Alexander ordered his troops to record any debts they owed so that he could pay them, as he felt it was an appropriate time to clear his soldiers' financial obligations. However, many soldiers refused to record their debts, distrusting Alexander's motives. Alexander responded by setting up money tables in the camp and posting overseers to record debts, forcing soldiers to acknowledge any financial agreements.

1. Robin Lane Fox
New College, Oxford
Alexander:
The Wider Vision
Ashmolean Museum (1892.1499). Tourmaline intaglio 24x24mm

2. Arrian 7.19.5
κα Μ κκαλος Κλαζομ νιοςὶ ί ὁ έ
μετ πεντακοσ ων ταλ ντωνὰ ί ά
π Φοιν κης τε κα Συρ αςἐ ὶ ί ὶ ί
στ λλετο, το ς μ ν μισθἐ έ ὺ ὲ ῷ
πε σων, το ς δ καί ὺ ὲ ὶ
νησ μενοςὠ ό σοι θαλ ττιοιὅ ά
νθρωποι. τ ν τε γ ρἄ ή ὰ
παραλ αν τ ν πρ ς τ κ λπί ὴ ὸ ῷ ό ῳ
τ Περσικ κατοικ ζεινῷ ῷ ί
πεν ει κα τ ς ν σους τ ςἐ ό ὶ ὰ ή ὰ
τα τ . δ κει γ ρ α τ ού ῃ ἐ ό ὰ ὐ ῷ ὐ
με ον < ν> Φοιν κης ε δα μωνῖ ἂ ί ὐ ί
χ ρα α τη γεν σθαι.ἡ ώ ὕ έ
Further, Miccalus of
Clazomenae was
despatched to Phoenicia
and Syria with five hundred
Talents, to hire recruits or
purchase men accustomed
to seafaring. For Alexander
was planning to colonize the
coast along the Persian Gulf
and the islands there, as he
thought that it would
become just as prosperous a
country as Phoenicia.
(Tr. Brunt)

3. Strabo 15. 700C
φασ δ ν τ Σωπε θους χ ρὶ ᾿ ἐ ῇ ί ώ ᾳ
ρυκτ ν λ ν ρος ε ναι,ὀ ῶ ἁ ῶ ὄ ἶ
ρκε ν δυν μενον λ τ νδικ ·ἀ ῖ ά ὅ ῃ ῇ Ἰ ῇ
κα χρυσε α δ κα ργυρε α οὶ ῖ ὲ ὶ ἀ ῖ ὐ
πολ πωθεν ν λλοις ρεσινὺ ἄ ἐ ἄ ὄ
στορε ται καλ , ς δ λωσεἱ ῖ ά ὡ ἐ ή
Γ ργος μεταλλευτ ς. ο δό ὁ ή ἱ ᾿
νδο μεταλλε ας κα χωνε αςἸ ὶ ί ὶ ί
πε ρως χοντες, ο δ νἀ ί ἔ ὐ ᾿ ὧ
ε πορο σιν σασιν, λλὐ ῦ ἴ ἀ ᾿
πλο στερον μεταχειρ ζονταιἁ ύ ί
τ πρ γμα.ὸ ᾶ
It is said that in the country of
Sopeithes there is a mountain of
mineral salt sufficient for the
whole of India. And gold and silver
mines are reported in other
mountains not far away, excellent
mines, as has been plainly shown
by Gorgus the mining expert. But
since the Indians are inexperienced
in mining and smelting, they also
do not know what their resources
are, and handle the business in a
rather simple manner.
(Tr. Jones)

4. Stabo 11 529C
Μ ταλλα δ ν μ ν τέ ᾿ ἐ ὲ ῇ
Συσπιρ τιδ στι χρυσοί ί ἐ ῦ
κατ τ Κ βαλλα, φὰ ὰ ά ἐ ᾿ ἃ
Μ νωνα πεμψενέ ἔ
λ ξανδρος μετἈ έ ὰ
στρατιωτ ν, ν χθη δῶ ἀ ή ᾿
π τ ν γχωρ ων· καὑ ὸ ῶ ἐ ί ὶ
λλα δ στ μ ταλλα, καἄ ᾿ ἐ ὶ έ ὶ
δ τ ς σ νδυκοςὴ ῆ ά
καλουμ νης, ν δ καέ ἣ ὴ ὶ
ρμ νιον καλο σι χρ μα,Ἀ έ ῦ ῶ
μοιον κ λχὅ ά ῃ
There are gold mines in
Syspiritis near Caballa, to
which Menon was sent by
Alexander with soldiers,
and he was led up to them
by the natives. There are
also other mines, in
particular those of sandyx,
as it is called, which is also
called “Armenian” colour,
like calchê.
(Tr. Jones)

5. Diodorus Siculus 18.4.4
ν δ τ ν πομνημ των τ μ γιστα καἮ ὲ ῶ ὑ ά ὰ έ ὶ
μν μης ξια τ δε· χιλ ας μ ν να ς μακρ ςή ἄ ά ί ὲ ῦ ὰ
με ζους τρι ρων ναυπηγ σασθαι κατ τ νί ή ή ὰ ὴ
Φοιν κην κα Συρ αν κα Κιλικ αν κα Κ προνί ὶ ί ὶ ί ὶ ύ
πρ ς τ ν στρατε αν τ ν π Καρχηδον ους καὸ ὴ ί ὴ ἐ ὶ ί ὶ
το ς λλους το ς παρ θ λαττανὺ ἄ ὺ ὰ ά
κατοικο ντας τ ς τε Λιβ ης κα βηρ ας κα τ ςῦ ῆ ύ ὶ Ἰ ί ὶ ῆ
μ ρου χ ρας παραθαλαττ ου μ χρι Σικελ ας·ὁ ό ώ ί έ ί
δοποι σαι δ τ ν παραθαλ ττιον τ ς Λιβ ηςὁ ῆ ὲ ὴ ά ῆ ύ
μ χρι στηλ ν ρακλε ων, κολο θως δ τέ ῶ Ἡ ί ἀ ύ ὲ ῷ
τηλικο τ στ λ λιμ νας κα νε ριαύ ῳ ό ῳ έ ὶ ώ
κατασκευ σαι κατ το ς πικα ρους τ νά ὰ ὺ ἐ ί ῶ
τ πων· ναο ς τε κατασκευ σαι πολυτελε ς ξ,ό ύ ά ῖ ἕ
π ταλ ντων χιλ ων κα πεντακοσ ωνἀ ὸ ά ί ὶ ί
καστον· πρ ς δ το τοις π λεωνἕ ὸ ὲ ύ ό
συνοικισμο ς κα σωμ των μεταγωγ ς κ τ ςὺ ὶ ά ὰ ἐ ῆ
σ ας ε ς τ ν Ε ρ πην κα κατ το ναντ ον κἈ ί ἰ ὴ ὐ ώ ὶ ὰ ὐ ί ἐ
τ ς Ε ρ πης ε ς τ ν σ αν, πως τ ς μεγ σταςῆ ὐ ώ ἰ ὴ Ἀ ί ὅ ὰ ί
πε ρους τα ς πιγαμ αις κα τα ς ο κει σεσινἠ ί ῖ ἐ ί ὶ ῖ ἰ ώ
ε ς κοιν ν μ νοιαν κα συγγενικ ν φιλ ανἰ ὴ ὁ ό ὶ ὴ ί
καταστ σ .ή ῃ
The following were the largest and most
remarkable items of the memoranda. It was
proposed to build a thousand warships,
larger than triremes, in Phoenicia, Syria,
Cilicia, and Cyprus for the campaign against
the Carthaginians and the others who live
along the coast of Libya and Iberia and the
adjoining coastal region as far as Sicily; to
make a road along the coast of Libya as far
as the Pillars of Heracles and, as needed by
so great an expedition, to construct ports
and shipyards at suitable places; to erect six
most costly temples, each at an expense of
fifteen hundred talents; and, finally, to
establish cities and to transplant
populations from Asia to Europe and in the
opposite direction from Europe to Asia, in
order to bring the largest continents to
common unity and to friendly kinship by
means of intermarriages and family ties.
(Tr. Geer)

6. F.L. Holt, The Treasures of Alexander the Great. How one man’s wealth shaped the world (Oxford, 2016), pp. 192-3

7. Κα τ χρ α πιλ σασθαι τ ς στρατι ς σοις χρ α ν νὶ ὰ έ ἐ ύ ῆ ᾶ ὅ έ ἦ ἐ
καιρ ο δοξε, κα κελε ει πογρ φεσθαι π σον φε λειῷ ἱ ἔ ὶ ύ ἀ ά ὁ ό ὀ ί
καστος, ς ληψομ νους. κα τ μ ν πρ τα λ γοιἕ ὡ έ ὶ ὰ ὲ ῶ ὀ ί
π γραψαν σφ ν τ ν ματα δεδι τες ξ λεξ νδρου μἀ έ ῶ ὰ ὀ ό ό ἐ Ἀ ά ὴ
πε ρα α τη ε η καθειμ νη, τ ο κ ποχρ σα μισθοφορῖ ὕ ἴ έ ὅ ῳ ὐ ἀ ῶ ἡ ὰ
τ ν στρατιωτ ν στι κα τ πολυτελ ς δ αιτα. ς δῶ ῶ ἐ ὶ ὅ ῳ ὴ ἡ ί ὡ ὲ
ξ γγελτο τι ο κ πογρ φουσι σφ ς ο πολλο , λλἐ ή ὅ ὐ ἀ ά ᾶ ἱ ί ἀ ᾿
πικρ πτουσιν τ τι ε η συμβ λαιον, τ ν μ ν πιστ αν τ νἐ ύ ὅ ῳ ἴ ό ὴ ὲ ἀ ί ῶ
στρατιωτ ν κ κισεν· ο γ ρ χρ ναι ο τ ο ν τ ν βασιλ αῶ ἐ ά ὐ ὰ ῆ ὔ ᾿ ὖ ὸ έ
λλο τι ληθε ειν πρ ς το ς πηκ ους, ο τε τ νἄ ἢ ἀ ύ ὸ ὺ ὑ ό ὔ ῶ
ρχομ νων τιν λλο τι ληθε ειν δοκε ν τ ν βασιλ α.ἀ έ ὰ ἄ ἢ ἀ ύ ῖ ὸ έ
καταθε ς δ τραπ ζας ν τ στρατοπ δ κα π το τωνὶ ὲ έ ἐ ῷ έ ῳ ὶ ἐ ὶ ύ
χρυσ ον κα το ς πιμελησομ νους τ ς δ σεως κ στοις,ί ὶ ὺ ἐ έ ῆ ό ἑ ά
στις συμβ λαιον πεδε κνυτο, πιλ εσθαι τ χρ α κ λευενὅ ό ἐ ί ἐ ύ ὰ έ ἐ έ
ο κ πογραφομ νους τι τὐ ἀ έ ἔ ὰ ν ματα. κα ο τω δὀ ό ὶ ὕ ὴ
π στευσ ν τε ληθε ειν λ ξανδρον κα σ ν χ ριτι με ζονιἐ ί ά ἀ ύ Ἀ έ ὶ ὺ ά ί
γ γνετο α το ς τ μ γνωσθ ναι μ λλ ν τι τ πα σασθαιἐ ί ὐ ῖ ὸ ὴ ῆ ᾶ ό ἢ ὸ ύ
φε λοντας. λ γεται δ γεν σθαι δ σις α τη τ στρατι ςὀ ί έ ὲ έ ἡ ό ὕ ῇ ᾷ ἐ
τ λαντα δισμ ρια.ά ύ
Arrian 7.5.1-3
He thought this a convenient moment to discharge all the
debts any of his soldiers had incurred and ordered each
man to register what he owed, on the basis that they
would receive the money. At first only a few registered
their names in the fear that Alexander had merely tried an
experiment, to see which soldiers had not lived on their
pay and which had been extravagant; but when he was
informed that most were not registering their names but
concealing any bonds, he reproved the troops for not
trusting him; the king, he said, must always speak the
truth to his subjects, and none of the subjects must ever
suppose that the king speaks anything but the truth. He set
up tables in the camp with gold on them and instructed
the persons who were to administer the grants to
discharge the debts to all who produced a bond, without
any further registration of names. As a result they actually
came to believe that Alexander was speaking the truth,
and they were more gratified by the concealment of their
names than by the extinction of the debts. This grant to the
army is said to have amounted to twenty thousand
Talents. (Tr. Brunt)
He next assembled the army, and promised that “he would
pay all their debts at his own expense,” so that they might
carry home their spoil and prizes undiminished. This
munificence was highly prized, not only for the sum given,
but for the character of the gift, and was received not more
thankfully by the debtors than by the creditors, exaction
being as troublesome to the one as payment to the other.
(Tr. Watson)
Tunc ad contionem exercitum uocat et promittit se aes
alienum omnium propria inpensa soluturum, ut praedam
praemiaque integra domos ferant. Insignis haec
munificentia non summa tantum, uerum etiam titulo
muneris fuit nec a debitoribus magis quam a creditoribus
gratius excepta, quoniam utrisque exactio pariter ac solutio
difficilis erat.
Justin 12.11.1-3

8. Quintus Curtius Rufus 8.7.11-12
Haec ergo sunt Macedonum praemia,
quorum ut supervacuo et sordido
abuteris sanguine! At tibi xxx milia
mulorum captivum aurum vehunt, cum
milites nihil domum praeter gratuitas
cicatrices relaturi sint.
“Quae tamen omnia tolerare potuimus,
antequam nos barbaris dederes et
novo more victores sub iugum
mitteres. Persarum te vestis et
disciplina delectant, patrios mores
exosus es. Persarum ergo, non
Macedonum regem occidere voluimus
et te transfugam belli iure
persequimur.
These, then, are the rewards of the
Macedonians, whose blood you use up
as if it were superabundant and mean.
But for you 30,000 mules carry
captured gold, while your soldiers will
bring home nothing save scars got
without reward.
“Yet we could have endured all these
things until you delivered us to the
barbarians and by a novel fashion
made the victors pass under the yoke.
It is the Persians’ garb and habits that
delight you; you have come to loathe
the customs of your native land.
Therefore it was the king of the
Persians, not of the Macedonians, that
we wished to kill, and by the law of war
we justly pursue you as a deserter.
(Tr. Rolfe)

9. Arrian 4.18.7
νθα δ κ ρυξεν λ ξανδροςἔ ὴ ἐ ή Ἀ έ
τ μ ν πρ τ ναβ ντιῷ ὲ ώ ῳ ἀ ά
δ δεκα τ λαντα ε ναι τ γ ρας,ώ ά ἶ ὸ έ
δευτ ρ δ π το τ τέ ῳ ὲ ἐ ὶ ύ ῳ ὰ
δε τερα κα τρ τ τ φεξ ς,ύ ὶ ί ῳ ὰ ἐ ῆ
ς τελευτα ον ε ναι τὡ ῖ ἶ ῷ
τελευτα νελθ ντιίῳ ἀ ό
τριακοσ ους δαρεικο ς τί ὺ ὸ
γ ρας. κα το το τ κ ρυγμαέ ὶ ῦ ὸ ή
παρ ξυνεν τι μ λλον καώ ἔ ᾶ ὶ
λλως το ς Μακεδ ναςἄ ὺ ό
ρμημ νους.ὡ έ
Then Alexander proclaimed that
the first to scale the height
should have a prize of twelve
Talents, the second a second
prize, the third another prize and
so on, the last to reach the top to
have three hundred darics. Eager
as the Macedonians already
were, this proclamation still
further increased their ardour.
(Tr. Brunt)

10. Arrian 3.19.7-8
Παρμεν ωνα δ προσ ταξε τ χρ ματαί ὲ έ ὰ ή
τ κ Περσ ν κομιζ μενα ε ς τ νὰ ἐ ῶ ό ἰ ὴ
κραν τ ν ν κβατ νοις καταθ σθαιἄ ὴ ἐ Ἐ ά έ
κα ρπ λ παραδο ναι· ρπαλον γ ρὶ Ἁ ά ῳ ῦ Ἅ ὰ
π τ ν χρημ των π λιπε καἐ ὶ ῶ ά ἀ έ ὶ
φυλακ ν τ ν χρημ των Μακεδ νας ςὴ ῶ ά ό ἐ
ξακισχιλ ους κα ππ ας κα ψιλο ςἑ ί ὶ ἱ έ ὶ ὺ
λ γους· α τ ν δ Παρμεν ωνα το ςὀ ί ὐ ὸ ὲ ί ὺ
ξ νους ναλαβ ντα κα το ς Θρ καςέ ἀ ό ὶ ὺ ᾷ
κα σοι λλοι ππε ς ξω τ ς ππου τ ςὶ ὅ ἄ ἱ ῖ ἔ ῆ ἵ ῆ
ταιρικ ς παρ τ ν χ ραν τ νἑ ῆ ὰ ὴ ώ ὴ
Καδουσ ων λα νειν ς ρκαν αν.ί ἐ ύ ἐ Ὑ ί
Κλε τ δ τ τ ς βασιλικ ς ληςί ῳ ὲ ῷ ῆ ῆ ἴ
γεμ νι π στειλεν, πειδ ν κἡ ό ἐ έ ἐ ὰ ἐ
Σο σων ε ς κβ τανα φ κηται,ύ ἰ Ἐ ά ἀ ί
κατελ λειπτο γ ρ ν Σο σοιςέ ὰ ἐ ύ
ρρωστ ν, ναλαβ ντα το ςἀ ῶ ἀ ό ὺ
Μακεδ νας το ς π τ ν χρημ τωνό ὺ ἐ ὶ ῶ ά
τ τε πολειφθ ντας ναι τ ν πό ὑ έ ἰέ ὴ ἐ ὶ
Παρθυα ους, να κα α τ ς ξεινί ἵ ὶ ὐ ὸ ἥ
μελλεν.ἔ
Parmenio was ordered to deposit in
the citadel of Ecbatana the treasure
conveyed from Persia and to hand it
over to Harpalus; for he left Harpalus
in charge of the treasure, with some six
thousand Macedonians, cavalry and a
few light troops to protect it. Parmenio
himself was instructed to take the
mercenaries, Thracians and any
cavalry other than the Companion
cavalry past the land of the Cadusians
and march into Hyrcania. Clitus the
commander of the royal squadron was
ordered, on reaching Ecbatana from
Susa, where he had been left sick, to
take the Macedonians who had been
left for the time being to protect the
treasure and proceed on the road for
Parthyaea, where he himself also
proposed to go.
(Tr. Brunt)

11. Athenaeus 13. 595d-e
μετ δ τ ν Πυθιον κης τελευτ νὰ ὲ ὴ ί ὴ ὁ
ρπαλος Γλυκ ραν μετεπ μψατο καἍ έ έ ὶ
τα την τα ραν, ς Θε πομποςύ ἑ ί ὡ ὁ ό
στορε , φ σκων πειρηκ ναι τ νἱ ῖ ά ἀ έ ὸ
ρπαλον μ στεφανο ν αυτ ν, ε μἍ ὴ ῦ ἑ ό ἰ ή
τις στεφαν σειε κα τ ν π ρνην.ώ ὶ ὴ ό
στησ ν τε ε κ να χαλκ ν τ ς Γλυκ ραςἔ έ ἰ ό ῆ ῆ έ
ν ωσσ τ ς Συρ ας, ο περ κα σ καἐ Ῥ ῷ ῆ ί ὗ ὶ ὲ ὶ
α τ ν νατιθ ναι μ λλει. παρ δωκ ν τεὑ ὸ ἀ έ έ έ έ
α τ κατοικε ν ν το ς βασιλε οις το ς νὐ ῇ ῖ ἐ ῖ ί ῖ ἐ
Ταρσ κα ρ π το λαοῷ ὶ ὁ ᾷ ὑ ὸ ῦ ῦ
προσκυνουμ νην κα eβασ λισσανέ ὶ ί
προσαγορευομ νην κα τα ς λλαιςέ ὶ ῖ ἄ
δωρεα ς τιμωμ νην, α ς πρ πον ν τ νῖ έ ἷ έ ἦ ὴ
σ ν μητ ρα κα τ ν σο συνοικο σαν.ὴ έ ὶ ὴ ὶ ῦ
After Pythionice died, Harpalus sent
for Glycera, who was also a
courtesan, according to Theopompus
(FGrH 115 F 254b), who claims that
Harpalus refused to allow anyone to
put a garland on his own head unless
they also garlanded his whore. In
addition, he set up a bronze statue of
Glycera in Syrian Rhossus, where he
intends to set up statues of you and
himself as well. He also gave her
permission to live in the royal palace
in Tarsus, and he watches as she is
bowed down to by the local people,
addressed as “Queen,” and granted
the other honors that properly
belong to your mother and the
woman who lives with you.
(Tr. Olson)