Alexander the GreatThe Macedonian army & the major battles of his campaign

Year 11 Ancient History

The Macedonian ArmyINFANTRY• Phalanx

• Developed by Phillip II & Alexander • These soldiers fought in close-ranked rectangular formations which could spear through enemy cavalry and infantry from a safe distance• Could also be quickly manoeuvred into battle and travel quickly

• Hypaspists• The elite arm of the Macedonian infantry, armed with spears• Would protect the right flank of the Phalanx

Phalanx in formation

The Macedonian Army

CAVALRY• Hetairoi

• The elite arm of the Macedonia army• Regarded as the best cavalry of the Ancient World• Would dominate other cavalry in battle

• Thessalian Cavalry• Used short spears and javelins• Highly manoeuvrable in battle• Used to defend the left flank of the army in battle

• Light Cavalry and Allies• Used for reconnaissance, scouting ahead & to fill lines during an attack or defence

The Macedonian ArmySIEGE• Catapult

• Developed by the Greeks in order to attack and destroy enemy structures and buildings.• Uses a range of tensions to hurl large and heavy objects at designated targets• According to historian Diodorus Siculus, this siege weapon was first used in 399 BCE

• Ballista• Similar to catapult, but uses large arrow shaped projectiles

Battle of Granicus River (334)

Lebrun. Source: Encyclopedie Larousse Illustre 1898.

Battle of Granicus River (334)

Alexander leads his army across the Hellespont to meet Darius’ forces led by Memnon of Rhodes

History Channel, Battle of Granicus

Battle of Granicus River (334)

Battle of Issus (333)

Battle of Issus (333)

Battle of Issus (333)

Siege of Tyre

Tyre◦ Strategic coastal of Persia

◦ Largest & most important city-state of Phoenicia

◦ 40 000 inhabitants (c332)

◦ Situated on an island 800 metres off the coast of the Mediterranean mainland

◦ Supported by Persian fleet (based in Carthage)

Map of Mediterranean

Modern Map of Mediterranean

Siege of Tyre

Cause of siege◦ Alexander needed to secure

the city in order to restrict Persian naval movement along the Syrian coast◦ Within the city walls also

stood a temple to the Greek god of Heracles – son of Zeus◦ Alexander promised that all

the inhabitants would be spared if the Macedonians could make a sacrifice◦ Tyrians refused = SIEGE!

Heracles – god of Extraordinary

strength, courage, ingenuity, and

sexual prowess

Siege of Tyre

Siege Strategy◦ Using a natural land bridge no more than 2 metres deep

Alexander order his troops to build a 800 metre long causeway directly to the island city

◦ Using boulders and lumber from a Lebanese forest the Macedonians spent 8 months constructing the platform

◦ Alexander was determined to crush the city

Siege of Tyre (332) Dept. of History, United States Military Academy

Siege of Tyre

Aerial photograph - 1931

Siege of Tyre

Battle◦ Once the causeway was ready Alexander built two 50

metre tall siege towers equipped with catapults and ballista siege machines to break through the city walls.

◦ He surrounded the city with use of 80 Macedonian ships and 120 allied ships from Cyprus

According to Quintus Curtius Rufus 6,000 fighting men were killed within the city and 2,000 Tyrians were crucified on the beach. The others, some 30,000 people, were sold into slavery.

Questions

Video – the Siege of Tyre◦ Questions

1. How high were the walls of Tyre?

2. What devices did the Tyrians use to defend themselves before the city walls were breached? List at least two.

3. What sort of issues did Alexander and the Macedonians face when constructing the causeway?

4. How did the siege of tyre benefit Alexander on his campaign?

5. List some anomalies between the video and what has been discussed in class.

Gaugamela◦ A flat plain decided on by King Darius III of Persia where he

could deploy his numerically superior forces

◦ He most commonly accepted opinion about the location is (36°22′N 43°15′E / 36.36°N 43.25°E / 36.36; 43.25), east of Mosul in modern-day northern Iraq – suggested by Sir Aurel Stein in 1938 (see his Limes eportrpp. 127–1)

Battle of Gaugamela (331 BCE)

• Marks the final showdown between Alexander and Darius• The winner to become the King of Persia

Battle of Gaugamela

Motivation & cause◦ Alexander had conquered Greece, Macedonia, the

Mediterranean coastline and Egypt and sought to continue east into Asia via Syria

◦ He needed to defeat Darius III in order to truly become the King of Asia, Persia and Macedonia or “Lord of Asia”

Battle of Gaugamela

Size of the Persian force◦ Warry estimates a total

size of 91,000. ◦ Welman estimates a

total size of 90,000. ◦ Delbrück (1978)

estimates a total size of 52,000.

◦ Engels (1920) and Green (1990) also estimate the total size of Darius' army to be no larger than 100,000 at Gaugamela.

Darius’ army also included• 15 trained Indian elephants• Scythed chariots (above)• 1500 archers

Battle of Gaugamela

Battle of Gaugamela

Time of attack◦ Macedonian army v. Persian force 37 000 units v. 53 000 – 100 000 units (modern estimates)

◦ Alexander’s forces were terribly outnumbered – Daruis III had expected him to launch his attack during the night so his units would not be intimidated by the sheer size of the Persian force

◦ Alexander wished to face the Persians during the day

◦ On the eve of the battle Persian troops stayed up all night on watch whilst Alexander’s had rested and slept

Battle of Gaugamela

Battle of Gaugamela

Battle of Gaugamela

"For a short time there ensued a hand-to-hand fight; but when the Macedonian cavalry, commanded by Alexander himself, pressed on vigorously, thrusting themselves against the Persians and striking their faces with their spears, and when the Macedonian phalanx in dense array and bristling with long pikes had also made an attack upon them, all things together appeared full of terror to Darius, who had already long been in a state of fear, so that he was the first to turn and flee."

The Battle of Gaugamela (Book III, 7-16) By: Arrian (Lucius Flavius Arrianus)

Battle of Gaugamela

Aftermath◦ Darius had managed to escape the battle with a small core

of his forces remaining intact.

◦ Persia had been split in two Alexander controlled the West,

◦ The Persian satraps (provincial governors) decided to have Darius killed & pronounced Alexander ‘Lord of Asia’

◦ When Alexander discovered Darius murdered, he was saddened to see an enemy he respected killed in such a fashion

Battle of Gaugamela

Video – The Battle of Gaugamela◦ Questions1. By what means did Darius upgrade his forces in

preparation for the battle?2. What reasons did Alexander give to his general

Parmenion to attack in the day rather than the night?3. How affective were the Persian Scythe chariots and why?4. At what point does Alexander order the left flank to push

forward?5. How does this battle define Alexander as a successful

strategist?