2/5/10

• Alexander was outwitted, because he went into a pass and was shot at from above
• They came up a gully, and if they had been betrayed by their local guide, they would have been trapped
• Had 10-15 thousand men
• 3 infantry would go straight ahead to bridge the river
• Alexander would go around to the back of the pass with about 4000 troops to the back of the Persians
• The more experienced men would stay to the front
• This was in the winter, so some men started to despair
• Alexander cheered them up
• He was behind the Persians, and attacked the rear right before the dawn
• He had his other men surround the sides, and the Persians were surrounded
• Alexander won, and gave the guide 30 silver talents (a quarter of a million dollars)
• He approached Persepolis, "The Most Hated City On Earth"
• $300,000 of gold bullion in the treasury
• He stayed there for 3 months
• The legend tells us that Alexander attended a party and got drunk. An Athenian woman named Thase told Alexander that he should set fire to the palace. Alexander assembled a fire lighting group and was the first to throw his torch in. Thase was the second.
• Alexander was usually respectful of religion, but he persecuted Persians and desecrated their temples.
• He slaughtered Persian priests, he burned their scriptures, and forced the children of Persia to marry Greek soldiers.
• There is a flame that Darius prayed before that hasn't stopped burning in 2000 years.
• An oracle gave a prophecy about Alexander that he was a devil's minion and that he would take over Asia. It also said that those that he wanted to take over would take over him.
• The Persians said that they wanted a fresh start with a different leader than Darius. They thought that the Gods were against Darius. He refused to give up the crown, and they bound him in golden chains.
• Alexander found out that Darius was overthrown and ahead, so he pushed his troops through the night for 50 miles.
• At dawn, Alexander caught up with them. Darius was stabbed, and the Persians left him their to die. Polastratus (a simple soldier) found Darius, and took his dying words back to Alexander. He wished him luck in ruling the world, and thanked him for treating his family with respect.
• Alexander was now the ruler of Asia
• An Amazonian queen came to him so that they could have a child together. It took him 13 days, but he finally gave her rich presents and she went home.
• The Great Wall of China was built by Alexander
• They didn't know that the Caspian Sea was landlocked.