ON WITH THE CONQUEST

The assassination of Philip in 336 B.C.E. led to 20-year-old Alexander's inheriting the throne of Macedonia. Entering Asia at the hellespont (now the Dardanelles) in the spring of 334 B.C.E., Alexander embarked upon a campaign of conquest  with a small but efficient army of 30,000 foot soldiers and 5,000 cavalrymen. Accompanying his arm were engineers, surveyors, architects, and historians. 

At the Granicus River int he northwest corner of Asian Minor (now Turkey), Alexander won his first battle against the Persians.  That winter he conquered d western Asia Minor. The following autumn the second decisive battle  with the Persians took place  at Issus, in the southeastern corner of Asia Minor.  With an army of about half a million men, the great Persian King Darius IIi came there to meet Alexander. Over confident Darius also brought along his mother, his wife, and other members of his family so that they could witness what was to have been  a  spectacular victory.  But the Persians were unprepared for the suddenness and vehemence of the Macedonian attack.Alexander's forces utterly defeated the Persian army, and Darius fled, abandoned his family to Alexander's hands.

Rather than pursuing the fleeing Persians, Alexander marched southward along the Mediterranean Coast,  conquering the bases used by the powerful Persian  fleet. But the island-city of Tyre resisted the invasion.  Determined to conquer it, Alexander began a siege that lasted seven months. During the siege came Darius' peace offering mentioned earlier.  So attractive were the concessions that Alexander's trusted advisor Parmenio reportedly said: 'Were I Alexander,m I would accept.' but the young general reported:  'So would I, were I Parmenio.' Refusing to negotiate, Alexander continued with the siege and demolished that proud mistress of the sea in July 332 B.C.E.

Sparing Jerusalem, which surrendered to him, Alexander pushed south, conquering Gaza.  Weary of Persian rule, Egypt welcomed him as a deliverer. At Memphis he sacrificed  to the Apis bull, thus pleasing the Egyptian priests. he engaged in the third major battle with the Persians, at Gaugamela, not far from the crumbling ruins of Nineveh. Here Alexander's 47,000 men overpowered a reorganized Persian army of at least 25o,000! Darius  fled and was later murdered by his own people.  

Next time: Conclusion of ON WITH THE CONQUEST

From the book:  PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999