Sykes' History of Persia - Heritage Institute

266 HISTORY OF PERSIA
moving eastwards. Ephesus surrendered and a democracy
was established in place of an oligarchy ; but Miletus
resisted, its garrison being encouraged by the proximity of
the Persian fleet. This powerful squadron, however, was
badly handled, its commander allowing the Macedonian
ships to forestall it and shut it out from the port. Every
effort was made to induce the Macedonian fleet to
give
battle, and Parmenio advised the acceptance of the challenge.
But Alexander prudently declined to run the risk,
and in the end he disbanded his navy owing to its heavy
cost and its
inferiority
to the in squadrons the Persian
service.
Miletus was captured by assault after a short siege.
The inhabitants and mercenaries who escaped were well
treated, and the latter enlisted in the Macedonian army.
Halicarnassus was the next objective. The headquarters
of Memnon, it was strongly fortified and well garrisoned ;
its capture was therefore of the utmost importance and
likely to call for great
efforts. The ditch was filled in
and a powerful siege
train was brought up. Sallies made
by the garrison resulted in heavy losses, and Memnon
finally set fire to the city and evacuated it, retreating with
the garrison to two strongholds. Alexander, whose losses
had also been considerable, did not follow them up, but
they were reduced in the following year by Antipater.
From Halicarnassus Alexander sent back those of his men
who were newly married with orders to rejoin in the
spring, bringing as many recruits as possible
; he also
despatched a recruiting party to the Peloponnesus. He i
then continued his march along the coast, subduing the
various cities of Lycia and Pamphylia, in order to deprive
the Persian fleet of possible
bases. Indeed, it was this
which must have called for the most serious
problem
consideration.
The army next marched northward across Pisidia,
where it encountered the fierce mountaineers and repulsed,
'
their attack with heavy loss. Thence it entered Phrygia,
which was occupied and administered, and at Gordium, |
the capital of the ancient Phrygian kings,
the newly
married men and recruits rejoined
the main army, to the
i