334 BC - 332 BC. The start of Alexander's conquest. He started from his capital at Pella in Macedonia, and marched with 50,000 men to Asia Minor (what is now Turkey). After crossing the Dardanelles, he went to Troy to offer sacrifices to Athena and to the heroes of the Trojan war. Then continuing south he defeated the Persian army at the battle of Granicus and then marched to Ephesus. The Persians had already retreated from Ephesus, so Alexander continued to Miletus and besieged and occupied the town
After Miletus, Alexander took Halicarnassus and the remaining cities of southern Anatolia
Turning north, Alexander went to Gordion, where there was a famous knot which no-one had been able to untie. Alexander showed how to do it - by cutting it through with his sword
Turning south, he took Paphlagonia, Cappadocia, and came through the Cilician Gates (a mountain pass) in the Taurus Mountains, to Tarsus. At Tarsus, Alexander went swimming in the Cyndus river, and nearly died of what may have been a respiratory infection or malaria; he suffered from recurring bouts of fever or sickness for the rest of his life
Darius, king of Persia, had brought his army to Issus in an attempt to stop Alexander. In September 333 BC, the armies of Darius and Alexander met in the Battle of Issus. The Persian army was larger, and their cavalry were stronger, but Alexander led his men straight for Darius, who turned and fled, leaving his mother and his wife to be captured by Alexander. When the Persians saw Darius fleeing, the army fell apart and started to flee; about 100,000 of them were killed. Alexander treated the wife and the mother of Darius royally and with respect
Darius fled eastwards to Persia. However, Alexander did not follow him, but continued south along the coast of the Levant. The Phoenician city of Tyre tried to hold out against him, but after a long siege Alexander captured the city and killed most of the inhabitants because they had defied him
Alexander continued to Egypt, where he was proclaimed as Pharaoh, and founded the city of Alexandria. While he was in Egypt he traveled to a temple of Ammon, the Egyptian sun god, and recounted that he had had a vision in which Ammon made him a god
332 BC332 BC - 331 BC. Alexander returned northwards, and then east towards Persia. At Gaugamela there was a battle between Alexander and the remains of the Persian army. Alexander won the battle, and continued to the Persian capitals of Susa and Persepolis
At Persepolis, it is not clear whether Alexander had been drinking and ordered the palace set on fire, or whether there was an accidental fire; the city and its palaces were burned to the ground
Darius fled to Bactria, leaving his family in Alexander's power; Alexander settled Darius' family with honor in Susa, and turned north to pursue Darius
331-326 BC330 BC - 327 BC. Alexander took Ecbatana, the capital of Media
Darius was still on the run, and took refuge in Bactria, where Bessus, the Bactrian leader stabbed him and left him to die
Alexander was proclaimed King of Persia, Lord of Asia, and Great King, and pursued Bessus across the Oxus River. Bessus was eventually captured and sent to Ecbatana, where he was executed
It took Alexander some time to crush various rebellions and revolts by local tribes; during this period he captured Roxanna, the daughter of one of the chiefs, and married her. Alexander was becoming increasingly autocratic, assuming the customs of the Persian emperors, and having some of his own generals killed on grounds of treason
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