Transcript ALEXANDER THE GREAT - Classical Studies / FrontPage

ALEXANDER THE GREAT
CAMPAIGNS IN THE WESTERN
PERSIAN EMPIRE
334 – 331 BC
CROSSING THE HELLESPONT 334BC
• Alexander took his army across the narrow
channel that divides Europe from Asia called the
Hellespont.
• He joined his army with the one Philip had
already sent to secure a landing place in Asia
• Before he landed from his ship he jumped into
the water and threw his spear ashore.
Symbolism of this Act
• He claimed by this act that Asia was now his
“spear won land”.
• He was laying claim to the Persian Empire
• One of the reasons Alexander gave for his
invasion of the Persian empire was revenge for
earlier Persian invasions of Greece
VISIT TO TROY
• He left most of the army and went to the site of
ancient Troy.
• He offered sacrifice at the tomb of the first Greek
to die in the Trojan war.
• He sacrificed to Athena, Zeus,Herakles and
Poseidon
• He raced around Achilles and Patroclus’s graves
with Hephaestion
Symbolism of this Act
• The Greeks (from Europe) had beaten the
Trojans (from Asia)
• His Macedonians (from Europe) would beat the
Persians (from Asia)
• He modelled himself on the great Greek warrior
hero Achilles (who he claimed descent from
through his mother).
THE BATTLE OF GRANICUS 334BC
• Two of Darius’s satraps and Memnon (leader of
the Greek mercenaries fighting for Darius)
gathered an army to meet Alexander
• Hard fought battle with Alexander fighting at
head of his cavalry
• Superior strength and weapons of Macedonians
led to their victory
• Greek mercenary survivors either killed by
Alexander or sent as slaves to mines
After Granicus
• Many Greek cities in Asia Minor opened their
gates before Alexander’s army
• The important city of Sardis surrendered and
gave Alexander their tresure
• Miletus was placed under siege and was taken as
no Persian forces arrived to help
• Important port of Hallicarnassus was besieged
for 12 months supported by the Persian fleet
Alexander disbands his fleet
• Alexander’s fleet was outnumbered by the
persian fleet (400 to 160)
• Most ships were from Greek states that he could
not altogether rely on
• He feared a loss of confidence in his men if the
fleet was defeated
• He decided he could take the Persian fleet out of
the war by taking their supply ports
The Gordium Knot 333BC
• In this once important city was a wagon tied to a
pole by a complex knot
• Legend said that whoever could untie the knot
would rule all of Asia
• Alexander couldn’t untie it so used his sword to
cut the knot open
Symbolism of this act
• Alexander went out of his way to visit Gordium
• He wanted this act to reinforce his belief and
that of his army that they would conquer Asia
• He achieved what others had failed by a decisive
stroke
THE BATTLE OF ISSUS (333BC)
• Darius surprised Alexander’s rearguard at Issus
killing all sick and wounded Macedonians
• Darius left the plain where his larger army had
an advantage and fought Alexander on a rough
piece of land between the sea and the mountains
• Alexander told his Macedonian infantry to hold
the Greek mercenaries in the Persian centre
while he attacked the weaker Persian infantry on
the left
The Battle of Issus cont.
• He then launched his cavalry at Darius’s
bodyguard and generals forcing Darius to flee
for his life.
• With Darius gone the Persians lost the will to
fight and ran or were killed
After Issus
Alexander captured the Persian camp including:
• Darius’s family (mother, wives, children)
• All Persian equipment
• Darius’s treasure
Alexander now controlled the western Persian
Empire
The Greeks saw how strong and successful
Alexander was and offered him tributes
DARIUS WRITES TO ALEXANDER 1
After Issus Darius sent an embassy to Alexander.
There are different versions of what was offered:
• Friendship and alliance in return for return of
his family
• A ransom and offer of territory if his family were
released
• An insulting
THE SEIGE OF TYRE 332BC
• Tyre was a major strategic base for the Persian
navy
• The Tyrians deserted their mainland part of the
city and went to a fortified 800m off shore
• Alexander blockaded the island for seven
months and built a causeway to the island so he
could use siege engines to break its walls
• During the siege the Persian navy surrendered to
Alexander as he controlled its bases
THE SEIGE OF TYRE (cont.)
• The Macedonians managed to use ships fitted
with battering rams to make a breech in the
walls
• Once the Macedonians were inside the city was
doomed
• Alexander destroyed half the city, killed 8000
Tyrians and enslaved 30,000 more
SIEGE OF GAZA
• The inhabitants of the city of Gaza refused to
admit Alexander to their hill fortress
• Alexander used siege engines to breech the walls
and then led the attackers into the fortress
receiving a shoulder wound
• All male Gazans were killed and the women and
children enslaved
• The Gazan leader Batis was dragged behind
Alexander’s chariot copying Achilles treatment
of Hector
ALEXANDER IN EGYPT 331BC
• Alexander was welcomed in Egypt as a liberator
from Persian rule
• The Egyptians made him Pharoah and as in
other conquests he allowed locals to govern
under Macedonian military control
• Darius offered Alexander control of the western
Persian Empire if he stayed away from the
Persian heartland but Alexander wanted it all.
Alexander the God
• While in Egypt Alexander and a few of his closed
companions undertook a dangerous and difficult
desert journey to the oasis of Siwah where there
was a temple to the god Zeus Ammon.
• Legend has that the priests of the temple told
Alexander he was the son of Zeus and was
destined to rule the world.