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

PHCENICIA. 323movement so fully perfected that it bore the stamp of distincthomogeneity as it was gradually developed. He had,as above said, already sent Parmeuio with the Thessalianhorse up the Orontes valley to overcome Syria, as well astake possession of the treasures and camp-belongings whichhad been sent to Damascus by Darius, from Sochi, before hecrossed the range to Issus.He himself, having suitablyarranged for the conductof the affairs of Cilicia,marched towards Phoenicia.This country had not beenso utterly tyrant-ridden asthe other partsof the seacoastcontrolled by the GreatKinsr.The skill of its marinersand the dependenceof Persia vipon the citiesof Phoenicia for its fleet, aswell as for an outlet forcommerce, made thePersianauthorities favor thesemarts bej^ond all others.They occupied a positionnot unlike the free cities ofGermany. They had notthat insular position whichis essentialto perfect independence,but they wereshut in between the range „ . , _, , ,'^byria and rhoenicia.of Mount Libanus and thesea, and the cities were many of them built on coast islands,or in such a way as to be inaccessible from land or sea alike.