How Alexander Beat Darius

Alexander was greatly outnumbered and overmatched by Darius in almost every way. The Persians had many more troops and ships and much greater wealth. With a force of Greek mercenaries estimated at up to 50,000, they may have even had more Greek soldiers fighting on their side than Alexander had on his.

Even the size of the two men made them unequal. Darius, then in his mid-40s, was said to have been nearly six and a half feet tall-huge for the time. Alexander was of medium height.

Yet Alexander had a number of advantages that enabled him to overcome his enemy’s strength and stature. Alexander’s troops, inherited from his father, were the most powerful fighters in the world. They were extremely disciplined and committed, even devoted, to their leader. Not until gunpowder was introduced 18 centuries later did a stronger army come along. The Persian forces were not as well trained, well disciplined, or devoted. Their size even worked against them at times, as they were not as fast or flexible as Alexander’s army.

Alexander was an expert at analyzing what his available men and weapons could do, at coordinating his troops for complex battle maneuvers, and at hiding their real numbers. An incredible tactical genius, he was able to seize opportunities that opened up during a battle and organize his

Divide and Conquer

A medieval military drawing illustrates how Alexander’s cavalry could be used to drive a wedge into an enemy’s army.

Troops on the spot to make the most of their abilities and to exploit his enemy’s weaknesses and mistakes.

One of the young king’s greatest advantages was his bravery. A courageous and even reckless leader, he always led his troops into battle. His helmet was made of iron and burnished so that everyone could see him on the battlefield. Two long white plumes, called wings, rose from it, to make sure that even at great distances his men could see that he was fighting along with them.

Alexander inspired a rare depth of loyalty in his men. This was partly due to the stirring speeches he gave before battles. He also treated his soldiers very well, and knew a great number of them by name. He also had tremendous charisma, or personal magnetism and charm. (The English form of this word is based on the Greek word kharisma, which means “divine favor.”) Many of Alexander’s men believed that the gods favored their ruler and his cause. Because of this, they were willing to follow him into battles and fight bravely, even when they were outnumbered.

Another factor is that the Persians underestimated Alexander, especially in the beginning. In fact, Memnon (380-333 B. C.E.), the general leading the Greek mercenaries that fought for the Persians, came up with

A plan early on that most likely would have defeated Alexander. Before the battle of Granicus, Memnon suggested that instead of fighting the Macedonians, the Persians starve them out by burning the cities and destroying the crops in their path. He knew that the Macedonian army, no matter how fierce, would not be able to survive for long without food and supplies. But Darius’s commanders rejected Memnon’s plan because they were sure they could crush this small invading force, led by an inexperienced young man. Had they listened to their Greek employee, who understood better what they were up against, Alexander’s name might have been Alexander the Obscure instead of Alexander the Great.