ALEXANDER BURNS PERSEPOLIS
The battle of Gaugamela in 331 B.C. decided the fate of the Persian
empire. Darius was no longer the great king, for Alexander took the
title as well as the dominions of his foe.
At Babylon, to which city Alexander now marched, the gates were thrown
open to welcome him, the people coming out to meet the conqueror, led
by their priests.
Alexander received them kindly, and bade the Babylonians not be afraid
still to worship their own national god.
Here, in this great city, the king dreamed that he would set up his
throne. Babylon should be the capital of his new empire.
Not far from Babylon was the city of Susa, where the Persian kings
usually spent the winter months. Susa also surrendered to the great
king without a blow being struck.
There were many treasures and much gold in both Babylon and Susa;
perhaps the most wonderful treasure was a piece of purple cloth, which
was worth an enormous sum of money. Although it had been laid aside for
one hundred and ninety years, yet its marvellous colour was as perfect
as it had ever been.
The spoils for which the Greeks cared most were some that had been
carried away by Xerxes. Among those that they found at Susa were
statues of Harmodius and Aristogeiton. By the order of Alexander, they
were now sent back to Athens.
But even greater treasures than any the king had yet found were stored
in palaces hidden among the highlands of Persia. To these palaces
Alexander resolved to march, although the way led through narrow
mountain passes which were guarded by a Persian army.
By attacking the enemy both in the front and in the rear, Alexander
caught the Persians in a trap. They were speedily cut to pieces or fell
down the dangerous mountain tracks in a vain effort to escape.
Then unhindered by any foe, the king marched on to one of the great
cities of the Persian kings, which the Greeks called Persepolis, or
‘the richest of all the cities under the sun.’
So great were the treasures stored in the palace of Persepolis, that
ten thousand pairs of mules and five thousand camels were needed to
carry them away.
For four months Alexander lingered in the city. His soldiers were proud
indeed of their king when for the first time they saw him sitting under
a canopy of gold on the throne of the Persian monarchs.
A Corinthian, who was a great friend of Alexander’s, exclaimed at
the sight, ‘How unfortunate are those Greeks who have died without
beholding Alexander seated on the throne of Darius!’
Before he left Persepolis to go in search of Darius, Alexander gave a
great feast.
It was then that the king, urged by the excited revellers, allowed the
palace to be burned.
With a wreath of flowers on his head and a lighted torch in his hand,
the king, followed by his guests, surrounded the palace, and set light
to it. The soldiers also seized torches and amid shouts and merriment
they, too, helped to destroy the palace of the Persian kings.
The Macedonians thought that the burning of the palace was a sign
that Alexander did not mean to dwell among the barbarians, and they
rejoiced. For they were growing weary of marching into unknown
countries, and they were beginning to think wistfully of their
homeland.
Alexander was soon sorry for the wild impulse which had seized him, and
he gave orders to put out the fire as speedily as might be.
The officers in Alexander’s army had become rich with the spoils of
conquered cities, and the king found that they were growing as fond
of ease and luxury as the Persians. Their tables were loaded with
delicacies, servants attended to their slightest wish. One officer even
had his shoes made with silver nails.
Such indulgence annoyed the king and he reproved his officers, telling
them that toil was more honourable than pleasure.
‘How is it possible,’ he said, ‘if you cannot attend to your own body,
that you look well after your horse, or keep your armour bright and in
good order? You should surely avoid the weaknesses of those you have
conquered.’
To set his army an example, the king now began to hunt more than was
his custom and with less care for his own safety. When the soldiers
were sent against an enemy, Alexander himself went with them, and
endured the same hardships and dangers as his men.