The Legend of Alexander's Eastern Campaign: The Empire's Dream from Greece to India

Author: [British] Mike Wood, translated by Gu Shuxin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: Another meticulously crafted cultural travel atlas by BBC. From Greece to India – the imperial dreams! An unprecedented empire, a fleeting one. A thrilling journey following in the footsteps of Alexander, unraveling the mysteries of history. Only Genghis Khan and his descendants in later generations could rival him in glory, yet Alexander's youthful prowess remains a unique chapter in world history! In spring of 334 BC, Alexander crossed the Hellespont (Dardanelles Strait) and began his decade-long campaign in the East. The army he led to start the invasion of the Persian Empire consisted of 30,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 160 warships. The Persian Empire, however, had a massive army of hundreds of thousands and 400 warships. Moreover, the Persian Empire's territory was about 50 times larger than that of the Macedonian Kingdom. What's more, ancient and wealthy regions like Egypt, Babylon, Phoenicia, and many others had already been conquered and incorporated into the Persian sphere of influence. Despite the vast disparity in strength, Alexander excelled at seeing the essence of things. He knew well that though the Persian Empire was vast, its army was formidable, and its reputation still stood, its power was already waning, internally divided, and its emperor, Darius, was weak-willed, lacking wisdom and strategic acumen. Meanwhile, the Macedonian Kingdom was at its peak, invincible. Leveraging the momentum from crossing the Hellespont and fueled by his army's high morale, Alexander broke through the enemy's defenses with a single, decisive blow, securing a victory that utterly crushed the Persians' morale and will to resist, opening the path to expand into Asia. Many city-states surrendered without a fight, even viewing Alexander as a savior who had freed them from Persian rule.