Alexander the Great Invades Persia

Tides of History

Wondery / Patrick Wyman

Documentary, Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 6.3K Ratings

🗓️ 12 September 2024

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Alexander wasn't yet "The Great" when he invaded the westernmost provinces of the Persian Empire in 334 BC, but he quickly showed that he was a serious threat to the old and still-powerful state ruled by Darius III.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Wunderry Plus subscribers can listen to Tides of History early and ad free right now.
0:04.4	Join Wunderry Plus in the Wunder from the other side of the river.
0:21.4	The Granicus flowed quickly, splashing off rocks in the steep banks with a steady crash,
0:25.0	but it wasn't enough to drown out the dull roar of intermingled sounds in the distance.
0:30.0	The summer sun beat down on the Macedonian soldiers back, rivulets of sweat staining the tunic
0:36.3	underneath the layered linen of his armor, and the icy water that came up to his knees was blessedly cool.
0:42.2	He had forded colder obstacles in the past, Balkan streams
0:45.9	swollen by spring meltwater in the campaigns against the Illyrians and Thracians, but this was
0:51.0	his first crossing in Asia.
0:53.0	On the far bank waded the Persians.
0:55.0	He could see them standing above the steep bank, the low afternoon rays glinting off polished bronze and gold.
1:01.0	The current pulled at his legs.
1:04.0	He heard the officers of the phalanx shouting instructions
1:06.0	to keep the ranks straight and their pikes at the ready.
1:10.0	Above the rushing water,
1:11.0	he heard a whistling sound and javelins splashed into the river just ahead of him.
1:15.8	One went over his head and came down between the lines of Pygmen behind it.
1:19.5	He heard a few cries of pain and fought the urge to quicken his face and break into a run.
1:24.3	Breaking the formation would rob them of their ability to push the enemy back when they reached
1:27.9	the far bank.
1:29.4	The Persians were close enough now that he could make out individual faces see their beards and bared teeth.
1:35.2	One man cast a javelin with a crisp throat and it seemed to be coming straight for the
	...

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