Sykes' History of Persia - Heritage Institute

XXI BATTLES OF GRANICUS AND ISSUS 269
to that of Alexander. Sixty thousand Cardaces, a people
who have not been identified, formed the left wing and
the Greek mercenaries the
right wing, where the
cavalry
also was massed. The lower hills were strongly held by
a body of 20,000 men, and had any initiative been shown
by the leader of this force, the Macedonian rear would
have been seriously embarrassed. The remainder of the
Persian force was ranged in support and took no part in
the battle. Darius, according to invariable custom, took
post
in the centre.
Alexander, upon debouching from the Syrian Gates,
formed up his force as soon as the ground permitted, with
the heavy cavalry headed by himself on the
right wing and
Parmenio with the phalanx and the rest of the
infantry on
the left. Seeing the Persian cavalry massed on the right
of its line, Alexander modified his dispositions to the extent
of detaching the Thessalian cavalry to protect the flanks
of the phalanx. His anxiety as to his rear was soon set
at rest by the supineness of the Persian
outflanking force,
and we read in the pages of Arrian that he first rested his
men and then led them forward very slowly to the river
bank where the Persian host passively awaited the attack.
As at Cunaxa, the Persian troops
would not stand the
Greek charge and fled like sheep ; but the Greek mercenaries
stood firm, and as the ranks of the phalanx were
thrown into disorder by crossing the river the contest was
desperate. The deciding factor was the cowardice of
Darius, who when the tide of battle surged towards him
was seized with panic and fled, throwing away his shield to
lighten
his chariot. It is stated that in his fear he had
caused mares whose foals were left behind to be posted
along the route, and that his
quitting
chariot he rode for
his life. Meanwhile the victorious Macedonian right came
to the help of Parmenio, on the left, where as at the
Granicus the steady Greek mercenaries, deserted by their
Persian comrades, fought magnificently, but in vain, unless
indeed they helped to save the worthless Great King, whom
Alexander did not pursue until he saw that the battle was
won. The slaughter of the Persian troops, fleeing in panic
along the hill tracts, was enormous, and is said to have