The Anabasis of Alexander : $b or, The history of the wars and conquests of Alexander the GreatArrian
History
The Anabasis of Alexander : $b or, The history of the wars and conquests of Alexander the Great
Arrian
Alexander, the Great, 356 B.C.-323 B.C.; India -- History -- To 324 B.C.; Iran -- History -- To 640
Meantime when Alexander perceived that nearly all the Persian cavalry
had changed their ground and gone to his left towards the sea, and
that on his side only the Peloponnesians and the rest of the Grecian
cavalry were posted there, he sent the Thessalian cavalry thither with
speed, ordering them not to ride along before the front of the whole
array, lest they should be seen by the enemy to be shifting their
ground, but to proceed by stealth in the rear of the phalanx.[249] In
front of the cavalry on the right, he posted the lancers under the
command of Protomachus, and the Paeonians under that of Aristo; and of
the infantry, the archers under the direction of Antiochus, and the
Agrianians under that of Attalus. Some of the cavalry and archers
also he drew up so as to form an angle with the centre[250] towards
the mountain which was in the rear; so on the right his phalanx had
been drawn up separated into two wings, the one fronting Darius and
the main body of Persians beyond the river, and the other facing those
who had been posted at the mountain in their rear. On the left wing
the infantry consisting of the Cretan archers and the Thracians under
command of Sitalces were posted in front; and before these the cavalry
towards the left. The Grecian mercenaries were drawn up as a reserve
for all of them. When he perceived that the phalanx towards the right
was too thin, and it seemed likely that the Persians would outflank him
here considerably, he ordered two squadrons of the Companion cavalry,
viz. the Anthemusian,[251] of which Peroedas, son of Menestheus, was
captain, and that which was called Leugaean, under the command of
Pantordanus, son of Cleander, to proceed from the centre to the right
without being seen. Having also marched the archers, part of the
Agrianians and of the Grecian mercenaries up along his right in the
front, he extended his phalanx beyond the wing of the Persians. But
when those who had been posted upon the mountain did not descend, a
charge was made by a few of the Agrianians and archers at Alexander’s
order, by which they were easily put to the rout from the foot of the
mountain. As they fled to the summit he decided that he could make use
of the men who had been drawn up to keep these in check, to fill up
the ranks of his phalanx. He thought it quite sufficient to post 300
horsemen to watch the men on the mountain.
CHAPTER X.
BATTLE OF ISSUS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account