Battle of the Granicus
May, 334 BC
Prelude
Alexander left Antipater in Greece as deputy Hegemon of the Corinthian League, as a reward for loyalty in Alexander's claim to the throne, with 12,000 troops to deal with any rebellions.
Alexander set-off on campaign in 334 BC and his route was the same that Xerxes had taken when invading Greece. He sacrificed at the grave of Protesilaus, the first man of Agamemnon's army to set-foot on Asian soil. He made a formal sacrifice to Poseidon and Nereides in mid-crossing. He also poured libation into the Hellespont. The royal squadron of hetairoi landed at Achaen's Harbour and Alexander leapt ashore in full armour, launching a spear onto the opposite bank.
Alexander visited Troy so that he could sacrifice to Athena and pour libation to the heroes of the Greek army and celebrated Achilles' grave, according to Plutarch. He gained blessing for war and exchanged his own ceremonial armour for relics from the Trojan War and had these carried out to battle before him. He laid a wreath at Achilles grave and Hephaestion laid one on the grave of Patroclus. He then returned to the army and marched to meet the Persians.
Alexander set-off on campaign in 334 BC and his route was the same that Xerxes had taken when invading Greece. He sacrificed at the grave of Protesilaus, the first man of Agamemnon's army to set-foot on Asian soil. He made a formal sacrifice to Poseidon and Nereides in mid-crossing. He also poured libation into the Hellespont. The royal squadron of hetairoi landed at Achaen's Harbour and Alexander leapt ashore in full armour, launching a spear onto the opposite bank.
Alexander visited Troy so that he could sacrifice to Athena and pour libation to the heroes of the Greek army and celebrated Achilles' grave, according to Plutarch. He gained blessing for war and exchanged his own ceremonial armour for relics from the Trojan War and had these carried out to battle before him. He laid a wreath at Achilles grave and Hephaestion laid one on the grave of Patroclus. He then returned to the army and marched to meet the Persians.
Course of the Battle
The various Persian satraps gathered their forces at the town of Zelea and offered battle to Alexander on the banks of the River Granicus. The Persians placed their cavalry forces on the bank of the river and placed their Greek mercenaries on a hill behind them; historians have speculated that this was an attempt to stop the attack through the death of Alexander.
Alexander placed his Agrianians, his archers and his Companion cavalry (under the command of Philotas) on his right-wing, with Amyntas' allied cavalry just inside of them. In the centre, he placed Nicanor with his cavalry and the hypaspists and formed the phalanx formation with the pezhetairoi. The left-flank was commanded by Parmenio and was made up of Thracian, Greek and Thessalian cavalry.
Alexander sent Nicanor's cavalry and a battalion of hypaspistai to attack the left-side of the Persian line in an attempt to drive part of the middle-left of the Persian force to the left-flank to support the troops already there. As the middle-left of the Persians became weak, Alexander ordered his right-wing to attack one point on the Persian line, so they began to be pushed back from the shore. This allowed the phalanx to be brought up to the flat ground behind the cavalry.
Alexander led the right-wing attack and was clearly visible to the Persian satraps because of his distinctive armour and plumes on his helmet, so they attempted to concentrate their attack on him. At one point in the battle, Alexander was stunned from an axe-blow from a Persian noble, Spithridates, but before he could kill Alexander, Cleitus the Black killed the nobleman, and thus saving Alexander's life. Alexander recovered quickly from this.
Alexander now attempted to push the Persians away from the shore completely - the Companions managed to break through the enemy line which meant that the phalanx to form in the centre and immediately begin its attack. The hetairoi began to roll-up the Persian line which led to the rout of many of the remaining Persians.
Alexander now only had the Greek mercenaries, led by Memnon of Rhodes, to deal with. According to the rules of the League of Corinth, no Greek may fight on the side of Greek enemies so they were regarded as traitors. They were surrounded and many were killed, but about 2,000 survivors were sent to Macedonian mines to work as slaves. Two years later, they were released by Alexander when the Athenians and other city-states asked for mercy to the mercenaries.
At the end of the battle, Alexander sent 300 Persian armours to Athens with the inscription: "Alexander, the son of Phillip and all Greeks, with the exception of the Spartans, won these spoils of war from the barbarians who dwell in Asia". This is in Plutarch.
Alexander placed his Agrianians, his archers and his Companion cavalry (under the command of Philotas) on his right-wing, with Amyntas' allied cavalry just inside of them. In the centre, he placed Nicanor with his cavalry and the hypaspists and formed the phalanx formation with the pezhetairoi. The left-flank was commanded by Parmenio and was made up of Thracian, Greek and Thessalian cavalry.
Alexander sent Nicanor's cavalry and a battalion of hypaspistai to attack the left-side of the Persian line in an attempt to drive part of the middle-left of the Persian force to the left-flank to support the troops already there. As the middle-left of the Persians became weak, Alexander ordered his right-wing to attack one point on the Persian line, so they began to be pushed back from the shore. This allowed the phalanx to be brought up to the flat ground behind the cavalry.
Alexander led the right-wing attack and was clearly visible to the Persian satraps because of his distinctive armour and plumes on his helmet, so they attempted to concentrate their attack on him. At one point in the battle, Alexander was stunned from an axe-blow from a Persian noble, Spithridates, but before he could kill Alexander, Cleitus the Black killed the nobleman, and thus saving Alexander's life. Alexander recovered quickly from this.
Alexander now attempted to push the Persians away from the shore completely - the Companions managed to break through the enemy line which meant that the phalanx to form in the centre and immediately begin its attack. The hetairoi began to roll-up the Persian line which led to the rout of many of the remaining Persians.
Alexander now only had the Greek mercenaries, led by Memnon of Rhodes, to deal with. According to the rules of the League of Corinth, no Greek may fight on the side of Greek enemies so they were regarded as traitors. They were surrounded and many were killed, but about 2,000 survivors were sent to Macedonian mines to work as slaves. Two years later, they were released by Alexander when the Athenians and other city-states asked for mercy to the mercenaries.
At the end of the battle, Alexander sent 300 Persian armours to Athens with the inscription: "Alexander, the son of Phillip and all Greeks, with the exception of the Spartans, won these spoils of war from the barbarians who dwell in Asia". This is in Plutarch.
Alexander's Genius |
Darius' Mistakes |
Macedonian Troops |
Persian Troops |