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

THE PERSIAN GATES. 401the nearer but more difficult mountain road. Having marchedone hundred and thirteen miles, probably reckoned from nearmodern Babahan, which is at the outlet of the Uxian mountains,on the fifth day he reached tlae vicinity of the Persianor Susian Gates, also called the Susiad Rocks, or Pylae Persieaeor Susjb. Alexander hoped to surprise the pass as hehad once done the Cilician Gates ; but the satrap of Persis,Ariobarzanes, had occupied, and had built a wall across thisdefile, which is now called Kal-eh-Sefid, and begins to narrowfour miles east of modern Falhiyan, and held it with a forceof forty thousand foot and seven hundred horse, all Persiansand good, reliable troops. Kal-eh-Sefid means "white fortress,"and is " a mountain of one piece of rock, inaccessibleon all sides, and battlemented at the top like a castle." It isthe key and entrance to the plateau of Iran, and all travelersagree as to the difficulty of its approach.Alexander might have reached Persepolis by the longer buteasier road over which he sent Parmenio, which skirted therange along the southern foot-hills, but he could not leave sodangerous a force in his rear.Ariobarzanes had an army innumber equal to the total of his own, and might at once havemarched on Susa so soon as he saw Persepolis wrested from hisgrasp. And while Susa was left abundantly garrisoned, andcould probably take care of itself, the moral effect of sucha diversion would have nullifiedmuch of Alexander's workalready done. It was no part of Alexander's plan to pass byany well-posted armed force, unless he could completely neutralizeit. The distance from Babahan to Shiraz, via Kal-eh-Sefid is reckoned by La Graviere at one hundred and seventythreemiles ; via Kaizeroum at two hundred and thirty-eightmiles.Having gone into camp, Alexander reconnoitred the position,and next day made a determined effort to take the walls