Alexander the Great
Uploaded by fuCKYou on May 30, 2007
Alexander The Great is very important because he was made a king at the age of twenty. He was a great leader as well, and had conquered most of the known world in only a thirteen year span. During 355 B.C. to 323 B.C. Alexander lived a good life, he was able to construct great battle plans so he could win a battle even if he was greatly out numbered. Three of his most memorable battles where at Granicus, Issus, and Gaugamela.
Alexander’s first battle was at Granicus. The Prtsian satrap’s, Arsites and Mithridates ignored Memnon’s plan and met the Alexander and the Greeks at the Granicus River. The water was deep and the current was fast because it was spring. When they met on other sides of the river Alexander had his troops in a strategic formation. He had the Agrianian assault troops, the Macedonian and the Paeonian cavalry on the right wing which he personally commanded. On the left wing that was commanded by Parmenion. Their was the Thessalian cavalry and the Greek cavalry. He had placed the phalanx and the shield bearers in the middle of both the other wings. By having his troops positioned this way it made his army have a larger front line than the Persians, which has set up there troops with more of their heavier cavalry which where about two thousand heavy armed men that where separated by the different satrapies that where behind them at the time. Stationed on top of a rocky ledge over looking the river was a mixture of Greek mercenaries and hoplites. Alexander wanted to make a diversion to give his troops more time to cross the river. He had his royal cavalry led be Socrates crossing the river and attacking the Persian army. Meanwhile Alexander made a hidden crossing across the river with the help of the Agrianians and most of the cavalry that he had at the time. His plan worked with great success. The Persian army was too overwhelmed by the attack by the royal cavalry, and also counterattacking on Parmenions side of the field. Alexander then did a surprise attacking the strongest point of the Persian ranks. Although his battle plan did work Alexander nearly died when he was attacked by the satraps...