Gordian Knotįrom Halicarnassus, Alexander headed north to Gordium, home of the fabled Gordian knot, a group of tightly-entwined knots yoked to an ancient wagon.
Under siege yet not beaten, Halicarnassus held out long enough for King Darius III, the newest Persian king, to amass a substantial army. But his army encountered resistance in the cities of Miletus, Mylasa and Halicarnassus. Victory went to Alexander and the Macedonians.Īlexander then headed south and easily took the city of Sardes.
They crossed the Hellespont, a narrow strait between the Aegean Sea and the Sea of Marmara, and faced Persian and Greek forces at the Granicus River. Once he’d cleaned house, Alexander left to follow in his father’s footsteps and continue Macedonia’s world domination.Īlexander appointed the general Antipater as regent and headed for Persia with his army. He also quashed rebellions for independence in northern Greece. Just 20 years old, Alexander claimed the Macedonian throne and killed his rivals before they could challenge his sovereignty.
In 336 B.C., Alexander’s father Philip was assassinated by his bodyguard Pausanias.
