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Hi Paralus,

Some comments on your message (I cannot fathom the "quote" tool yet! )

I believe that Darius was in a very delicate position with his nobility well before Gaugamela (an idea well argued by Badian) and that the "conspiracy" that eventually did him in was alive before that battle. It is likely that Alexander had some wind of it.

If that was the case (and it is not at all unlikely, having the noblemen seen the western empire swept by Alexander), probably Mazaios would have given him valuable intelligence.

Alexander definitely wanted Darius dead, preferably by his xyston or sword on the field of battle. The king needed to be "legitimately" removed from the board so as there was no titular head around which to rally dissafected Iranian nobility.

On balance, though, I feel that had Alexander captured Darius, he'd have loved nothing more than some spirited defence of the king to facilitate his death in battle.

Certainly he may had harboured those feelings at Issus, but he may have changed his mind after that. Of course he wouldn't have shied away from killing Dareios in battle, but I doubt that he would go to the extreme of propping him up as to ensure that was indeed the way of his demise. He just wanted him dead, and himself acclaimed as the natural successor. And given this, I think that the strategy of "let Bessos slip" was the most cost-benefit efficient.

The descriptions we have of the forced pursuit of Darius indicate that it took a severe toll the pursuers. In that respect I think the rest was a needed one. There is something about three days and Greek sources. That being said, it may well be that Alexander did not rest three days but dallied a little on reports of the king bieng a prisoner and in danger of being murdered. that may be over-reading the situation though.

Interesting point about the "three days and Greek sources". Are you implying that "three days" is a short-cut for "some time/days after" and hence shouldn't be taken literally? If this is true, then we should consider what it means in this particular case: a few hours? an afternoon? a day? two? I have no clue, so I'm open to suggestions.
Anyway, regardless of how needed the rest was and assuming that whatever time spent "resting" was enough to ensure Bessos's flight, it is still odd that this is the only occasion that I can recall where Alexander delayed his strategic goals for tiredness (or anything else). He was renowned by striking forcefully,mercilessly and by surprise (eg, "stealing" marches), and so I find this delay an outlier that doesn't fit the pattern.
But, at the same time, I noticed something since I started writing this message: that maybe it was Alexander's approach that triggered Dareios's murder. If I remember well, it is said that the Persians were being caught by the Macedonian vanguard and Bessos, to speed up his escape, killed him. So maybe Alexander's delay was truly intended to save Dareios? But then, why did he resume the pursuit?

All the best,
Alejandro

Hi Alejandro,

Alejandro says,

If I remember well, it is said that the Persians were being caught by the Macedonian vanguard and Bessos, to speed up his escape, killed him. So maybe Alexander's delay was truly intended to save Dareios? But then, why did he resume the pursuit?

In my copy of Arrian, a stop off of five days is mentioned. It also points out that Alexander saw that it was impossible for him to overtake Darius.
Exhaustion could be a factor- many men dropped out, such was the pace set by Alexander and many horses were run into the ground dead.

It is shortly after that the son of Mazeus appears asking to speak to Alexander to fill him in on the situation of Darius- to inform that he had been taken prisoner by Nabarzanes.
So Alexander, when he stopped for his rest- didn't know that Darius had been taken prisoner and thus wouldn't have feared provoking his death by advancing on Bessus.
I am only going on Arrian here.
Please feel free to pull this post apart- 'cos I don't always hit the nail on the head

Best regards,
Dean

dean wrote: It is shortly after that the son of Mazeus appears asking to speak to Alexander to fill him in on the situation of Darius- to inform that he had been taken prisoner by Nabarzanes.
So Alexander, when he stopped for his rest- didn't know that Darius had been taken prisoner and thus wouldn't have feared provoking his death by advancing on Bessus.
I am only going on Arrian here.

Hi Dean,

I have to admit that I find difficult to believe that Mazaios's son would stay with Dareios while his dad was (re-?)anointed as satrap(?) of Babylon, but I will accept your (and Arrian's!) word.

Arrian's line of thought seems to indicate the following timeline: 1. Alexander pursues the fleeing Dareios at full speed and some horses and soldiers suffer and even die of exhaustion. 2. Persian coup d'etat: Dareios is imprisoned and dragged eastwards by Bessos and Nabarzanes. 3. Alexander catches up with the Persians left behind and learns of Dareios's imprisonment. 4. Alexander rests his troops for five days. 5. Alexander resumes pursuit at full speed. 5. Alexander's vanguard catches up with Bessos's party. 6. Bessos gets scared and kills Dareios.

This seems a plausible explanation, though it still allows for a deliberate "let Bessos slip" strategy. Whether the 5 days of rest were indeed chosen only for that reason or not, Alexander knew that resuming the pursuit would exert psychological pressure on Bessos, as it indeed did with the result we all know and that, I claim, was the one Alexander was looking for.

Using tennis jargon, I would say that Alexander played his game until it "forced an error" by Bessos. And after that it was game, set and match!

All the best,
Alejandro

Hello Alejandro,

Alexander was probably extremely pleased by the turn of events upon Darius' death. Even turning the subsequent treatment of Bessus into a propoganda coup- I mean it was a great theatrical gesture by Bessus to place golden fetters on Darius but the dog collar placed around Bessus' neck was an even better one. It looked like Great Alexander was bringing the bad criminal Bessus to justice, when in the end Alexander was only trying to secure his own position and nothing else but with his usual spectacular flare for coming out of everything "smelling of roses".

Or to use tennis jargon to always have the "advantage".
Best regards,
Dean

Alejandro

I fully go with your ideas the delays. For however long dont go with Alexanders way of action. Were a situation need he would march and charge at whatever beeakneck speed to either suprise or prevent something happening. He marched that fast from The Balakan States to Thebes that the Thebans hardly believed it was him. He sent speedy forces at pace to secure the Treasures at Babilon Susa etc.

He even got out of his sickbed with Disentry to charge a river.He even shot up ladders alone against the Malian. My point is if Alexanders imperative was to take darius alive due to form he would have gone at breakneck speed and continued till he caught them. Surely the Persian fugitives were not fleeing at breakneck speed with cartd etc.

One way or Another it served Alexander for Darius to be dead one way or another. How could Alexander be really called the real king of Persia with Darius playing hopscotch in some palace. Elizabeth couldnt really be Queen of England with Mary Tudor Languishing round and about basically her head had to come off and so did Darius. Indeed Alexander was noble to a point but I still dont doubt he was a calculative Ruthless Bastard at times.

No person could be so succesful as Alexander without having the calculative lind of a Black Widow Spider. Use your mate to get Pregnant then Eat the poor sod.

Kenny

kennyxx wrote: Elizabeth couldnt really be Queen of England with Mary Tudor Languishing round and about basically her head had to come off and so did Darius.

A good point, Kenny - although it was Mary Stuart, not Mary Tudor ...

ATB