Memnon of Rhodes: Alexander's only equal

[stella]

At the time of Alexander's attack on the Persian empire, there was no one in the Persian army who could stand up to Alexander's military prowess.
I was wondering if Alexander's victories at Issos etc., and the outcome of the war would have been different if Memnon had not died early in Alexander's campaigns?
Thank you for you replies

[marcus]

An interesting question. It's very dangerous to get into "what ifs" because, for example, how do we know that Issus would have happened at all had Memnon not died? Also, Memnon's advice was ignored at the Granicus because the Persians distrusted him and because they didn't like the thought of burning their lands. It is true that Memnon was then given command of the Persian forces in Asia Minor; but if we recall the jealousy that prompted Darius' nobles to shout down the advice of Charidemus and Amyntas prior to Issus ... would Memnon have fared any better?ATBMarcus

[Nicator]

Hello Marcus,
The Amyntas/Charidemus storyline is troubled, is it not? I've had trouble reconciling the storyline where these two are concerned, and finally combined them into one section and said the hell with it! I found it interesting that Memnon just happened to die at such a fortunate point. Is there any information on his death other than that he just fell sick and died? If there was any truth to the claim that he was poisoned by the Macedonian fifth column, then wouldn't it be kind of creepy that Alexander ended up with his wife Barsine? Maybe Barsine had something to do with his death...who else could get that close and had motive? There's just all kinds of fun "what if's" in this twisted scenario. later Nicator

[Paralus]

Interesting question Stella.I'd not say that Memnon was Alexander's equal. His advice though to the Persians prior to Granicus was cogent. This was wise policy on two accounts. Given that the lands burned were those Alexander needed to "live-off", this was not something Alexander could afford. Also, Alexander had tackled Asia not only with his father's army, but also with his treasury. How long would that have lasted had Alexander had to battle "scorched earth" delaying tactics for any significant time. How much more would the Asian "liberated allies" have to "contribute" to the treasury?The other point is his mysterious death on Lesbos. Just how difficult would it have been for Alexander who did not have a large fleet (and were he to acquire one it would necessarily have come GÇô in large part GÇô from a distinctly restless Athens) to engage the Persians in the Aegean? Just what might Persian talents have achieved spent on a naval campaign behind Alexander's line of supply. As the Spartans had earlier found out, the Athenians could make cause with Persia if the rewards were there. As I wrote on an earlier thread, what might the Athenians achieved had they manned 150 GÇô 200 triremes and sailed against Pella GÇô behind Philip's back GÇô in 338?

[stella]

A very interesting question, to do with Athens sailing on Pella. I doubt that the Pan-Hellenic league would have stepped in to intervene on Alexander's behalf. Would Antipater been able to fend off a land invasion, or would the Athenians blocked their supplies off and starved them to death, a twisting turning cycle of what if's, just like my earlier thread.
Here goes another question, who killed Memnon or did he, unfortunately, pick up a disease on lesbos?

[ScottOden]

Though likely not Alexander's equal, Memnon was definately his most formidable opponent. Keep in mind, Memnon had recently defeated Parmenion in the Troad, defeat being something of a rarity for Parmenion's career. He knew how to fight the Macedonians because he had seen their army up close during his exile at Pella. And, unlike Charidemus, Memnon was a kinsman of Darius by marriage. If nothing else, Memnon could have filtered his plans through Artabazus and thus to Darius' ear.The root cause of the Persian satraps distrust of Memnon at the Granicus had less to do with his 'Greekness' than his desire to fill the position of supreme commander of the west, a post left vacant by his brother Mentor's death. Arsites of Hellespontine Phrygia in particular had a vested interest in seeing Memnon fail -- he received Artabazus' ancestral satrapy and likely feared having it stripped from him and given to Artabazus' heir, and Memnon's protege, Pharnabazus.*Memnon's strategy of taking the war to Macedonia was not without precedent -- a fellow Rhodian, Timocrates, was involved in distributing Persian gold at Corinth to effect the recall of Agesilaus from Asia during the time of Pharnabazus the Elder (Artabazus' father). I think the Agesilaus parallel is important when gauging the Persian response to Alexander. Though we have the benefit of a couple thousand years of hindsight, I don't think the Persians of Alexander's day considered him much of a threat. He would march here and there, sack some cities, loot a treasury or two, then *something* would crop up back home to force his recall. Thus, the satraps at Granicus refused to sanction Memnon's policy and arrogantly met Alexander head-on. They felt they had more to lose if they allowed Memnon to succeed.As for Memnon's death, if it were poison I'd search the Persian ranks for suspects before I started rousting Macedonians
*Suggested by WJ McCoy in his article 'Memnon of Rhodes at the Granicus', AJP 110 (1989). 413-33.

[azara]

At the Granicus Memnon had under his command twenty thousand Greek mercenaries, among the best foot-soldiers in the world and, according to Arrian, neither he nor the other Persian commanders knew what to do with them, because GÇ£they stayed where they had been lined up in the beginning more out of bewilderment for what was happening than by choiceGÇ¥(Arrian,I, 16,2). While Memnon made a show of individual prowess in the Persian cavalry, in Persian style (Arrian, I, 15,2), his men were left to their fate, i.e. they were not engaged in the battle and were massacred shortly after. Memnon did nothing, either before and during the battle, to prevent such a thing from happening, and fled before the inevitable end. Decidedly not AlexanderGÇÖs equal, IGÇÖm afraid. As for his death, when this happened he was surrounded by Persian noblemen, so ScottO can be right in suspecting them, and had enough time to hand over to Pharnabazus (Arrian, II,1,3), so, in my opinion, a disease canGÇÖt be ruled out.