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    The Battle of Issus in 333 BC resulted in a decisive victory for Alexander the Great over Darius III of Persia. Darius had moved his army from an open plain to a narrow river valley, weakening his position. During the battle, Alexander recognized Darius's plan to outflank the Macedonian army and repositioned his troops accordingly. This allowed Alexander to first defeat the Persian flanking force and then face the main Persian army across the river. Although the fighting was intense in the center, Alexander's cavalry routed the Persian wings, and when Darius fled, the remainder of the Persian army broke into a full retreat. Alexander's tactical skill, bravery in battle despite being wounded, and ability to

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    Main points on The Battle of Issus

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    The Battle of Issus in 333 BC resulted in a decisive victory for Alexander the Great over Darius III of Persia. Darius had moved his army from an open plain to a narrow river valley, weakening his position. During the battle, Alexander recognized Darius's plan to outflank the Macedonian army and repositioned his troops accordingly. This allowed Alexander to first defeat the Persian flanking force and then face the main Persian army across the river. Although the fighting was intense in the center, Alexander's cavalry routed the Persian wings, and when Darius fled, the remainder of the Persian army broke into a full retreat. Alexander's tactical skill, bravery in battle despite being wounded, and ability to

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    245 views2 pages

    The Battle of Issus

    Uploaded by

    vademecumdevally
    The Battle of Issus in 333 BC resulted in a decisive victory for Alexander the Great over Darius III of Persia. Darius had moved his army from an open plain to a narrow river valley, weakening his position. During the battle, Alexander recognized Darius's plan to outflank the Macedonian army and repositioned his troops accordingly. This allowed Alexander to first defeat the Persian flanking force and then face the main Persian army across the river. Although the fighting was intense in the center, Alexander's cavalry routed the Persian wings, and when Darius fled, the remainder of the Persian army broke into a full retreat. Alexander's tactical skill, bravery in battle despite being wounded, and ability to

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    MAIN POINTS ON THE BATTLE OF ISSUS 333 BC 1.

    THE MAIN SOURCES FOR THIS BATTLE ARE PTOLEMY ,ARISTOBULUS AND CALLISTHENES ALL USED BY ARRIAN. 2. DARIUS'S IMPATIENCE AND WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO FLATTERING ADVICE. 3. MOVES FROM A GOOD OPEN PLAIN TO THE RIVER PINARUS (ARRIAN BELIEVES THAT FATE LEADS HIM HERE. 4. ARRIVED AT ISSUS AND CRUELLY TREATED ALEX'S WOUNDED THERE. 5. ALEX AND DARIUS PASSED EACH OTHER ON EACH SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN RANGE. 6. BATTLEFIELD-ABOUT ONE AND A HALF MILES WIDE WITH FOOTHILLS ON ONE SIDE AND THE SEA ON THE OTHER. MACEDONIANS FELT THE PERSIANS WERE COWARDLY HIDING BEHIND A STOCKADE. GREAT PERSONAL ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE MEN FROM ALEX. 7. BIG DANGER FOR ALEX WAS OUTFLANKING AS HE WAS CERTAINLY OUTNUMBERED. DARIUS DELIBERATELY PLACES ABOUT 20,000 TROOPS TO THE SIDE AND REAR OF ALEXANDER'S RIGHT WING. 8.IN A WAY THE TACTIC OF THE TWO COMMANDERS WAS QUITE SIMILAR, I.E. TO USE THEIR CAVALRY TO ROUT THE ENEMY'S RIGHT WING AND FROM THERE TO SWING IN TO ATTACK THEIR CENTRE. ALEX REALISED THIS AT THE LAST MINUTE AND MOVED THE THESSALIANS FROM HIS RIGHT WING OVER TO PARMENIO ON THE LEFT. HIS RIGHT WING FORMED A RIGHT ANGLE TO DEAL WITH THE PERSIAN ADVANCED FORCE. 9. THIS ADVANCED FORCE WAS EASILY DEALT WITH LEAVING ALEX FREE TO FACE THE MAIN PERSIAN FORCE ACROSS THE RIVER. 10. SPEEDY CHARGE LED BY ALEX AND CAVALRY ON THE RIGHT WING, IMMEDIATE SUCCESS HERE, BUT GREEK MERCENARIES DID WELL WHERE HIS PHALANX LOST FORMATION IN THE CENTRE. HERE THERE WAS A VERY BITTER FIGHT. DAY WAS SAVED BY THE RIGHT WING WHO WHEELED AROUND TO SAVE THE CENTRE. ON THE MACEDONIAN LEFT WING THINGS WENT BADLY FOR THE THESSALIANS TILL THE PERSIANS REALISED THAT DARIUS HAD FLED. COMPLETE ROUT. 11. DARIUS'S IGNOMINIOUS FLIGHT (TWO VERSIONS OF THIS, ONE THAT HE FLED STRAIGHT AWAY, ANOTHER THAT HE FOUGHT VIGOROUSLY TILL HIS LIFE WAS IN DANGER). PURSUED BY ALEX WITHOUT SUCCESS. HIS FAMILY WAS TAKEN. 12. ARRIAN CLAIMS ABOUT BODIES FILLED RAVINES. 110,000 PERSIANS FELL, THAT THEIR

    13. AGAIN VISIT TO THE WOUNDED, SPLENDID FUNERAL, SPEECH AND REWARDS. 14. QUALITIES SHOWN BY ALEX HERE; COOLNESS UNDER PRESSURE, TACTICAL ABILITY TO ASSESS ENEMY'S STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AND TO CHANGE HIS OWN FORMATION TO TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT; OWN PERSONAL BRAVERY (WOUNDED IN SHOULDER AND THIGH). 15. CAPTURE OF DARIUSS CLOAK, CHARIOT, SWORDETC. 16. CAPTURE OF DARIUSS FAMILY. WOMEN AND CHILDREN WEEPING, SO ALEX SENDS IN LEONNATUS TO TELL THEM DARIUS IS NOT DEAD. FAMILY TREATED WITH RESPECT. STORY OF VISIT TO TENT, MISTAKEN IDENTITY AND ALEXS RESPONSE. N.B. ARRIANS ACCOUNT OF THIS SHOWS HIS LIMITATIONS AS AN HISTORIAN. 17. ALEXS VISIT TO DARIUSS CAMP SO THIS, IT SEEMS, IS WHAT IT IS TO BE A KING.

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