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L24. Alexander’s Conquest, pt. 1

Krateros Parmenion Darius III Battle of Granicus Gordion Knot Battle of Issus Siege of Tyre Capture of Egypt Ammon Zeus Battle of Gaugamela Tyre Siwa Oasis Susa

Sources for Knowing Alex

• Lost Historians – Callisthenes of Olynthus (nephew of Aristotle)

– Nearchus (served on campaign)

– Cleitarchus

• Extant Historians – Diodorus Siculus, Book 17 (c. 50 BCE)

– Q. Curtius Rufus (c. 50 CE)

– Plutarch (c. 100 CE)

– Arrian of Nicomedia (c. 140 CE)

Phases in Alexander’s Wars

1. Invasion/Granicus

2. First campaign season in Asia

3. Issus

4. Levant and Egypt (deification)

5. Gaugamela

6. Hunt for the false Shah

7. “Ends of the Earth”

8. Dismal return to Babylon

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Battle Preparations

Dascilium

Troy

Forces at Granicus

Persian

• 30,000 infantry

• 16,000 cavalry

Greek

• 40,000 men – 12,000 heavy infantry

– 6 taxies of 1,500 each

– 3,000 Hypaspists

– 1,000 peltasts

– 24,000 mercenary hoplites

• 6,000 hetairoi – into 8 squadrons

• other cavalry from Thrace and Thessaly

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Battle of Granicus River 3 May

Aftermath of Granicus • Alexander came close to dying in the battle.

• Many Persian satraps and leaders were killed, while Arisites fled and shortly after committed suicide in his satrapy.

• Greek poleis in Asia Minor were liberated by Alexander, and a beachhead was established so that further campaigns against the Persian empire could be accomplished.

• Darius III continued to leave the responsibility of battling against Alexander to his satraps and gave Memnon a commanding role over the navy and coastal areas.

• Not until the Battle of Issus would Darius decide to confront the Macedonian conqueror in person.

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First Summer in Asia

• Sardis and Ephesus throw open their gates

• Miletus held out, aided by the Phoenician fleet

– 400 ship Persian fleet strong

– Alexander sees an eagle on the beach and would not allow Greek fleet to engage it and disbanded it

• Miletus finally conquered by siege artillery

• Halicarnassus also held out

Alexander “Frees” the Greeks of Asia Minor

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The Persian Fleet

Alexander’s march through Ionia hampered by the Persian fleet. The Allied Greek navy coordinated a naval campaign as part of Alexander's strategy.

Alex Advances from the West

Gordion

The Gordian Knot

Alexander cuts the Gordian Knot Jean-Simon Berthélemy (1743–1811)

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Confrontation at Issus

Battle of Issus Video Clip

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9AbssXSbMk

Capture of Persian Queen

• Darius' mother Sisygambis

• wife Statira • five year old son Ochus • two daughters, Barsine

and Drypetis

The Macedonian conqueror treated them kindly, which was not an act of courtesy but a claim to the Persian throne

Small bust of a Persian lady, from Persepolis (Archaeological Museum, Tehran)

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AFTER ISSUS:

EAST or SOUTH ? Persians controls Aegean & Hellespont • threatened Alexander's supply line • could attack Macedonian homeland

Alex decides to take the Phoenician towns, home of Persian fleet crews The conquest of the Levant was a strategic necessity Founds a city south of Issus (Alexandretta)

city featured in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Siege of Tyre

Alexander's siege of Tyre was one of the most critical moments in his campaign, and the most famous siege in Greek history.

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Tyre Change

Siege of Tyre Video Clip

• http://www.youtube.com/user/johnmb76#p/u/40/e1GIHgUgLZI

Embassy from Darius

• Persian King offers

• all land west of Euphrates

• 10,000 talents

• hand of daughter in marriage as ransom

• In war council – “I would accept these terms if I were Alexander,”

– “So would I if I were Parmenio.”

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Siege of Gaza

• No towns in Levant offered resistance accept Gaza

– 2 month siege

– built a mound around entire city 150 feet high

• Josephus writes that Alexander then visited Jerusalem

– very unlikely

Egypt Conquered

• In December 332, the Macedonian army and navy reached Pelusium (modern Port Said) – Alexander was met by the Persian satrap who surrendered the

country.

• Alexander left a garrison at Pelusium, ordered his navy to occupy the Egyptian capital Memphis and led his army to Heliopolis (north of modern Cairo).

Alexandria

Alex becomes the “son of Zeus”

at Siwa

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• Alex patterns himself on Ammon Zeus

– his way of linking himself to the divine

– first evidence of megalomania with religious overtones

– stylized numismatic (coin) portraiture becomes Hellenistic standard

Coin of Ammon Zeus (c. 500 BCE)

Coin of Alexander (c. 326 BCE)

Alexander turns East to fight Darius

Forces at Gaugamela

Persian

• 110,000 infantry

• 40,000 cavalry—from the best in his empire

• 50 scythe chariots

• 15 elephants

Greek

• 40,000 infantry

• 7,000 cavalry

• front line only 12,000 heavy infantry, 4,200 cavalry, 1,000 peltasts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CX2f9zOW3Q&feature=related

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Battle of Gaugamela

The Battle of Gaugamela, Jan Brueghel the Elder, 1602

Victory for Alexander

• News of Darius’ escape turns Persian withdraw into a rout

• Alexander pursues Darius into the night – left some of his cavalry vulnerable—heavy loses

• Parmenion advances and takes Persian camp

• Alexander rides through the night to Persian supply base Arbela (64 mi.) and finds Persian treasury but no Shah

• Darius fled north to Media; Alex on to Babylon

Impact of Gaugamela

• Macedonians now control Persian Heartland • Control vast amount of wealth—2 millenna worth 18 October at Sippar, Alexander announced that he

would spare the houses of the Babylonians. After this declaration, the Persian commander

Mazaeus, who had gone from Gaugamela to Babylon, formally surrendered the city

22 October Alexander's army entered the city through the famous Ištar Gate and the Procession Street, the victorious king riding in the royal chariot.