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How did Darius I’s campaign against the Scythians cross the Bosporus and Danube rivers?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Relief of three Achaemenid warriors, known as the Ten Thousand Immortals, depicted in profile on glazed bricks with patterned robes and bows, from the Palace of Artaxerxes at Susa.
Achaemenid Empire Frieze of Archers from the palace of Darius I at Susa, c. 510 bce; some believe the warriors are among the Ten Thousand Immortals.

To facilitate his campaign against the Scythians, Darius I utilized pontoon bridges to cross both the Bosporus and the Danube River.1

  • Bosporus: Darius instructed a Samian engineer to construct a pontoon bridge across the Bosporus to allow his imperial army to enter Europe.1
  • Danube: After overrunning eastern Thrace, the army crossed the Danube River using a pontoon bridge built by Greek contingents serving within the Persian navy.1

These engineering feats were essential for moving the Persian forces into European territory, though the subsequent campaign into what is now Ukraine ultimately proved difficult due to the Scythians' scorched-earth tactics and the resulting lack of supplies for the Persian army.12