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Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

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ALEXANDER'S PREDECESSOR. 113Agesilaus. — <strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong> <strong>the</strong> Great had a predecessor in<strong>the</strong> invasion <strong>of</strong> Asia. Agesilaus, king <strong>of</strong> Sp<strong>art</strong>a, in what iscalled <strong>the</strong> Sp<strong>art</strong>o-Persian <strong>war</strong> (b. c. 399-394), went to <strong>the</strong>assistance <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> Greek cities <strong>of</strong> Asia Minor, which had beenunjustly oppressed by Tissaphernes, <strong>the</strong> Persian satrap, for<strong>the</strong>ir share in <strong>the</strong> expedition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> younger Cyrus. Circumstancesprevented Agesilaus <strong>from</strong> finishing hislabors, but heshowed <strong>the</strong> way, conceived <strong>the</strong> project, <strong>and</strong> no doubt <strong>Alex<strong>and</strong>er</strong>'sown more gigantic imagination benefited by what hedid, as his spirit <strong>of</strong> rivalry urged him on to exceed evenCyrus in his conquests.Route <strong>of</strong> Ag-esilans, b. c. 396-394.Agesilaus left Sp<strong>art</strong>a by sea with eighty-three hundredmen <strong>and</strong> six months' victual, <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>ed at Ephesus. Havingadjusted, with commendable discretion, <strong>the</strong> troubles <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> Greek cities, he apparently prepared to march into Caria,where Tissaphernes had advanced to <strong>the</strong> plains <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> Mae<strong>and</strong>erto meet him.But Agesilaus had no cavalry, <strong>and</strong> did notpropose to accommodate Tissaphernes with a battle on a

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