BBC - In the footsteps of Alexander (Darius Dies) 13

In the footsteps of Alexander the Great

Similarities between the battle fought at Thermopylae and the Persian Gates have been recognized by ancient and modern authors.[18] The Persian Gates played the role "of a Persian Thermopylae and like Thermopylae it fell."[19] The Battle of the Persian Gates served as a kind of reversal of the Battle of Thermopylae, fought in Greece in 480 BC in an attempt to hold off the invading Persian forces.[10] Here, on Alexander's campaign to extract revenge for the Persian invasion of Greece, he faced the same situation from the Persians. There are also accounts that an Iranian shepherd led Alexander's forces around the Persian defenses, just as a local Greek showed the Persian forces a secret path around the pass at Thermopylae.[10][20]

The defeat of Ariobarzanes's forces at the Persian Gate removed the last military obstacle between Alexander and Persepolis. Upon his arrival at the city of Persepolis, Alexander appointed a general named Phrasaortes as successor of Ariobarzanes. Alexander seized the treasury of Persepolis, which at the time held the largest concentration of wealth in the world, and guaranteed himself financial independence from the Greek states.[21] Four months later, Alexander allowed the troops to loot Persepolis, kill all its men and enslave all its women, perhaps as a way to fulfill the expectations of his army and the Greek citizens, or perhaps as a final act of vengeance towards the Persians.[22] This destruction of the city can be viewed as unusual as its inhabitants surrendered without a fight and Alexander had earlier left Persian cities he conquered, such as Susa, relatively untouched.[23] In May of 330 BC, Alexander ordered the terrace of Persepolis, including its palaces and royal audience halls, to be burned before he left to find Darius III.[24] Sources disagree as to why he ordered the destruction: it could have been a deliberate act of revenge for the burning of the Acropolis of Athens during the Second Greco-Persian War, an impulsive, drunken act, or it could have been out of Alexander's supposed anger over not being recognized as the legitimate successor to Darius III

Alexander then set off in pursuit of Darius again, first into Media, and then Parthia.[94] The Persian king was no longer in control of his destiny, having been taken prisoner by Bessus, his Bactrian satrap and kinsman.[95] As Alexander approached, Bessus had his men fatally stab the Great King and then declared himself Darius' successor as Artaxerxes V, before retreating into Central Asia to launch a guerrilla campaign against Alexander.[96] Darius' remains were buried by Alexander next to his Achaemenid predecessors in a full regal funeral.[97] Alexander claimed that, while dying, Darius had named him as his successor to the Achaemenid throne.[98] The Achaemenid Empire is normally considered to have fallen with the death of Darius.

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[greken145]

Alexander not greek? Well, answer to these questions: didnt Athens and Sparta have war for years? Does that make them non-greeks? Did macedonians believe in the same Gods as the rest of Greece? Is Alexander greek name? Alexanders mothers name was Olympia and his fathers Filippos, Does that sound slavic or greek? Alexanders teacher was Aristotelis who studied at platons academy in athens..pls dont even try..Macedonians are one of the several greek tribes..as thrakians, thessalians, athenians..

[CrusaderIXGR3]

Im glad the Greeks burned down Persepolis... Did you think your barbaric injustices in Greece would never be payed?

[ryko26]

thank you so much for posting this series!

[Godzplp123]

i highly doubt darius said tht to alexandr.....

[VictumRoManius]

@famemonster1993 Next time you try to talk seriously about history, try not to use offensive language... It only makes you look like a retard.

Back to the discussion: Not all Lydians where greek, but a great ammount of them where. The ruling class in Lydia was greek. The king who ruled at the time Cyrus the Great from Persia came was Croessus... A greek.

A majority of the Lydian population in the West Anatolian region where greeks... Herodotus forexample also came from there...

[VictumRoManius]

@famemonster1993 Their Ruling class was greek. Their king was greek.

A great amount of their population was greek. Their culture was like those of greeks.

[mohan0128]

Arguably one of the best documentaries ever made. Thank you.

[ImperialGuard9001]

@sethelomethelis Didnt the Greeks saw themselfs superior and even burned Peresepolis the wonder of wonders?

[brogantrull]

@sethelomethelis They say sibling rivalry is the worst, lol

[VictumRoManius]

Cyrus The Great gave Persia honour and prestige in conquering the huge Medean empire and the Lydian Greeks.

Alexander The Great gave Greece honour and prestige in conquering Persia and northern India.

I love history :D :D

[Augments]

@sethelomethelis Humanity as a whole are brothers.