of Iranian culture, mainly, although India, China, and more recently Russia have influenced it, the Iranian roots are the deepest and most pervasive. Nawruz is not only an ancient Persian holiday, it was celebrated all through Central Asia as far as Kazakhstan and Mongolia in ancient times. Frye derives most of his early historical data from Achaemanid sources. The Tajik language spoken throughout Uzbekistan (ancient Sogdiana) as well as Tajikistan, is essentially identical to the Persian language.

7

I wonder if perhaps you are thinking of Pausanias, who wrote 10 books of travelogue in the second century AD, recounting his travels all over Asia Minor, Greece, Egypt, &c.

Description of Greece published by the Loeb series.

Here is an older edition online from the Perseus project. (This is a slow-to-load website.)

8

I was thinking of Pausanias, too, but I don’t think he goes as far as the Caucasus?

9

Pausanias mentions the Caucasus in some of his descriptions, but a lot of it is in the context of the story of Prometheus, if I remember correctly.

Ptolemy also had descriptions of the Caucasus in his geography as well (5.9.14, 15), which is also in print in various editions.

It’s also mentioned by Strabo in his Geography, book 11 (which is also published by Loeb.)

10

Having now checked the library catalog, I’m pretty certain that it was Xenophon’s Anabasis. Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll have to look into reading Pausanias as well.