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

THE PAR/ETAC.E. 417status was tlie same, and in places the population, whichalways more or less partakes of a geological flavor, was aswild as now. Heat and cold were then as fierce as now.The wet season lasts from November to February ;the rest ofthe year is dry and parched. The people live in earthcoveredhuts, where they remain during the heat of the day.In twelve days Alexander reached Media. Here he learnedthat the Lacedaemonians had been defeated and Kino- Asfisslain by Antij^ater, in the bloody battle of Megalopolis, andthat the Cadusians and Scythians had therefore refused theiraid to Darius. But he knew the Persian king to be still surroundedby many of his bravest nobles, and by an army byno means to be despised, one indeed which, ably led, mightdo better work than the numberless hordes of Arbela. Solong as Darius lived, he must remain the centre-point for allthe enemies of Alexander to rally on. And beside the CaspianGates, there were plenty ofpositions readily susceptibleof defense.On his way from Persepolis to Ecbatana Alexander subduedthe Paraetacse, a tribe living on the eastern water-shedof the mountains between Persis and Media, back to backwith the Uxians. We have no details of the campaign. Likeall his mountain work, bare mention is made of it. He leftas viceroy Oxathres, son of Abulites, satrap of Susa, andhurried forward in pursuit ofDarius.Ecbatana was a central strategic point which Alexanderwas naturally glad to seize upon. It was situated upon themore direct line of commerce with Macedon, distant aboutthree hundred and fifty miles from Babylon, by the valley ofthe Gyndes, and an equal distance from Susa, by the valley ofthe Choaspes.Alexander had hoped that Darius would stand,and had been marching with circumspection though rapidlybut three days from Ecbatana he was met by Bisthanes, son