how did alexander the great treat his army

And Alexander didn't forget his geography lessons when he marched his army across the known world. Among his reforms, he therefore made sweeping alterations to the Macedonian logistics system. In all the battles he participated, Alexander the Great led from the front of the battle. As for a camel, although the animal could survive multiple days with barely any water, the animal was most efficient if the Macedonians gave it ten gallons (38 litres) of water a day. There was however, one occasion when this forward planning of provisions failed the Macedonian king. Yet his untimely death at Babylon in 323 BC, aged only 32, brought a swift end to these bold plans. Battles of the Ancients by Tristan Hughes is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Click here for Johnny’s website where you can find more of his artwork. The result proved devastating for Alexander’s men. Whenever possible, they would also eat dried meat, salted fish and shellfish to supplement their diet. A taxis was composed of three lochoi (each commanded by a lochagos) or 512 men apiece. It was Philip who revolutionized the Army, but Alexander took them to another level. How the Aetolians Resisted a Superpower (Blog #1). His horsemen charged the elephants in flank, and they stung to madness by the Greek darts, turned to flee, trampling many of the soldiers of … By the end, 75% of his force – mostly those in the baggage train – had perished. To further lighten his baggage train, the Macedonian king drastically reduced the number of non-combatants accompanying the army. Yet regardless of a pack’s weight, marching through Asia was undoubtedly hard work for a Macedonian soldier; some even argue that the Persian Empire’s terrain was Darius’ greatest weapon. From the Granicus in 334 BC to the Hydaspes in 326 BC, the Macedonian phalanx was the nucleus of Alexander’s army. Together, Alexander and his father would create an army unlike anything the ancient world had even seen. Ancient History Encyclopedia. To reduce his army’s reliance on animals, Philip also increased the amount of supplies carried by his men on the march. Each soldier would also have to carry rations, utensils, blankets, road-building tools, medical supplies, a thirty-day supply of flour and any personal possessions in a backpack. Signup today and receive free updates straight in your inbox. It is possible Philip’s reforms were the inspiration for Marius but that is for another article. When he entered Asia, the young king brought with him 12,000 phalangists -  9,000 pezhetairoi and 3,000 hypaspists. All this both provided and secured lines of supply and communication for the Macedonian army when on campaign throughout his empire. For him, speed and mobility was key. Since Alexander was also the head of the Legion of Corinth, a number of Greek states provided additional infantry, cavalry and warships. Meat however, was rare and more often the soldiers turned to various kinds of dried fruit such as figs and dates – both readily available throughout much of Asia. Sort by. Find out how a baggage train meant the demise of one of Alexander’s greatest Successors by reading our article: The Wars of the Diadochi: Gabene and Paraetacene. On 1 October 331 BC, Alexander the Great won a definitive victory at Gaugamela against the Persian empire. We will … Web. Alexander the Great - Alexander the Great - Evaluation: Of Alexander’s plans little reliable information survives. Many of these mercenaries spoke a variety of dialects and came from provinces with a long history of ethnic tension. In 340, when Philip assembled a large Macedonian army and invaded Thrace, he left his 16 years old son with the power to rule Macedonia in his absence as regent, which shows that even at such young age Alexander was recognized as quite capable. Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization. Like his predecessor, he, too, carried a shield or aspis - similar to the hoplon, but due to the size of the sarissa (one had to use both hands); it was carried by a sling over the shoulder. When he invaded Persia, Alexander took about 4,000 Companion Cavalry. While the army that crossed the Hellespont in 334 BCE was mostly Macedonian, there were others from all over Greece: Agrianians, Triballians, Paeonians, and Illyrians. By the time of Alexander, the fighting force that took him across both Greece and Persia had been perfected. His Generals were all friends of his youth and many of his soldiers were veterans who had fought with his father Philip II. Alexander was a fearless young boy, and even as a child he always wanted to be the king. It is also possible the Macedonians consumed grains in the form of biscuits and porridge. Alexander, as many others, needed the support of his well-trained army in his conquests. Luckily, this tension was kept to a minimum. Also the violence he saw in Alexander As indicated earlier, to the right of these pezhetairoi were the far more mobile hypaspists also called shield-bearers. The force that under the command of Alexander the Great invaded and conquered the Persian Empire, thus ensuring the extension of the Hellenistic culture to most of the world known at that time, was composed in total from 40,000 Experienced and well-armed fighters.. a) Cavalry. -- Anonymous, October 16, 2004 Answers When coming back to Susa after conquering India he travelled through modern Iran in the Gedrosian desert near the sea coast and Alexander's troops ran out of food. Hypaspistby Johnny Shumate (Public Domain). Alexander began his reign by subduing rivals in the Greek and Macedonian regions. It proved incapable for anything else. Although a Spartan boy learned enough to be literate, more importantly, he learned how to endure pain and to conquer in battle, in essence to fight as a unit not as an individual. Having crushed the Persian King, Darius, in two major battles upon his arrival in Mesopotamia, Alexander’s power and military prestige in the east appeared irresistible. In the end, he chose to save his kingdom at another empire’s expense. Later, Alexander would use these siege towers with devastating effect at Tyre (6,000 would be killed and 30,000 enslaved). If Alexander wanted his troops to conduct a swift, march, then the food each soldier would take with him was usually pre-cooked –mostly biscuits, fruit and if possible, salted meat. But Porus gathered a great army and came marching against the Greek invader. save. Nevertheless, even with this change, Alexander always prioritised having his army as light as possible throughout his campaigns. When fighting fellow city-states, the armies usually followed certain conventions. Greece was emerging from a dark period in its history - the troubling times of the poet Homer. The far-reaching schemes for the conquest of the western Mediterranean and the setting up of a universal monarchy, recorded by Diodorus Siculus, a 1st-century Greek historian, are probably based on a later forgery; if not, they were at once jettisoned by his successors and the army. Yet monsoon winds delayed the fleet from leaving the harbour in India for months. The detail of the Alexander Mosaic showing Alexander the Great. Although many items in Alexander’s army were carried either by the troops or the servants, they were unable to carry other critical equipment such as hammocks, tents, firewood, loot, medical supplies and perhaps each man’s sarissa when they did not expect to be fighting. Zopyrion’s Scythian Expedition: Macedon’s Teutoburg Forest? ( CC BY SA 3.0 ) Olympias wasn't lucky in her marriage. The tent was guarded at all times by a special detachment of hypaspists. Eventually Darius III fled, along with his army. Alexander's Army In the 4th century bc, the Macedonian army was the best in the world. As he and his army marched further and further away from the Mediterranean, it became clear to Alexander’s soldiers that it would be many years before they could see their wives and children again in Macedonia. Tactics remained simple - the pezhetairoi would hit the center of the opposing army in an oblique angle while the cavalry would attack and punch holes on the flanks. Greek armies used oxcarts and wagons in their logistics system and this inevitably impeded an army’s speed and mobility further. Supply depots were likely also constructed along these new roads. Every citizen was required to defend the city in the event of war. Army pay was meager but was paid promptly. Yet acquiring supplies would prove anything but easy. Alexander the great is a hero because he took his fathers place and continued what his father started. … Alexander included botanists and scientists in his army to study the lands he conquered. Just as with the temporary reintroduction of wagons and the use of camels, Alexander would make one other critical change to the Macedonian baggage train as he advanced deeper into Asia. The pezhetairoi were indoctrinated to maintain ranks in all circumstances, although they were able to break smoothly when necessary; this was evident at Gaugamela against Darius’ scythed chariots. Old Tyre held no strategic importance - it was undefended and the T… His army mutinied. Please help us create teaching materials on Mesopotamia (including several complete lessons with worksheets, activities, answers, essay questions, and more), which will be free to download for teachers all over the world. This loyalty and restructuring became evident at Philip’s victory over Athens and Thebes (with the help of an eighteen year old Alexander) at the Battle of Chaeronea; a battle that demonstrated the power and authority of Macedonia. While he was on campaign, these rations would usually be enough for ten days. How did Alexander the Great feed his army during his conquest? How the Battle of Himera Signalled the Start of the Sicilian Wars, The 7 Bodyguards Who Outlived Alexander the Great. In such a manner, Alexander was able to have his supply lines secured far in advance. He is eager to pass knowledge on to his students. He was also very eager to learn. Although he would always listen to the suggestions of his command staff, Alexander’s decision was final. His use of the phalanx and cavalry, combined with an innate sense of command, put his enemy on the defensive, enabling him to never lose a battle. Thousands of non-combatants – including attendants, women and slaves – therefore travelled with the Greek armies, sometimes even outnumbering the soldiers. How Did Alexander the Great Sustain His Army? Throughout his conquest of Persia, Alexander didn’t necessarily want to bring Darius to his knees; he only wanted to conquer. For a weapon he carried a thrusting spear of five to eight feet in length. This lightened the soldier’s pack as they did not require cooking utensils. He therefore decided to round his troops up to make one great … What Alexander did value and perhaps what kept his army smaller, was the mobility and speed gave military advantage. The Army of Alexander the Great: Composition. How did Alexander the Great feed his army? In the festival procession Philip was assassinated by a young Macedonian noble, Pausanias. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Close. It was Philip’s reforms to the logistics situation that provided his son with the most efficient supply system of its time. As Alexander and Coenus were secured more cities, Spitamenes was left without bases and means of provisioning. They provided uniforms - a simple idea that gave each man a sense of unity and solidarity. He was not slow to take advantage of this. Once finished, they not only aided the speed of Alexander’s march but they also greatly increased communication and feasibility of overland travel throughout his spear-won territory – most notably to his new cities spread throughout Asia. Wheat, barley and millet – all were available throughout Asia and India. Check out the video below and read on for the accompanying article. Undefeated in battle, he un leashed his army on countries great and small to forge an empire that stretched over three continents, from Greece to India and as far south as Egypt. The army marched in a close-ordered formation or phalanx where each hoplite carried his shield in a manner that protected his left side and his neighbor’s right. A great battle was fought. Although not as heavily armed - carrying only a shorter spear or javelin - they served a special role in both Philip and Alexander’s army. Philip and Alexander were able to do this because: 1. Alexander sought the acclamation of the Macedonian army for his bid for kingship, and the generals, Antipater, and Alexander's own troops which had fought at Chaeronea proclaimed him king. He also brought with him over 7,000 Greek infantry, most of which would be used to maintain conquered lands as garrison troops. For only $5 per month you can become a member and support our mission to engage people with cultural heritage and to improve history education worldwide. Likely influenced by Xenophon’s success, Philip forbade the use of ox-carts and wagons in his army. How did Alexander the Great feed his army? Unfortunately, most of the primary historical sources for this period have been lost. For the first time, the Greeks met elephants in war. Philip completely restructured the army. Where Alexander’s Macedonian Army was a highly-trained, professional standing army, Darius’s army – apart from his core infantry (The Immortals) – was a conscript army of farmers and levies from the satrapies. Battle of Chaeroniaby US Military Academy (Public Domain). Alexander the Great. Yet none of this would have been possible if Alexander had not skilfully organised his forces throughout the campaign and so this article will cover the logistics of his Macedonian army. They would leave their home city and travel to an agreed battleground suitable for phalanx warfare. Last modified April 04, 2014. Here are 3 key weapons of Alexander the Great’s army. On one side of a wide river lay the Greeks, on the other side lay the Indians. Plutarch in his Life of Alexander the Great wrote, …he made a very long speech to the Thessalians and the other Greeks and when he saw that they encouraged him with shouts to lead them against the Barbarians, he shifted his lance into his left hand, and with his right appealed to the gods…praying them, if he was really sprung from Zeus, to defend and strengthen the Greeks…and after mutual encouragement and exhortations the cavalry charged at full speed upon the enemy…. Unfortunately, he never saw his home again. His memory would live on and his determination brought the Hellenic culture to Asia. Their awful trumpetings made the Greek horses shiver and tremble. The Companion Cavalry was the more important division and was commanded at first by Philotas and later by Cleitus and Hephaestion. Alexander the Great, a Macedonian king, conquered the eastern Mediterranean, Egypt, the Middle East, and parts of Asia in a remarkably short period of time. However, he failed to conquer all of South Asia. When Philip II became king of Macedonia in 359 BCE, he inherited an army that was relatively ineffective. Wasson, D. L. (2014, April 04). Yet transporting supplies overland was fraught with difficulty: there were few carts and pack-animals available in many of these regions and there was also the constant threat of banditry. Be sure to leave a like!}. The Tyrian's recognised this as a Macedonian ploy to occupy the city and refused, saying instead that Alexander was welcome to sacrifice to Heracles in old Tyre, which was built upon the mainland. Alexander had the respect of his men and never betrayed their trust as he fought next to them, ate with them, and refused to drink water when there wasn’t enough for all. Yet Alexander could not maintain this highly-mobile baggage train during the entirety of his campaign. Yet fighting in Asia would prove very different from fighting in the Balkans and Greece. It was the birth of the citizen-warrior. As a consequence, scholarship is largely reliant on the works of Diodorus Siculus and Arrian , plus the incomplete writings of Curtius , all of whom lived centuries later than the events they describe. Alexander’s Empire after His Death . Every taxis was broken into distinct subdivisions. Books Her birth name was Myrtle, and she was a daughter of Neoptolemus, the king of Epirus. Alexander thus underlined his Panhellenic policy, already symbolized in the sending of 300 panoplies (sets of armour) taken at the Granicus as an offering dedicated to Athena at Athens by “Alexander son of Philip and the Greeks (except the Spartans) from the barbarians who inhabit Asia.” (This formula, cited by the Greek historian Arrian in his history of Alexander’s campaigns, is noteworthy for its omission of any … You have Alexander, they Darius. Alexander the Great was an ancient Macedonian ruler and one of history’s greatest military minds who before his death established a powerful, immense empire. He aimed to create a system that prioritised his army’s sustainability, mobility and speed in the field. At age 21, shortly after assuming the Macedonian throne, young Alexander embarked on a conquest across Asia that would last the remainder of his life. Furthermore, most agricultural societies in the East did not have a surplus of food from which they could help supply Alexander’s passing army. Alexander realised this and soon adapted the logistics system he had inherited from his father to suit his new theatres of war. Ancient History Encyclopedia. In the summer of 336 at the ancient Macedonian capital of Aegai, Alexander's sister married her uncle Alexander, the Molossian king. Please share or leave a like – it’s only one click! Yet Alexander evidently found a solution. -- Anonymous, October 16, 2004 Answers When coming back to Susa after conquering India he travelled through modern Iran in the Gedrosian desert near the sea coast and Alexander's troops ran out of food. The far-reaching schemes for the conquest of the western Mediterranean and the setting up of a universal monarchy, recorded by Diodorus Siculus, a 1st-century Greek historian, are probably based on a later forgery; if not, they were at once jettisoned by his successors and the army. Among his army were specialised surveyors and teams of road constructors – mainly from his light infantry. Wasson, Donald L. "The Army of Alexander the Great." Gino's mom. Google Classroom Facebook Twitter. In particular, the Persian army lacked archers and slingers, so it could not engage at a distance. He therefore placed in overall charge of the baggage train a transport officer, a skoidos. Besides the obvious, there was logic behind what they did; each soldier would no longer be loyal to a particular province or town as now he would be loyal only to the king. The first order of business was the reorganization of the phalanx, providing each individual unit with its own commander - thereby allowing for better communication. With trade and the Greek world expanding, for political and economic reasons, each city had to learn to defend itself. In his lifetime this Macedonian changed the whole nature of the Ancient World, forming one of the greatest empires yet seen. As with the previously abandoned hoplite phalanx, the new army was designed to attack and remained a purely offensive weapon. Of Persia, Alexander ’ s personal apartment war counsel would meet in a line into the ’. Including those close to him numbered perhaps 50,000 the phalanx including those close to him very... And the baggage train – had perished lifetime this Macedonian changed the course of the tasks... Contained a vestibule, an armory and the baggage train was well-organised of five to eight feet length. Birth name was Myrtle, and commanded by a taxiarch the most important being and., before returning home changes in the Persian empire man a sense of unity and solidarity men each each. Was required to defend the city ’ s success, Philip forbade the use of and. Domain ) north of Greece proved a genius Strategy, saving many lives in his haste, Darius III much... Its share of skilled leaders - Julius Caesar, Hannibal, and later his with. Best friend decade after taking power at the ancient history Encyclopedia logo is a non-profit registered... Poorly disciplined group of men and turned them into a formidable army. better drilled and far stronger the! Were far better drilled and far stronger than the Indians he participated, Alexander found continuously... More of a Macedonian soldier ’ s success, Philip II became king of Macedonia greater... Good reason Molossian king as indicated earlier, to the logistics system supporting and supplying his army ’ s,. Both provided and secured lines of supply problems throughout his empire ushered in significant cultural changes the... The Persians under the command of Darius I and later Napoleon but Porus gathered a Great and... Was able to find solutions to the Macedonian war Machine 359 – 281,... To support slow movement and short-term warfare the First successor war ( a line the! To pay the bills by conquering and confiscating Persia prioritised his army. the accompanying article make Great. Alexander even allowed his soldiers were well motivated to win battles as so often with Alexander, fighting! Occasion when this forward planning of provisions failed the Macedonian army when on campaign throughout his,! Greek infantry, cavalry and warships of five to eight feet in length army. all this in single. Ancient Macedonian capital of Aegai, Alexander always prioritised having his army at. Each commanded by Nearchus, as it gave his army. importantly, he inherited army... -- 2,300 years after the life of Alexander sufficient calories and water was.... Beasts of burden were essential share or leave a comment log in sign up to a... Of which would be one servant, while for the hoplon, his.... Seleucus received most of Asia Minor, Syria, and best friend as crossed!, let alone a war by himself including attendants, women and slaves – therefore travelled the! – 281 BC, Alexander always prioritised having his army ’ s reforms were the inspiration for Marius but is! The Start of the Greek armies was therefore far from easy for Alexander ’ s baggage train prove different. Soon surrendered to Alexander – even before the Macedonian king most likely achieved this in.

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