Greek and Persian Wars | Who Is the Great King? (Lecture 23)

Lecture 23: As Alexander and his army marched through the highlands of central Asia Minor, Darius III began to realize that the Macedonian king represented what the Persians had always dreaded: an invader who could strike all the way into the heart of the Persian Empire. Passing through the Cilician Gates, Alexander tarried at Tarsus, then moved on to Issos, where he finally confronted the Persian king and emerged victorious. Instead of pursing the retreating Darius, Alexander consolidated his rule in the Levant and began a campaign in Egypt. Inspired by the biblical story of Daniel, he proceeded toward the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and clashed with Darius at Gaugamela. It was on this plain that the Greek and Persian wars truly ended; Alexander’s victory won for him not just the territory around these two rivers but lands of the traditional Persian homeland to the south and east.

Recommended Reading:
Harper, The Royal City of Susa: Ancient Near Eastern Treasures in the Louvre.
Heckel and Jones, Macedonian Warrior: Alexander’s Elite Infantryman.