About 2,300 years ago, there were two superpowers in the world. In Asia, the Achaemenid Empire of Iran was dominant, which stretched from present-day Baluchistan to Türkiye. It also included Syria and Egypt. The second superpower was the Macedonian Empire of Europe. This empire was made a great power by Emperor Philip II. It included Bulgaria, northern Macedonia, Albania, Greece, and many Mediterranean islands. Only Sparta and Crete were not part of it. King Philip was eager to attack and conquer the neighboring Iranian empire. He had gathered a great army. Its soldiers were equipped with long spears. Thus they could easily advance through the enemy ranks. However, in 336 BCE, Emperor Philip was murdered by one of his guards. His 21-year-old son, Alexander III, became ruler of Macedonia. He is known in history as Alexander the Great. I am Faisal Warraich and you are watching the Generals and Battlers series Season 3 of DSJ. You will watch Alexander's story in this video. Alexander the Great wanted to fulfill his father's dream by conquering Iran. But he needed a prediction of victory. Such a prediction could provide a necessary psychological support. There was a temple in ancient Greece called the Temple of Delphi (Apollo). It was headed by a female called "Oracle of Delphi". The Greeks believed that the Oracle spoke directly to the god Apollo and foretold the future. Therefore, this woman was very important in this Greek society. It customary for the Greece rulers to seek Oracle's favors before a major military campaign. Thus they could know the results beforehand. They made their decisions in the light of those predicictions. Alexander the Great also went to Delphi before the campaign. But at this time of the year the Oracle wouldn't go out of the temple. She would make no prophecies either. She also refused to see Alexander. But Alexander wouldn't accept the refusal. He entered the temple, took the Oracle by the arm and dragged her out. She panicked and said, "Alexander! You are invincible! No one can beat you!." At this comment, Alexander let her go. He said, "This is enough, I don't need any other prediction now." He came out of the temple, gathered his army and left to invade Iran. His destination was the part of the Iranian Empire that is now known as Turkey. According to the famous Greek historian, Plutarch, Alexander initially had 47,000 troops. This included 4,000 cavalry. It was the year 334 BCE. Darius III was on the throne of Iran then. He was aware of arrival of the Greek army but he did not send any army to confront it. He ordered his local Turkish governors to fight the invaders. The Greeks crossed the Dardanelles and entered the Asian region of modern-day Turkey. Soon they fought their first battle against the local Iranian forces. This Iranian army was led by two commanders. In May 334 BCE, the first battle was fought on the banks of the River Granicus. That's why it is known as the Battle of the Granicus. The Iranian army was standing on one side of the river and the Greek army was on the other side. On the Iranian side the banks of the river were steeep and slippery. Climbing them was difficult for the Greek army. But Alexander jumped into the river with some of his cavalry. The enemy rained down arrows at them but they defended them with their shields. They crossed the river and started pushing back the Iranian forces from its banks. Alexander's remaining forces were now free to cross the river because of his bravery. The Iranian forces were totally distracted and focused only on Alexander. the Greek and his companions who were crossing the river. Therefore, the entire army crossed the river with ease and attacked the enemy with full force. During the battle came a moment that could prove disastrous for King Alexander. He was fighting with one of the two Iranian commanders. The 2nd commander approached him from behind. He hit Iskandar on the head with an axe. The axe cut through his helmet and reached the hair but the head remained safe. The commander drew back his axe and raised it for a 2nd a time. But one of the King's companions killed the assailant. Thus, Alexander survived. He killed the other senior Iranian commander whom he was fighting with. After the death of the two commanders, the Iranians lost heart and fled the battlefield. Now the path was clear for Alexander. He had won his first victory against the Iranians. Now, Alexander advanced towards Syria and Iraq, conquering the coastal cities of Turkey along the way. He also conquered Gordian, the capital of the ancient state of Phrygia. This city was located about 80 km to the southwest of Ankara, the capital of Turkey. The ruins of this city still exist today. Alexander saw an old chariot standing in the city. This chariot was tied to a pillar by a rope. This rope was so skillfully tied that its ends were not visible. That's why it was impossible to untie it. The legend said that the chariot belonged to the first ruler of the city. Whoever untied the rope would become the king of Asia. Hearing this, Alexander the Great took pulled out his dagger. He tore open the outermost layer of the knot, revealing the ends of the rope hidden below. Then he untied the rope with ease. Now, according to the legend, he could have become the king of Asia. After the Oracle of Delphi, it was the 2nd favorable prediction he had received. Now Alexander was confident of of his victory. Interestingly, it was not just Alexander who had received such predictions. His enemy, Darius was receiving same predictions of victory. How? Emperor Darius had a dream on night. He saw that the Greek army was standing in front of him. The Greek army was standing in ring of fire. Alexander the Great was also present in a servant's dress. And then he entered an Iranian temple From there, he never came out. The Iranian emperor woke up in the morning and called for his astrologers. An astrologer made a favorable interpretation by saying that the emperor would defeat Alexander. (He said) Darius would win. The Greek army would be destroyed and Alexander would either be killed or flee. Darius III was overjoyed upon hearing that. He decided to lead the Iranian army against Alexander himself. He wanted to get his name in the list of the great generals of that time. He informed his courtiers of his decision. One man strongly opposed his decision. His name was 'Charidemus'. Charidemus was a Greek military expert. Thousands of Greeks served in the Iranian army for money. You may call them mercenaries. So this Greek, Charidemus was a very smart and experienced soldier. He requested Darius not to personally lead the army. But appoint him the commander of the army. He warned that if harm came to the emperor, the whole empire would be in jeopardy. Obviously the emperor was the linchpin of the empire. His death would sound the end of the empire. Charidemus' suggestion was rational. But other Iranian courtiers did not like it. They could not bear watching their emperor listening to a foreigner's advice. They rejected Charidemus' offer to lead the Iranian army. They even accused him of being a traitor who would surrender to Alexander. They claimed that he would betray the emperor. Their comments made Charidemus angry. He claimed that the Iranians were cowards. Emperor Darius was disgusted by a Greek's mockery of his own people and had Charidemus killed. As the soldiers were taking Charidamus to execute him... ... he cried out that this was gross injustice. This was cruelty. He declared that Darius would pay for this unjust punishment with his throne and the empire. Thus the man, who could give wise counsel to the emperor, died. Darius III sent letters to his governors to bring their troops to the Iraqi city of Babylon From here they were to march towards Turkey. So these armies assembled in Babylon. Plutarch claims that the Iranian army numbered 600,000. However, modern historians call this an exaggeration. The Iranians probably had more troops than the Greeks but the gap wasn't so wide. Alexander the Great had 30,000 soldiers. The rest of his army was deployed in the captured cities or sent to conquer more lands. Now, the Iranian army was coming from Babylon to fight Alexander. Alexander the Great was waiting for this Iranian army at Issus, Turkey. This area was also located near a river. Alexander was forewarned about the incoming force. But he could not determine the route of this force. Based on wrong intelligence, he concluded that the the enemy might come from Syria in the south. So he moved into Syria with his forces. Ill or weak soldiers were left behind. The wounded were also left at Issus. But when Alexander had left for Syria, the Iranian army reached Issus from a northern route. They captured Issus and arrested the wounded and sick Greek soldiers there. Their hands were cut off before were set free. They were to return to Alexander and scare away him and his army. These soldiers approached Alexander and told him the whole story. He immediately turned around and started moving towards the north. Soon he also approached near Issus. Once again, a river ran between the two opposing forces. A historic battle, the Battle of Issus, was going to take place. The battle would decide the new ruler of Asia. My Curious Fellows, the geography of the place favored the Greeks. It didn't favor the Iranians. The battlefield was located between the hills and the Mediterranean Sea. It was impossible for the Iranian emperor to spread his cavalry and to surround the enemy. However, despite the disadvantage of geography, the Iranians lined up for battle. Emperor Darius's army was divided into 3 main forces. The infantry was deployed in the center. The cavalry was positioned on the rightwing. The archers were stationed on the left. Some infantry were also deployed behind the archers. Darius III was himself positioned behind the center in his royal chariot. This chariot was surrounded by 10,000 royal guards These were additional troops. In front of the Iranian army was the river. As the water level was low, some Iranian cavalry crossed it. They positioned themselves on the right side of the Greek rightwing. They were to hit the Greek cavalry from the rear if it dared to cross the river. Alexander the Great had a slightly different formation of his Greek army. Although his army was very small in number, he deployed infantry in the center. While the cavalry made up his right and left wings. He himself was leading the cavalry on the right side. In front of Alexander the Great's position, the enemy archers were deployed. The Iranian archers. While on his far right, the Iranian cavalry who had crossed the river were stationed. Now the battle began. Iranian cavalry crossed the river and attacked the Greek cavalry. While the Greek infantry crossed the river to attack the Iranian center. They swam through the river and launched a bitter attack on the Iranians. Both infantries clashed in the center. It was a chaotic battle. But Alexander the Great did not cross the river because there were archers standing on that side. It meant that the enemy did not want to cross the river from that side. It was a defensive position. So Alexander the Greek, unconcerned about this flank, turned his horse towards the Iranian cavalry. These horsemen were there to attack the Greeks from the rear. Alexander pushed these horsemen away from the rest of their forces. Now these horsemen were unable to help their main force. Meanwhile, the Iranian archers remained in position across the river. Because the archers could not advance and attack. If the horsemen were here, the situation might have been different. The Iranian emperor had made a big mistake by deploying only archers here. Taking advantage of this mistake, Alexander the Great turned back. He crossed the river with his cavalry and some foot soldiers. He fell upon the archers. The Iranians showered them with arrows. But the Greeks stopped them with their shields. Thus they reached the archers with few losses and wiped them out. The remaining archers ran and broke into the ranks of the foot soldiers standing behind them. Alexanders' cavalry also reached those foot soldiers. And they broke through their lines too. The Iranian archers and foot soldiers were defeated and started running around. With their defeat, the enemy's left arm was broken. Now Alexander the Great could reach the emperor. Who was surrounded by his guards. Alexander advanced with lightning speed and attacked Shah's guards. At one point he came very close to Darius III. Legend has it that the Iranian emperor stabbed his Greek rival with a dagger. The dagger slightly injured his leg. Meanwhile, seeing the battle near them, the horses of the royal chariot spooked. Panicking, they were about to enter the enemy ranks. But some of the emperor's guards hurriedly got the emperor into a new chariot. At that time, the Greek soldiers had come so close that the Iranian emperor feared for his life. Instead of continuing to fight, he fled the battlefield in his new chariot. He was in such a hurry that he left his camp and the women of the harem behind. Alexander pursued him with some cavalry. The distance between the two was only half a mile. however, somehow the Iranian emperor managed to escape to Babylon. Alexander gave up the pursuit and returned. He was now in possession of the royal chariot, the royal insignia and a bow. As the news of Darius's escape spread, the rest of the Iranian cavalry and infantry fled too. They were not interested in the battle any more. The victorious Greek army captured the Iranian camp and looted all its possessions. Darius III's royal tent, mother, wife and two daughters were also captives of the Greeks. Alexander the Great entered the royal tent. He saw gold and silver vessels and other wealth. He said, "It seems that this is what it means to be a king." This meant that the one who has so much wealth was the king. Alexander the Great allowed his soldiers to plunder. However, he treated the women of Emperor Darius's harem well. These women were crying in the camp believing that the Iranian emperor had been killed. But Alexander the Great assured them that the Emperor was alive. He told them that they would be treated well. It is said that the wife and daughters of the Iranian emperor were very beautiful. But Alexander the Great kept them away from him. He even forbade his courtiers not to mention the beauty of these women in his presence. The tents of these women were also installed away from common soldiers. Even the soldiers couldn't hear their voices. Probably, Alexander didn't want to fall for the beauty of a woman. He hated any distraction from his military goals. He himself used to say that sleep and sexual pleasure reminded him of a bitter truth. That he was a mortal. Perhaps he hated being a mortal. That's why he kept Iranian women away from him. Because he wanted to become immortal. He married Darius' daughter Stateira after a few years though. My Curious Fellows After the victory at Issus, Alexander the Great re-entered Syria. Many coastal cities of Syria and present-day Lebanon immediately surrendered after hearing of the emperor's defeat. Even the island of Cyprus surrendered. But the Lebanese city of Tyre (Soor) refused to surrender. The main part of the city was located on an island some distance from the coast. Since the Greeks had no fleet, the townspeople were confident in defending their city. But Alexander did not give up. He built a wood-and-stone bridge from the beach to the city. The people of the city launched naval attacks on the bridge. They even rammed burning ships into the bridge. But in the end Alexander the Great succeeded in building this bridge. He also brought over 200 ships from Cyprus and other coastal cities. Thus, he had a fleet more powerful than the people of the city. Then the Greeks launched simultaneous attacks from the bridge side and the sea. Alexander the Great himself led this attack from a ship. The Greek fleet breached the weak part of the citadel wall from the south. And Alexander the Great entered the city with his forces. Meanwhile, the soldiers from the bridge side also jumped over the walls and entered the city. Thus this city was conquered. The Greeks massacred 5,000 enemy soldiers and 4,000 civilians. 20,000 to 30,000 citizens were sold as slaves. However, those who took refuge in the city's main temple were pardoned by Alexander the Great. Thus, in 332, Tyre also came under Greek occupation. The bridge built by Alexander transformed over time. Soil and stones fathered around it and thus it became a permanent part of the mainland. The city still stands today, and somewhere in its foundations are the remains of that bridge. The was the bridge that had briefly connected it to the mainland. After the conquest of Tyre, Alexander the Great reached Gaza. This city also tried to resist. Its fort was built over a hill. Alexander the Great installed catapults around it and bombarded its walls with stones. But most of the stones did not reach the high walls. Or they did not hit the walls with full force. The stones needed to hit the walls with full force. For this, catapults had to be placed on higher ground. But there was no such high place around the city. Alexander the Great came up with a solution. At his command, the Greek army piled earth around the city. Thus they made a great mound. The mound was as high as the walls. Then, catapults were installed on this mound. The walls were pelted so heavily that they broke at many points. Then the Greek army entered the city from all sides and it also met the same fate as Tyre. It was destroyed too. Its citizens were sold as slaves. Now it was Egypt's turn. But friends, what happened in Egypt surprised Alexander the Great. My Curious Fellows! although Egypt was a part of the Iranian Empire. But its people there were tired of being enslaved by the Iranians. When Alexander entered Egypt, the Egyptians welcomed him. They considered him their savior. Every city in Egypt surrendered to him. Wherever Alexander the Great went, people would throw flowers at him and shout slogans in his favor. Alexander the Great was taken to the ancient capital of Egypt, 'Memphis', whose Arabic name was 'Manaf'. It was located near present-day Cairo. Here the local religious leaders dressed him like a Pharaoh. He was also given the ancient crown of Pharaohs. In this way, Alexander the Great also became the pharaoh of Egypt. Now he was also called the son of the Egyptian god 'Ra', meaning the sun. He also founded a city in his name called Alexandria, on the Egyptian Mediterranean coast. Later, Alexander's successors built a tower or lighthouse in the city. It was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient World. Alexander the Great also received the third prophecy about him in Egypt. According to a legend, Alexander's real father was the god Zeus and not King Philip II. Alexander the Great also believed that he was the offspring of his gods. He wanted to confirm his belief. So he went to a sacred temple of the Egyptians. The Egyptians revered it like the Greeks revered the Oracle of Delphi. In the western desert of Egypt there is an oasis called Siwa. There was a temple here called the Temple of Amun. Amun was the Egyptian god, the counterpart of the Greek god Zeus in the Greek mythology. Rather, the Greeks considered these two gods to be one and the same. That's why Alexander visited the temple and met its chief priest. No one knows what the two of them discussed. However, Alexander was very satisfied and happy after the meeting. It is also said that the priest had confirmed to him that he was the son of the god. Not that of the Philip II. Alexander had already received 2 prophecies from the Oracle of Delphi and Gordion. Now it was the 3rd prophecy that came from the Temple of Amun. Now he was fully convinced that he would succeed in any case. He would never fail. Now he started preparing for a decisive war against Darius III. He wanted to conquer the rest of the Iranian Empire, from Iraq to Balochistan. He wanted to conquer all. He was thinking himself invincible. What happened to him in Iran? Who was the 3rd claimant to the Iranian throne? Where did he come from? How did Alexander the Great reach India? We will show you all thhis but in the next episode of the Great Generals and Battles Season 3. We have already uploaded 2 seasons, on Khalid ibn al-Walid RA and World War II. With the historical facts and video graphics. The stories of these wars were shown to you. You may watch both these wonderful seasons by clicking here. Here, watch the story of Siraj-ud-Daula and Mir Jafar.
