The expression of Herodotus respecting this position taken by
Pausanias, Οὗτοι μὲν οὖν ταχθέντες ἐπὶ τῷ Ἀσωπῷ ἐστρατοπεδεύοντο,
as well as the words which follow in the next chapter (31)—Οἱ
βάρβαροι, πυθόμενοι εἶναι τοὺς Ἕλληνας ἐν Πλαταιῇσι, παρῇσαν καὶ
αὐτοὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἀσωπὸν τὸν ταύτῃ ῥέοντα,—show plainly that the
Grecian troops were encamped along the Asôpus on the Platæan
side, while the Persians in their second position occupied the
ground on the opposite, or Theban side of the river. Whichever
army commenced the attack had to begin by passing the Asôpus (c.
36-59).
For the topography of this region, and of the positions occupied
by the two armies, compare Squire, in Walpole’s Turkey, p. 338;
Kruse, Hellas, vol. ii, ch. vi, p. 9, _seq._, and ch. viii, p.
592. _seq._: and the still more copious and accurate information
of Colonel Leake, Travels in Northern Greece, ch. xvi, vol. ii,
pp. 324-360. Both of them have given plans of the region; that
which I annex is borrowed from Kiepert’s maps. I cannot but think
that the fountain Gargaphia is not yet identified, and that both
Kruse and Leake place the Grecian position farther from the river
Asôpus than is consistent with the words of Herodotus; which
words seem to specify points near the two extremities, indicating
that the fountain of Gargaphia was near the river towards the
right of the Grecian position, and the chapel of Androkratês
also _near_ the river towards the left of that position, where
the Athenians were posted. Nor would such a site for a chapel of
Androkratês be inconsistent with Thucydides (iii, 24), who merely
mentions that chapel as being on the right hand of the first mile
of road from Platæa to Thebes.
Considering the length of time which has elapsed since the
battle, it would not be surprising if the spring of Gargaphia
were no longer recognizable. At any rate, neither the fountain
pointed out by Colonel Leake (p. 332) nor that of Vergutiani,
which had been supposed by Colonel Squire and Dr. Clarke, appear
to me suitable for Gargaphia.
The errors of that plan of the battle of Platæa which accompanies
the Voyage d’Anacharsis, are now well understood.
[332] Herodot. ix, 26-29. Judging from the battles of Corinth (B.
C. 396) and Mantineia (B. C. 418), the Tegeans seem afterwards to
have dropped this pretension to occupy the left wing, and to have
preferred the post in the line next to the Lacedæmonians (Xenoph.
Hellen. iv, 2, 19).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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