The Granicus "victory"

[dean]

Hello all,
I remember recently reading the suggestion here on the forum that Alexander lost on the first day of fighting and then came back to win on the second.
What I am interested to know is, where does this idea come from? Is it to be found in any of the sources we have or is it just mere speculation?
Best wishes,
Dean.

[maciek]

This theory is figured out by Peter Green. His vision is that it was "impossible for Alexander to win in this way how Arrian writes". His source is Diodorus, but this is the only sourse which I do not have so I can't check how the story goes there.He also wrote that if really Alexander attacked at first day he definetly loose this battle and won next day after crossing the Grannicos.Maciek

[susan]

Diodorus is available online in translation:


http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/te ... =&display= I got this from the Alexanderama site, do you know it ?
http://www.isidore-of-seville.com/Alexanderama.html
Susan

[maciek]

Thanks Susan It's just what I needed. It will help me a lot. Maciek

[agesilaos]

The reference is XVII 19ff however Diodoros makes Alexander refuse to cross in face of the Persian Army, both armies withdraw for the night and Alexander crosses at dawn before the Persians had resumed their position.There was no defeat but this version is directly contradicted in Arrian where Parmenion( who else?) suggests waiting and Alexander insists on fighting immediately for morale reasons. It is frequently thought that Ptolemy who is Arrian's source wrote to correct Cleitarchos who is probably Diodoros's, this would seem to prove it unless ,of course, this passage is what suggested the interpretation of Ptolemy's purpose.

[dean]

Hello,
Once again thankyou for your time and insights.
Cheers,
Dean.

[maciek]

Hi Karl!Now I have possibility to read Diodorus.
Green writes that if Alexander fought that evening, he had to loose the battle. He answers to Arrian's version by such opinion.
But I think DiodorusGÇÖs battle description is only one showing such version and Diodorus is not too objective in his story. I think that Arrian and Plutarchus are much more reliable.Maciek