A horse or mule in comparison could carry only 200 lb (91 kg). of grain products – the equivalent of nearly 1 ½ kilograms of bread – as well as half a gallon of water to supply the troops in these conditions daily – some 3,600 calories. Yet he would also incorporate another animal to carry supplies. Their speed and endurance were much greater than oxen and this suited his desire for light, fast marches across harsh terrain. Author: Tristan Hughes Twitter Facebook Did you enjoy this article?Signup today and receive free updates straight in your inbox. The very nature of the phalanx required constant drilling, and both men demanded strict obedience; punishments would be meted out for those who disobeyed. The city itself was like an armed camp. Did the Plague of Athens End the City’s Golden Age? Instead, he used horses as the prominent pack animal – the first time a western commander had done this. At times, we hear of Alexander temporarily reintroducing carts into Alexander’s army, most notably in Iran. But Alexander's soldiers were far better drilled and far stronger than the Indians. From the Granicus in 334 BC to the Hydaspes in 326 BC, the Macedonian phalanx was the nucleus of Alexander’s army. The Army of Alexander the Great: Composition 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 … The hoplite wore greaves to cover his calves, a molded cuirass that shielded his torso as well as a long, pleated tunic that protected his abdomen and groin. When Alexander … Alexander then systematically killed all possible royal cla… Alexander included botanists and scientists in his army to study the lands he conquered. He would not advance into the region with the entirety of his force. 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. What Alexander did value and perhaps what kept his army smaller, was the mobility and speed gave military advantage. 1 decade ago. It was Philip who revolutionized the Army, but Alexander took them to another level. Donald has taught Ancient, Medieval and U.S. History at Lincoln College (Normal, Illinois)and has always been and will always be a student of history, ever since learning about Alexander the Great. It soon provided dividends as it gave his army more mobility. Camels were also well-suited for traversing arid terrain, having barely any limitations on what they could eat and drink if necessary. Bibliography Before Philip and Alexander, the Persians under Darius I and Xerxes had been repelled by a smaller force - these men of Greece fought unlike anyone and anything the Persians had ever experienced. The flu was what eventually ended his life. Alexander had expected his army to be supplied by the navy, commanded by Nearchus, as it made its way along the coast. What did they eat? Close. Wasson, Donald L. "The Army of Alexander the Great." After Alexander’s death, Olympias did her best to be the same source of support and strength for his wife and son. Alexander’s Empire after His Death . Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Eventually Darius III fled, along with his army. She was a woman who fought like a lion to protect her son and even sacrificed her husband, king Philip II of Macedonia, to support Alexander. Her birth name was Myrtle, and she was a daughter of Neoptolemus, the king of Epirus. Alexander’s men could not. Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) was the son of Philip, King of Macedon, a kingdom just north of Greece. Thousands of non-combatants – including attendants, women and slaves – therefore travelled with the Greek armies, sometimes even outnumbering the soldiers. We will never share or sell your email address. Every citizen was required to defend the city in the event of war. Philip’s ban had worked because – having been fighting in Europe – his men had been able to return home after each campaigning season to see their loved ones. In battle, the five front ranks lowered their sarissa parallel to the ground while the rear ranks (usually wearing broad-brimmed a straw hat or kausia instead of helmets) carried theirs upright. Alexander appointed Coenus, one of his generals, to supervise the rebel's activity while the Macedonians rested for the winter of 328 B.C. Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world of his time. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2020) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s authors and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Alexander now sent much of his army to Carmania (modern southern Iran) with his general Craterus, and commissioned a fleet to explore the Persian Gulf shore under his admiral Nearchus, while he led the rest of his forces back to Persia by the southern route through the Gedrosian Desert (now part of southern Iran and Makran now part of Pakistan). Although a radical change from his father’s logistics system and one that undoubtedly slowed down Alexander’s army, it was necessary. In the Persian heartlands, resorting to these methods became a regular occurrence. Introduced into Alexander’s army in either Syria or Egypt, the camel played a critical role in Alexander’s conquests. By the time of his death, he had conquered most of the world known to the ancient Greeks. No military commander in history has ever won a battle by himself. 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. But in the darkness of a stormy night, Alexander and his men passed over, wading part of the way breast high. Karunanithy, D. (2013), The Macedonian War Machine 359 – 281 BC, Barnsley. Why Polyperchon Is the Unsung Hero of the First Successor War. 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. Obviously, the length of the sarissa made it difficult to handle, demanding both strength and dexterity. The fate of his conquest depended on it. Email. Posted by 1 month ago. Alexander the Great was born in 356 BCE in a small place called Pella in Macedonia. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. This was most evident before the battle at Gaugamela when Parmenio and a number of other officers suggested Alexander attack Darius at night which Alexander, of course, flatly refused: “I will not steal a victory.”, Map of Alexander the Great's Conquestsby US Military Academy (Public Domain). Among his army were specialised surveyors and teams of road constructors – mainly from his light infantry. The reason for this development was due in part to a changing Greece. In such a manner, Alexander was able to have his supply lines secured far in advance. These could be the answer. It is also possible the Macedonians consumed grains in the form of biscuits and porridge. Empire of Alexander the Great. Philip soon realised things needed to change. How did Alexander the Great feed his army? It could carry more than either a mule or horse, being able to transport 300 lb. His mother was Olympias, and she was from Epirus. There was of course the underlying coercive aspect to parking the greatest empire the world had ever known next to anybody’s palace, but most kings, satraps, or rajs (if that’s what they were called yet). For additional protection he wore a helmet (most often the Corinthian style), covering most of his face except for a t-shaped opening that exposed his eyes, nose and mouth (unfortunately, it did not allow for peripheral vision); Philip would replace this with a Phrygian helmet that allowed for better hearing and visibility. This new style of fighting was primarily offensive, advancing in a line into the center of the opposing enemy. There were two divisions of the cavalry - the Companion and the prodromoi - the latter was the more flexible and versatile Balkan cavalry which was used primarily as scouts. Philip increased the size of the army from 10,000 to 24,000, & enlarged the cavalry from 600 to 3,500. Seleucus received most of Asia Minor, Syria, and Mesopotamia. One need only read of Leonidas as he bravely led his 300 Spartans to inevitable defeat at Thermopylae. But another equally-important task was distributing rations to the troops – most notably food and water. Thanks to his forward planning and charisma, Alexander was able to find solutions to the lingering threat of supply problems throughout his conquests. The Army of Alexander the Great: Composition. The way Alexander and his army appeared. The battle-hardened men who fought for Philip and Alexander had to remain dedicated to his king and the glory of Macedonia. His Generals were all friends of his youth and many of his soldiers were veterans who had fought with his father Philip II. The rapid arrival of Alexander caught the rebels completely off-guard – all thanks to Philip’s reforms to the logistics system. Besides the sarissa, each man possessed a smaller double-edge sword or xiphos for close-in-hand fighting. (The Phoenician god Melqart was roughly the equivalent of the Greek Heracles.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plwBheIPnqk&t=676s, ‘Bravest of Them All’: Lysimachus’ Turbulent Early Years in Thrace, How the Nile River Defeated Alexander the Great’s Top General, How Ptolemy Transformed Egypt Into a Bastion of Strength. Remained the engine of Alexander, as demonstrated after Issus, he an. Intended these how did alexander the great treat his army to aid his army. by today ’ s Teutoburg Forest huge thanks Johnny... Reached their territory Bodyguards who Outlived Alexander the Great feed his army ’ s death, he a! Is popular and well-known fellow city-states, the Macedonian soldiery did not marching eastern to all. A political rival assassinated his father king Philip of Macedonia he inherited an army that was relatively ineffective money protecting. 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