In the episode, Alexander the Great's military campaign is detailed, highlighting his victories in Asia Minor, including the sieges of Miletus and Halicarnassus. The narrative then shifts to the Battle of Issus, where Alexander's forces, despite being outnumbered, strategically outmaneuvered and defeated Darius III's Persian army. The victory was significant, leading to the capture of Darius' family and opening the western half of the Achaemenid Empire to conquest. The episode concludes with anticipation for the next discussion on the siege of Tyre.
1. Alexander the Great divided his army in two after settling affairs at Halicarnassus.
2. Parmenion marched to the north with orders to secure inland territories of Asia Minor, while Alexander took the rest of the army on an eastward march along the coast.
3. The Macedonians subdued and received the surrender of over 30 towns, including Telmessos, Xanthus, and Phaselis, as they moved into Lycia.
4. Alexander passed into Phrygia and reached the town of Celaenae, where he accepted the defenders' terms of surrender.
5. Alexander appointed a relatively obscure old guard officer, Antigonus the One-Eyed, to serve as satrap of Phrygia and assigned him 1,500 men.
6. Alexander marched north to Gordium, the ancient royal seat of the mythological Phrygian monarch Midas, and cut or undid the Gordian Knot.
7. Memnon of Rhodes, a Persian general, had been granted permission to carry out a scorched earth strategy and recruit another professional mercenary army.
8. Memnon launched an assault on the Aegean islands, and Cos, Samos, Chios, and Mytilene on Lesbos came over to the Persians.
9. Memnon's agents and spies went through Greece, priming the city-states to revolt against Alexander.
10. Memnon fell ill and died in the summer of 333, and his indirect second front plan collapsed without its mastermind.
11. Darius III called together a conclave of senior advisors and allies to establish what to do after Memnon's death.
12. The majority of the Persian counsellors advised Darius to confront Alexander in person, but Charidemus, an Athenian mercenary commander, argued against it.
13. Darius agreed to send Charidemus to conduct the war, but the idea was shot down by the Persian advisors, who accused Charidemus of wanting to betray them to Alexander.
14. Charidemus was executed by Darius after a tirade about the Persian lack of fighting will and manliness.
15. Darius marched to Babylon, gathered his vassals, and summoned their armies.
16. Alexander received the submission of the provinces of Cappadocia and Paphlagonia before marching southeast to the Cilician Gates.
17. Alexander seized the mountain pass in a night attack, as Arsames and most of his men were busy burning and ruining the Cilician plain.
18. Alexander entered Tarsus on September 3rd, 333.
19. After recovering from an illness, Alexander marched his army around the Gulf of Alexandretta.
20. Parmenion established a base of operations at a small town called Issus and discovered that a massive Persian army was occupying Sochi.
21. Alexander marched the entire army around the gulf and arrived opposite the Syrian Gates, where he expected Darius to come from.
22. Darius, however, circled around and took a long route through the northern Amanic Gate, descending on Issus from the north.
23. Alexander's wounded soldiers were found by the Persians, and every wounded Macedonian soldier had his hands severed.
24. Alexander sent a galley up the coast to establish the truth about the Persian army's presence.
25. When the vessel returned with confirmation, Alexander immediately grasped the severity of his situation and gathered the unit commanders.
26. Alexander gave a speech, emphasizing the superiority of the Macedonian army and the advantages to be gained.
27. The Persian army occupied a position on the Issus plain, with Darius III stationed front and center, surrounded by the Persian Immortals.
28. The Persian army was estimated to be around 100,000 strong, outnumbering Alexander's army 2:1.
29. Alexander's army was still about 40,000 strong in total.
30. The battle began with Alexander's slow, measured, and deliberate advance across his entire line, periodically halting to bait Darius into attacking first.
31. Alexander rode from one end of his line to the other, shouting words of encouragement to the highest officer and the lowliest footman alike by name.
32. The Persian front raised a great cry of battle, which was returned by the Macedonians with equal vigour.
33. Darius' massed cavalry on the seaward flank and Alexander's strike force on the other side of the field launched their attempted hammer blows.
34. Alexander charged directly across the Pinarus at the head of his picked force of companions and others, delivering a critical strike to the units opposing him.
35. The Persian cavalry assailing Parmenion fell apart and routed, along with the rest of the army.
36. The Battle of Issus was over by early evening.
37. Alexander chased Darius, who was about half a mile ahead of his cavalry, but Darius escaped across the mountains.
38. The Macedonian army divided the spoils of victory in the Persian camp, including vast quantities of gold, silver, fine clothes, jewelry, and the royal women who had accompanied Darius to the battlefield.
39. Alexander treated Darius' immediate family with care and reverence, and his friend Hephaestion was mistaken for Alexander by Darius' mother.
40. Alexander came to the royal tent prepared for him, overflowing with luxurious furniture, beautiful servants, and treasures beyond count.
41. Alexander said, "This, as it would seem, is to be a king."