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2 ALEXANDERS CAMPAIGNS, REASONS AND MAIN BATTLES - Coggle Diagram
2 ALEXANDERS CAMPAIGNS, REASONS AND MAIN BATTLES
BATTLES
GAUGAMELA
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Ensured soldiers were well rested .Fortified camp and remained on position for 4 days. Left behind baggage animals and soldiers unfit for combat.
Went out to fight at dawn. Shows clear planning. Summoned council of generals to discuss whether to immediately press on or to stay put for a few days (Parmenio's plan). Latter chosen.
Got troops to perform battle cry. encouraged them prior to battle. MADE IT CLEAR THEY DIDN'T NEED ENCOURAGEMENT DUE TO GREAT CAPABILITY AND BRAVERY. Psychological boosting.. Strong, seemingly personal relationship with troops
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Parmenio recommended a night attack, but Alexander put it down as being cowardly, stealing victory. . Arrian believes this shows confidence, not arrogance. Arrian argues that night attacks could jeopardise Alexander's chance of victory because his army would be less capable. Darius may deny being weaker and continue fighting.
Darius kept army up overnight as camp was insecure, feared night assault. Morale depleted, soldiers tired and weakened.
Persians mirrored Alexander's movements. Alexander leading men to the right. Scythian cavalry riding along Macedonian line and engaging those drawn up front of line. Alexander nearly clear of trampled ground, so Darius ordered his men to flank and prevent any further movement
Persians trampled ground flat so chariots were more able to speed around, less chance of damage and destruction.
Ordered companion cav to attack, met Scythian and Bactrian cavalry who greatly outnumbered. Macedonians pull off. Alexander ordered mercs to charge, persians gave way. Became full cavalry battle. Macedonians taking heavier casualties, but still in formation. Persians sent scythe chariot into battle, but Macedonians ran out of the way when it approached and agrianes threw javelins.
Alexander led a wedge formation with companion cav + phalanx straight at Darius. Hand to hand fighting for a short period but Persians quickly overpowered. Darius ran from battle, followed by troops. Cavalry chased them down and killed them. Forces supporting first phalanx attacked from rear. Parmenio then hard pressed by Persian right wing
GRANICUS
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Memnon was a Greek mercenary employed by the Achaemenid Empire to defeat Alexander. Advised Persians to adopt a Scorched Earth Policy against Alexander. Satraps did not trust Memnon, and refused to do this
Alexander crossed river diagonally to counteract force of the current. Avoids forces being pulled out of formation. Stops Persian forces flanking
Arrian. Parmenio suggested crossing upstream and attacking at dawn the following day, but Alexander attacked immediately. Persians caught off guard
Macedonians struggling to get out of river. Alexander led charge into centre of Persian lines. Led Companion Cavalry. Cleitus saved him from death at the hands of Persian Nobleman Spithridates
Deep macedonian phalanx and extended spears greatly aided capability of troops to push against enemy. Eventually pushed through Persian centre, cavalry wings broke
Mithridates (Darius son in law) killed by Alexander
Greek merc's buried along with Persian leaders by Alexander. Foreign merc's massacred while merc prisoners sent to greece as slaves
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ISSUS
- Arrian puts the Persian army at 600,000, Diodorus at 400,000, Curtius at 250,000 and modern historians at between 25,000 and 100,000. Alexander's army was perhaps 40,000.
- Somehow (theories differ) they ended up fighting across a river (again!) on a narrow plain between the mountains and the sea, which prevented Darius benefiting from his huge numbers.
- The Persian cavalry attacked the Macedonian left wing under Parmenio; although driven back, the Thessalians did not break. Meanwhile Alexander, with his Companion Cavalry and Hypaspists, attacked the Persian right wing and broke through. Alexander made a wild charge at Darius himself, who fled, leaving behind his wife, family, weapons, provisions and a huge treasure.
- Plutarch and Diodorus claim that 100,000 Persians were killed; Curtius says only 450 Greeks died.
- When Darius then sent Alexander a letter offering a truce, Alexander replied: 'whenever you send to me, send to me as the king of Asia, and do not address to me your wishes as to an equal .... For wherever you may be, I intend to march against you'. Some historians regard this as the moment when Alexander decided to conquer the whole of the Persian Empire.
TYRE
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Alexander had disbanded Greek navy due to a lack of trust in them. Could not sail across to island so constructed causeway
Alexander wanted to sacrifice to temple of Melqart, whom he identified with Heracles. Rejected by Tyrians, who told him to use port in the old city on the mainland. Alexander's representatives killed during second attempt to negotiate. Battle begins
Diodorus claims his causeway was 200 ft wide. Water became deeper and causeway came under attack from Tyrian artillery, so 2 siege towers constructed, covered in hide to protect them from fire. Tyrians set ship on fire, filled with flammables, and drove into causeway, destroying towers
Alexander gathered fleet from Phoenician cities, used to protect causeway from tyrians. Ports blockaded with superior number of ships.
Alexander started testing the walls of the city with rams, until he breached the south side. Bombardment from all sides by navy, Crucified 2000 tyrians and killed 6000 fighting men on the island, except for people hiding in temple of melqart (including king of tyre). 30000 others sold into slavery
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Mainly because Persian navy could easily harbour there and massively disrupt supply lines for Alexander
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MUTINIES
Hyphasis mutiny
After mutiny
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Gedrosian is extremely hard to cross. Arrian mentions in 7.4 'the disasters which happened to him.' Incredibly hot weather and monsoons caused landslides - heavy death toll.
Pursuit of glory - wants to rival Semiramis and Cyrus. Refuses water until his men can drink (upends canteen from limited supply so noone can drink - waste of valuable resource), leads from the front of column on foot. Approx 25000 dead.
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Opis mutiny
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Alexander sulked and executed 13 men (ringleaders). Washed his hands in Macedonian affairs + appointed 10000 Persian guards
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CHANGING VIEWS ON PERSIA
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Purge of the satraps
Upon Alexander's return, realised Persian satraps had been exploiting power. Demonstration of lack of control of empire
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Some persians remained in power, but at Alexander's death 15/24 Satraps and 21/24 garrison commanders dead.
FOUNDATION OF CITIES
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Cities often started as military settlements. Keep area in check, free land for retired soldiers
Keep cities named in Alexander's honour after his death. Link to former leader, sometimes only names and vague locations known.
DISBANDING NAVY
Plan seemed to be to destroy ports so navy had to surrender
Also, navies are expensive and loyalty was in question