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
itself on the right; and on the fourth day after the passage of the
river, his scouts brought word to him that the enemy’s cavalry were
visible there along the plain, but how many of them there were they
could not guess. Accordingly he drew his army up in order and advanced
prepared for battle. Other scouts again riding forward and taking more
accurate observations, told him that the cavalry did not seem to them
to be more than 1,000 in number.
CHAPTER VIII.
DESCRIPTION OF DARIUS’S ARMY AT ARBELA.
Alexander therefore took the royal squadron of cavalry, and one
squadron of the Companions, together with the Paeonian scouts, and
marched with all speed; having ordered the rest of his army to follow
at leisure. The Persian cavalry, seeing Alexander advancing quickly,
began to flee with all their might. Though he pressed close upon
them in pursuit, most of them escaped; but a few, whose horses were
fatigued by the flight, were slain, others were taken prisoners,
horses and all. From these they ascertained that Darius with a large
force was not far off. For the Indians who were conterminous with
the Bactrians, as also the Bactrians themselves and the Sogdianians
had come to the aid of Darius, all being under the command of Bessus,
the viceroy of the land of Bactria. They were accompanied by the
Sacians, a Scythian tribe belonging to the Scythians who dwell in
Asia.[387] These were not subject to Bessus, but were in alliance
with Darius. They were commanded by Mavaces, and were horse-bowmen.
Barsaëntes, the viceroy of Arachotia, led the Arachotians[388] and the
men who were called mountaineer Indians. Satibarzanes, the viceroy
of Areia, led the Areians,[389] as did Phrataphernes the Parthians,
Hyrcanians, and Tapurians,[390] all of whom were horsemen. Atropates
commanded the Medes, with whom were arrayed the Cadusians, Albanians,
and Sacesinians.[391] The men who dwelt near the Red Sea[392] were
marshalled by Ocondobates, Ariobarzanes, and Otanes. The Uxians and
Susianians[393] acknowledged Oxathres son of Aboulites as their
leader, and the Babylonians were commanded by Boupares. The Carians
who had been deported into central Asia, and the Sitacenians[394]
had been placed in the same ranks as the Babylonians. The Armenians
were commanded by Orontes and Mithraustes, and the Cappadocians by
Ariaces. The Syrians from the vale between Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon
(_i.e._ Coele-Syria) and the men of Syria which lies between the
rivers[395] were led by Mazaeus. The whole army of Darius was said to
contain 40,000 cavalry, 1,000,000 infantry, and 200 scythe-bearing
chariots.[396] There were only a few elephants, about fifteen in
number, belonging to the Indians who live this side of the Indus.[397]
With these forces Darius had encamped at Gaugamela, near the river
Bumodus, about 600 stades distant from the city of Arbela, in a
district everywhere level;[398] for whatever ground thereabouts was
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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