Securing Asia Minor
Once Darius had learned of the defeat of the satraps at the battle of the River Granicus, he appointed Memnon of Rhodes as supreme commander in the west with the aim of stalling Alexander and thus allow Darius to build up his army. He stayed at the capital of the region of Caria, Halicarnassus, and prepared for a long siege. This prevented the Macedonians from marching east to attack several satrapies that were ungarrisoned and undefended since the defeat of the satraps.
Alexander was therefore obliged to take Halicarnassus; but, at any moment, Memnon had access to 300 ships so could easily move his army out before suffering any catastrophic losses. Furthermore, the walls of the city had been recently built so were strong and able to defend against the latest siege equipment. After one failed Macedonian attack, Alexander had to ask for a truce for the first and only time in order to recover the Macedonian dead. Eventually, after a long siege, Alexander was able to take Halicarnassus after an attack in the northern part of the city. but Macedonian losses were high and the Persian garrison sailed out when their commander, Memnon, saw fit.
Alexander made an ally in the princess Ada in 334 BC, who had become the sole ruler of Caria. this was a big advantage to the Macedonians as Carian guerrillas had inflicted much damage to invading armies in other campaigns. It was at this point that Alexander and his advisors decided to invade Phoenicia so that no enemy navy would be able to sail into the Aegean Sea.
Alexander therefore moved his army to the east, along the coast, conquering both the ports of Lycia and Pamphylia. Neither were as well defended as Halicarnassus and surrendered easily when Alexander showed a march of strength. This meant that these town would no longer shelter the Persian navy; alexander's plan to stop the Persian navy was to seixe its harbours. The new satrap of Lycia and Pamphylia was Nearchus, a close personal friend of Alexander.
There is an incident noted by Alexander's court historian, Callisthenes of Olynthus, in which he reports that as the army marched down the Lycian coast, the soldiers noted that the sea seemed to recede to let them pass - he reports this event as the sea doing Alexander's obedience. This is a step towards Alexander becoming seen as a (son of a) god.
Alexander's next step was to gain a steadier foothold in the Anatolian highland by taking the satrapy of Phyrgia; this was fertile land so he could feed his men and horses, and it was also a more suitable place to use his cavalry if Darius attacked than the coastline. Parmenio attacked from Sardis in the west, driving out the Persians and thus occupying the region whilst Alexander moved from Pamphylia through Pisidia to Phyrgia. The two forces regrouped at the capital of Phyrgia, Gordium.
Alexander made an ally in the princess Ada in 334 BC, who had become the sole ruler of Caria. this was a big advantage to the Macedonians as Carian guerrillas had inflicted much damage to invading armies in other campaigns. It was at this point that Alexander and his advisors decided to invade Phoenicia so that no enemy navy would be able to sail into the Aegean Sea.
Alexander therefore moved his army to the east, along the coast, conquering both the ports of Lycia and Pamphylia. Neither were as well defended as Halicarnassus and surrendered easily when Alexander showed a march of strength. This meant that these town would no longer shelter the Persian navy; alexander's plan to stop the Persian navy was to seixe its harbours. The new satrap of Lycia and Pamphylia was Nearchus, a close personal friend of Alexander.
There is an incident noted by Alexander's court historian, Callisthenes of Olynthus, in which he reports that as the army marched down the Lycian coast, the soldiers noted that the sea seemed to recede to let them pass - he reports this event as the sea doing Alexander's obedience. This is a step towards Alexander becoming seen as a (son of a) god.
Alexander's next step was to gain a steadier foothold in the Anatolian highland by taking the satrapy of Phyrgia; this was fertile land so he could feed his men and horses, and it was also a more suitable place to use his cavalry if Darius attacked than the coastline. Parmenio attacked from Sardis in the west, driving out the Persians and thus occupying the region whilst Alexander moved from Pamphylia through Pisidia to Phyrgia. The two forces regrouped at the capital of Phyrgia, Gordium.