009: The Age of Alexander - Son of a God, King of the World

The Hellenistic Age Podcast

History

4.7 • 558 Ratings

🗓️ 24 July 2018

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This action packed episode covers Alexander’s travels and tribulations in Egypt, the nature of godhood, and closes with the final confrontation with Darius at Gaugamela. Episode Notes; hellenisticagepodcast.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/009-the-age-of-alexander-son-of-a-god-king-of-the-world/ Twitter: twitter.com//HellenisticPod iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-h…d1377920930?mt=2 Sources Used : “The Anabasis of Alexander” - Arrian “Life of Alexander” - Plutarch “Library of History” – Diodorus Siculus “The History of Alexander” – Quintus Curtius Rufus Collins, A. Alexander’s Visit to Siwah: A New Analysis. Phoenix, vol. 68, no.1, pp. 62-77 Devine, A. M. “Grand Tactics at Gaugamela.” Phoenix, vol. 29, no. 4, 1975, pp. 374–385. Shaw, Ian. “The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt”. New York: Oxford University Press. 2000. Print Stoneman, Richard. ‘Alexander the Man (and God?)’. The Landmark Arrian. Ed. James Romm. New York: Anchor Books. 2010. Strauss, Barry. “Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the Genius of Leadership”. New York: Simon & Schuster 2012. Print

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi there. You're listening to the Hellenistic Age podcast.
0:23.6	In our last episode, we covered the Battle of Isis and the destruction of the city of Tyre.
0:29.8	While Darius III was out in the east recovering from his losses, Alexander sought to
0:35.4	continue his journey south from Syria and Phoenicia into Egypt.
0:40.3	Having left the ruins of Tyre in the autumn of 332 BC,
0:45.3	Alexander marched towards the city of Gaza, which was under control of a Persian-installed
0:50.3	eunuch named Bantus, who stockpiled enough food and mercenaries to hold the citadel.
0:56.4	The city itself was also heavily fortified, and in a well-placed elevated defensive position,
1:02.4	ridiculous to the point that the engineering corps of Alexander explained to the king
1:06.2	that it would make no sense to take Gaza by force.
1:09.9	Now, if we have learned anything, telling Alexander something is impossible only will make
1:14.9	him more eager to do it.
1:17.1	So he ordered a mound to be raised to allow the siege engines to be properly placed.
1:23.6	Taking auspices before the attacking the walls, Alexander prepared a sacrificial animal.
1:29.5	But before he could make the offering, a bird of prey dropped a small stone on the king's shoulder.
1:35.6	Yet again, this was an omen, interpreted to mean that the king will capture the city, but he should watch out.
1:42.1	Watch out for what, you ask? Well, during the heat of battle,
1:46.0	Alexander was struck in the shoulder by a rogue catapult projectile. But rather than be dismayed
1:51.5	by his wound, he was excited, because that would mean that the rest of the prophecy would must come true.
1:58.6	Sapper's digging tunnels under the foundation of the walls, and the ensuing artillery barrage
2:03.9	eventually caused the collapse of the city's fortifications. The Macedonian swarmed in through the breach
2:09.7	and managed to capture the city. The civilians inside were enslaved, and Quinchus Kirchis reports a
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