BBC - In the footsteps of Alexander (the trap) 11

[Titantron9000]

We all know Xerxes was a monster! Remember that messenger he sent to Sparta? Then Leonidas was like "This... IS... SPARTA!" and kicked him down the well? You know, history.

[Graham6762]

Stories dont last through 2300 years

[flibberswooper0]

Those donkeys are cute

[maniac7777]

@flibberswooper0

:)

[jamaicanification]

lets just say both persia and greece were great civilizations. The persians were great for building won of the largest, if not the largest empire in antiquity and producing great leaders like cyrus the great and darius the great. ?The greeks were great for their sophistication and ingenuity

[qaplatlhinganmaH]

Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelt Graeco-Buddhism, refers to the cultural syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism, which developed between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE

[Reverendjim1]

BCE and CE? you're such a Jew Hebe..

[cameraobscura2410]

ok i dont get something..did he defeat darius near guagemala or at issus?

[sahajad]

He defeated Darius first at Issus and then Darius fled, but later they met again in a major battle at Guagamela where Darius was defeated once and for all.

[cameraobscura2410]

thanks for explaining ;p got confused cos the knwn battle is Guagamela but then they also mentioned Issus.

[FilipH86]

both

[acerb45666555]

its just such a strange thing. you would think the Persians would have hit him from all sides in a fierce guerilla war after failing in set battles. something like the Peoples War!, by Russia against the nazi hordes! when every Russian man, woman, and kid fought like demons!!

[GRmegas]

wow, great video...

alexander out smarted? must have reddened his face plenty ! LOL

[pauloman16]

I would have kicked that basterds ass pushing that mule and let him carry the mule

[alynchrys]

if people wouldn't have kicked mule asses, you wouldn't have had internet. or electricity. or even a place to live. or maybe you wouldn't have existed today.

[nergalsmom]

I wonder if Ariobarzan, as the greeks were closing in all around him and his men, said something along the lines of:

"We may die today, but history will remember that few stood against many, and that we died to defend our ancestral lands from the greek oppressors."

[nergalsmom]

I've read and seen a lot about Alexander, but this is the first time I've heard of this battle. Probably because we in the west identify ourselves with Alexander and like to think of the Persians as barbaric, stupid and generally "unheroic."

[m0hadino]

i Have read a lot about Alexander and as you said this is the first time I have heard of this battle and the mistake Alexander made. this was a very good documentary.

[alynchrys]

well, not a mistake but he was too eager to get quickly to persepolis that he took a dangerous path.

[FilipH86]

what the fuck are you talking about few against many the persians outnumberd alexander, know what your talking about before you write anything

[nergalsmom]

Right back at you. You seem to misunderstand that I was referring to this particular battle, not the entire war.

[FilipH86]

yes the battle thats what I meant to the persians outnumberd alexander I never misunderstand anything historical

[LyokoSpartan]

i read up on history, some historians say 300000 persians while others even said 2mil(i don't believe the 2mil) 7000 greeks INCLUDING 300 spartans defended the pass. At least 20000 persians died ON LAND while a few others died at sea via a storm. 3000 spartans and 1000 thespians stayed behind while the rest left to defend their cities. BY THE WAY GAURDING GATES IS DIFFERENT SINCE YOU GET A BIG WALL PUT IN FRONT OF YOU TO HIDE BEHIND

[cgavin1]

You just have to look at the tactics. The classical Greek hoplite was heavily armed and armoured. The Persian was usually more akin to light infantry with short spears and wicker shields. In formation the hoplite phalanx was designed to combat other phalanx not loose formations. The Spartans were the finest heavy infantry and hoplitoi in the known world. Certainly the most well disciplined and physically fit. The Persians could have had 5 million men, they would never have taken that pass.

[cgavin1]

If you advance that into the Makedonian phalgite, with his 4 to 7 meter (13-21 feet) long sarissa, breastplate, grieves, shield, helmet etc. In close formation, supported by skirmishes (other hoplotoi but lightly armed with javelins etc). Consider attacking a wall of sarissas half a mile long with the elite Companion heavy cavalry harassing flanks and charging your rear. When you can't go forward, can't retreat, what do you do? You die .. or run! Alexander's army was like a chainsaw.

[alynchrys]

let us not exagerate :)

[noblepuker]

Gotta love the Battle of Thermopylae.The persians themselves record insane casualties so we know it's not bullcrap.I agree about the enemys size...1-2million,500,000 or less seems more reasonable. I heard it was a 3 day battle.The last day leaving 900 inspired greeks(after 6000 were sent off) with the spartan king & crew.The greeks are robbed in history somewhat,they took the first attack waves.The spartans get all the glory,but they planned on dying.(not arguing anything,just babbling)

[worldmusicfan]

i love alexander. what an insane tenacious and bad-ass motherfucker! he was the first and last to do what he did. he is the most spoken of of all mortals. he was the epitome of human spirit.

[aalexander928]

I love Persians and I love Greeks. Do you guys have to duke it out on every commentary?

[druglover200]

@aalexander928 seriously just watch the damn thing and quit arguing it doesnt matter because we know who won!!! so just enjoy the documentary for crying outloud! lol.

[aronboylloyd123]

how did they know he would do that???

[morrigansylvan]

I would of never thought that anyone could outsmart Alexander!

[superh4]

Ariobarzan and his men are pretty famous in iran they are like our 300 spartans but no one knows about their sacrefice =/

[Rhinehart666]

because they weren't standing up to a million men, and ultimately Persia still lost the war

[Killzoneclpz]

dude where the fuk did u read history...????

oh since when is 300 a documentry

xerxes only sent his immortals with 1000 extra archers against the spartans tht is 11000 not a million and it wasnt 300 spartans it was 7000other greeks+ 300 spartans so stfu

[Killzoneclpz]

7000greeks held the persians for 3days brave of course, but less than a thousand or as we say 700 persians held alexander for a month at the persian gates

[Rhinehart666]

Where did I say that were only 300 Greeks? The only near contemporary source for the battle(Herodotus) says that over 20000 Persians died, that's a little more than 1100, my history may be rusty but you maths needs a little brushing up. My point was that this stand isn't remembered outside Iran because it accomplished nothing.

[Killzoneclpz]

they wrote more than 30000 persians died...now there was a storm that killed more than 28000 persians and i dont really believe Herodotus since alot of ppl say his history is full of lies, but idk to me killing 30000ppl in 2days(because they died in the morning on the third day) doesnt really sound real

[Killzoneclpz]

alexander and ariobarzan became really important in roman-persian wars romans said we can conquer persia like alexander and ario became a symbol to persians to stand against europe, Battle of Carrhae is an example but yea ure right hes only a symbol to us

[revend]

i concur, deeply informative !

[derryhawk]

I recently read Curtius' account of this. This is great to watch and see where they may have gone; so as to overcome a desperate situation. Vey good.