Alexander the Great Highlights

**clayton ballentine** · 07-31-2005, 23:09

Invasion of Persia

With Greece now secure, Alexander felt free to carry out Philip’s plan to invade Persia. In 334BC he led 35,000 solders across the Hellespont into Anatolia. Persian massagers raced along the Royal Road to spread the alarm about the invasion. Within a short time, a Persian army of about 40,000 men rushed to defend Persia. The two forces met at the Gracias River. Instead of waiting on the Persians to make there first move, Alexander ordered an Elite Calvary unit to attack. Leading his troops into battle Alexander smashed the Persian defenses. And won the battle.

**clayton ballentine** · 07-31-2005, 23:27

Conquering the Persian Empire

After leaving Egypt, Alexander moved east into Mesopotamia to confront Darius. The desperate Persian king assembled an army of 250,000 men. The Persian Chariots were armed with deadly scythes protruding from the wheel hubs. The two armies collided at Gaugamela, a small village near the ruins of ancient Nineveh. Alexander launched a massive Phalanx attack followed by a Calvary charge. As the Persian lines crumbled, Darius again panicked and fled. Alexander’s victory at Gaugamela ended Persia’s power.

**Marcellus** · 07-31-2005, 23:31

Erm...what would you like us to discuss here?

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 00:55

nothing realy i wanted you all to get smarter

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 01:09

this is all i have on battles that could be of help

**conon394** · 08-01-2005, 01:50

Actually Alexander's army was closer to 45-50,000, and reinforced by several waves of Macedonians, Greek mercenaries and allied Greek troops. Considering the Persian force at Granicus was just the local satrap levy plus Memnon’s mercenaries I doubt it amounted to more than 20,000 troops of any quality at best.

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 01:54

this info was givin to me by a historian. so i know it is accurite

**Craterus** · 08-01-2005, 02:01

State your sources please, I am interested in Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia.

**Craterus** · 08-01-2005, 02:06

Clayton, did you write that piece?

If yes, then why not write like that all the time? It's easier to read, and it looks more intelligent.

If not, then I want to know your sources. I have been looking for some sites/books about Alexander for a while.

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 02:09

i got my info from a historian who does not want his ID reveled, sorry. maybe if you e-mail me we can have a private decuciton about him then i could tell you about him.

**Mongoose** · 08-01-2005, 02:26

clayton i thought that the mods told you not to do that....

Just use the PM feature.

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 02:27

it is ok as long as i was not talking to everyone.

**Mongoose** · 08-01-2005, 02:28

Use PM just to be safe. one more warning point and you might get a perma ban.

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 02:45

Conquest of Greece

Finally in 338BC, Athens and Thebans- two Greek city-states -joined forces against Philip. By then it was too late. The Macedonians soundly defeated the Greeks at the battle of Chaeornea. Philip’s 18 year old son Alexander led a successful Calvary charge that helped win the battle. The defeat at Chaeornea ended Greek freedom

**master of the puppets** · 08-01-2005, 03:10

you simplify the situation clayton.

it was during a macedonian retreat that the athenians pressed forward causing a rift between them and the thebans. in an outstanding display of a flanking menuever alexander led his companion cavalry around the back of the occupied athenian lines. he struck them in the back and many surrender then alexander and phillip surround the disciplined thebans who in the resulting massacre were slaughtered. no one of the band of thebes survives.

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 03:12

mabe you should mail that to juliuscaesar93@aol.com (that is the historians address

**master of the puppets** · 08-01-2005, 03:12

OH YEAH, HOWS THAT FOR HISTORICAL KNOLEDGE W00T.

did you know that alexander never subdued sparta.

uh...ok sure. but why would he need such trivial imformation easily aquiested from any common textbook.

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 03:21

you may want to e-mail that to him but take it easy he is new

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 03:46

Alexander in Egypt

Alexander then marched into Egypt, a Persian territory, in 336BC. The Egyptians welcomed Alexander as a liberator. During his stay, he visited the temple of the god Zeus. Alexander was crowned Pharaoh- a title that Ptolemy used later begin the polemic pharaoh line. Alexander also founded the city of Alexandria at the mouth of the Nile.

**pezhetairoi** · 08-01-2005, 04:33

...and the point of this being?

**pezhetairoi** · 08-01-2005, 04:37

Craterus, may I recommend Major-General J F C Fuller's The Generalship of Alexander the Great. It pays especial attention to Alex's military operations (in fact the entire book, as title suggests, is devoted to it) and also to some extent his political acumen. Diagrams of big battles and small wars included, maps included.

Clayton, I hate to put you down, but you might want to realise that most of us here can write a lot more detailed accounts than what you have put down here. And Alex has been gone over so many times with chariots and elephants alike that I don't think a discussion on him warrants 4 threads, all of which are just 'wanting us to get smarter'. Thanks, I should think we here at the Monastery are all smarter than you.

I believe you have already been ticked off in the Colosseum for your juvenile posts. I fail to see why you think that you can be any better in the Monastery, which if anything is higher-level than the Colosseum.

**clayton ballentine** · 08-01-2005, 04:43

Death comes ever closer to Alexander

By the spring of 323BC, Alexander and his army had returned to West Babylon. Restless as always, Alexander announced his plans to organize and unify his empire. He would construct new cities, roads, and harbors and conquer Arabia. However Alexander never carried out his plans. One year after his return, he became serially ill with a fever. Eleven days later Alexander died- a month short of his 33rd birthday.