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

THE CITIES RAZED. 471was exceptionally large, including many officers. The barbarianswere driven out of the market-place, where they hadmade their stand ; the defenders of the walls were swept away,and the rest of the troops from the farther side joined Alexander.About eight thousand barbarians were slain ; the rest,some seven thousand in number, fled into the citadel ; butafter one day's siege they were forced to surrender for lack ofwater. The seventh city was also taken at the first assault,and most ofits inhabitants perished.Many of the survivors were imprisoned in chains. Alexanderproposed to transport those who were known as leadersout of the country, to prevent their encouraging futuresedition. The cities were uniformly razed to the ground.Whether this course was justifiable or not willalways be thesubject of dispute. It seems unnecessary to go over theground again. But it is to be noticed that Alexander invariablytreated those who submitted with as marked and constantgenerosity as he did those who revolted after submissionwith the utmost, almost savage, severity. In his late situation,it had been with him a case of life and death, and notmerely of present subjection and future submission of thesetribes. He had been and stiU was in a cul de sac from whichthere was no escape if the plans of the barbarians were notutterly thwarted. But, by his rapid and vigorous measures,Alexander had now opened the road back to Sogdiana. Thiswas a first but only a partial gain.Meanwhile, the Scythians, quick to act on hearing of theuprising, arrived with an army on the other bank of the Jaxartesand camped, ready to take a hand if a favorable chanceshould occur, and, meanwhile, taunting the Macedoniansfrom what they considered a safe distance. Alexander nowfirstlearned that Spitamenes had again risen, and had begunto besiege the garrison at Maracanda. The Massagetae, the