Web site summary

The campaigns of Alexander the Great - from John Popovic's Web site (http://1stmuse.com/frames/index.html)

I. The conquest of Syria and Phoenicia (332 B.C.E.)
A. Darius offered peace to Alexander through a letter, but Alexander wanted an unconditional surrender.
B. The siege of Tyre
1. The citizens of Tyre refused to surrender to Alexander.
2. The citizens of Tyre barricaded themselves into the city.
3. Alexander built a causeway from the mainland to the island on which Tyre was located.
4. Alexander ultimately defeated the Tyrians not on land, but in a naval battle.
C. Darius sent Alexander another letter offering him a large portion of the Persian empire and a ransom of 10,000 talents for the release of the Persian royal family. Alexander again refused.
D. Gaza and the rest of Syria and Palestine
1. It took Alexander two months to conquer Gaza.
2. Although Alexander's shoulder was wounded, he successfully conquered Gaza and the rest of Syria and Palestine.
II. The conquest of Egypt (332 B.C.E.)
A. In November 332, Alexander took over Egypt without problems.
B. In Memphis, Alexander was crowned with the double crown of Egypt and made a sacrifice to Apis.
C. Winter 332 - 331
1. Alexander reorganized the government of Egypt.
a. Egyptian governors were hired.
b. The Egyptian military was under Macedonian command.
c. He founded Alexandria at the Nile delta.
2. Alexander visited the oracle of Ammon at Siwa.
a. The oracle was well-known for providing answers to difficult questions.
b. Alexander thought it was fitting that he visit the oracle since his alleged ancestors Heracles and Perseus had also visited this oracle.
c. The oracle greeted Alexander as the son of Ammon, which was the traditional greeting to give to the pharaoh.
d. The oracle declared that Alexander was indeed the son of Ammon (or Zeus, Ammon's Greek equivalent).
III. The conquest of Mesopotamia (331 - 330 B.C.E.)
A. The Battle of Gaugamela
1. Gaugamela was the last major battle between the Persians and the Macedonians.
2. The battle happened on the plain of Gaugamela, between Ninevah and the village of Arbela.
3. Darius eluded capture during this battle.
B. Alexander in Babylon and Susa and on the Iranian plateau
1. The Babylonians called Alexander the King of Asia.
2. Mazaeus, one of Darius' generals and the person who surrendered Babylon to Alexander, was made satrap.
3. Alexander took most of the royal wealth which was stored in Susa.
4. Alexander forced the tribes living on the Iranian plateau into submission.
5. Alexander successfully crossed through the pass called the Persian Gates in the Zagros range.
IV. The end of Persian rule
A. Alexander in Persepolis
1. Alexander took the royal wealth stored in Persepolis, the Persian capitol.
2. Alexander burned the royal palace of Persepolis in revenge for the Persian sack of Athens.
B. Alexander wanted joint rule between the Persians and the Macedonians, although some of the Macedonians had misgivings about this idea.
C. Darius' death
1. Alexander and his troops chased Darius for 12 days.
2. Darius fled to Bactria; his cousin Bessus was the satrap of Bactria.
3. Bessus and his allies overthrew Darius; Bessus stabbed Darius and left him to die.
4. Bessus preferred that Darius be dead rather than imprisoned.
5. Alexander gave Darius an imperial funeral.
6. Alexander eventually pursued, captured, tortured and killed Bessus for his betrayal.
V. Central Asia
A. Alexander was able to become "Lord of Asia" without much resistance after Darius' death.
B. Alexander easily conquered the mountainous region in addition to Darius' mercenaries.
C. Alexander encountered trouble conquering western Iran.
D. Winter of 330 - 329
1. Alexander arrived at the Kabul valley.
2. Bessus was in Bactria gathering support for an insurrection.
3. Alexander had to crush the revolt, but he didn't go directly to Bactria. Instead, he went through Khawak pass.
a. The Macedonians were feeling unsatisfied by Alexander's leadership.
b. Alexander had begun to wear Persian dress, which was un-Hellenistic.
c. Parmenio was accused of being part of a plot to betray Alexander and was executed. His men were also disposed of, and men who were close to Alexander were promoted.
E. 328 B.C.E.
1. Alexander crossed the Hindu Kush into Bactria.
2. Alexander crossed the Oxus river into Sogdiana in pursuit of Bessus.
3. Alexander sent Ptolemy after Bessus.
4. In July Bessus was captured, tortured, and executed in the way Persians executed traitors.
5. Alexander marched to the Jaxartes, where he brought the Scythians under his rule.
6. In the autumn, Alexander and his troops were occupying Maracanda (modern Samarkand). At a feast, Alexander murdered Cleitus, his friend and a commander. This strengthened the Macedonians’ growing distrust of Alexander.
F. The Sogdian Rock – Spring of 327
1. Alexander was moving through Afghanistan toward India.
2. Oxyartes and his rebels were occupying the Sogdian Rock, which was supposedly impenetrable.
3. Oxyartes challenged Alexander to send “men with wings” to conquer the rock.
4. Alexander sent up 300 climbers at night, taking the Sogdians by surprise.
5. Oxyartes surrendered, and he and Alexander eventually became friends.
6. In a gesture of good will and reconciliation, Alexander and Oxyartes’ daughter Roxana were married.
G. Alexander’s attempts to impose the Persian custom of proskynesis on the Macedonians were unsuccessful.
1. All of Alexander’s followers, including Callistenes, refused to do it.
2. Several weeks later, Callistenes was accused of conspiring with some of the royal pages in Bactria and was executed.