March to
Plan of Darius
Option 1: go to
Option 2: withdraw to Media and
Bessus and Bactrians now become mainstay of Persians
Plunder
4000 talents from treasury at
thousands of talents from
40-50,000 talents of silver and gold bullion; 9000 talents of
gold coins from
additional purple cloth (100 tons) and furnishings
Problem of Persian Loyalty
Years before Alexander had several kings, all murdered
Loyalty was easily shifted to whoever was in power at the moment
Mercenary armies: control of the treasuries meant mercenaries could be bought
Loyalty of the Macedonian army
Fighting for three years without returning home (many had families)
Goals of freeing Greeks, adventure and plunder had been fulfilled
Increasing disloyalty of troops
Alexander’s Dilemma
Conciliate the Persians by keeping them in power
Willingness of the Persian nobility to collaborate
Always support the winner
Able to keep power and wealth under new king
Probable belief that Alexander wouldn’t last long
Respecting their customs and religion
Taboos and ritual of court
Alexander was not of the Achaemenid family nor even the Seven Noble Families
Marriage with Achaemenid princess crucial
Descendants would be of royal lineage
Keep the loyalty of the Greeks by giving them new offices
Can’t be viewed as a tyrannical despot = Persian Great King
Religion
Zoroastrianism
Ahura Mazda
Magi
Not Zoroastrian
Not Persian
Usurper sent to Destroy
Babylonian (Chaldean)
Priests of Marduk
Great astrologers
Agreement to restore the Ziggurat of Esagila
Probably the largest and most magnificent city in the world at that time
Relations with
Welcomed Cyrus as liberator in 539
Revolt against Xerxes in 482
Destruction of Esagila and Marduk statue
Mazaeus, satrap of
Had strongly opposed Alexander
Was kept in office
Great welcome by citizens and priests
Administration
Increasingly Persianized
Keep Persian governors
Respect local traditions
Macedonian garrisons and commanders
Advanced force under Philoxenus accepts surrender of the city
Arrival of reinforcements (1500 cav 13,500 inf)
Used to bring older regiments to full strength
Indication that casualties had been relatively high
Battles, garrisons, desertions, sickness
Created a seventh taxis of infantry
Great plunder
Sitting on Darius’ throne
Revolt of
Bosworth, Conquest and Empire, 198-204
Antipater
had been left in
Had taken surrounding lands and weakened state
Spartans had refused to submit and join league of
Autumn 334, Persian Phrnabazus met with Spartan king Agis at Siphnos [A 2.13.4]
Persians had sent vast bribes bring
Persian fleet still controlled the
More money to bribe other Greeks
If Alexander had lost any battle, they would have joined the revolt
After Alexander’s victory at
Alexander too victorious; bribes from Alexander’s new treasure
Would face the Phoenician fleet
Reinforcements to Alexander are sparse because needed in
Campaign in
Early 332: 8000 Greek mercenaries and Persian fleet ally with
[C 4.1.39; D 17.48.2]
Persian Fleet was used to conquer
Creates civil war in
Alexander sends 100 Phoenician ships and money after
Macedonian recruits leave
15,000 inf, 1500 cav
leaves Macedonian garrison in most weak condition
Revolt
Antipater is forced to leave
20,000 inf, 2000 cav (including 8000 mercenaries)
Reaction of
Macedonian bribes; fear of Alexander’s retaliation
Fear restoration of Spartan hegemony;
Antipater stops Theban revolt, marches south with 40,000 men
Treasure from Alexander (3000+ talents) raise mercenaries and bribe cities
Best troops had gone to Alexander
hard fought, Spartans outnumbered but near victory
king wounded and carried from the field
5100 die, Spartan army devastated; revolt ends