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

THE NEW ARMY.G47Syria for this fleet. Alexander proposed to colonize theshores of the Persian Sea, and also to attack Arabia, becausethis country had sent no embassies to him, and because hecoveted their territory and spices. Alexander, in fact, sentout three expeditions, designed to sail around Arabia ; butneither of the three went as far as he had commanded themto go.The trip was yet an uulcnown one, except from hearsay.Not having suffered any harm from returning to Babylon,Alexander made an expedition down the Euphrates to thePallacopas, a canal near that river running towards the seathi'ough marshes and lowland which afford an outlet to theannual floods. Here he founded a city and established in ita number of the invalided Greek mercenaries. Thence heagain returned to Babylon.Hither Peucestas came with a force of twenty thousandPersians, Cossaeans and Tarpurians, the most valiant men hecould collect. Philoxenus brought an army from CariaIVIenander one from Lydia ; JVIenidas returned with the cavalry.The foreign soldiers were divided up into files, eachheaded by a Macedonian decurion, next to whom came adouble-pay man, and next a ten-staterman, then twelve foreigners,and then another ten-stater man, making the sixteendeep file. The Macedonians were armed as usual. The foreignershad bows or javelins so as to fire over the heads oftheir front-rank men. The king did not live to fully carrythis Macedonian-Asiatic organization into effect. At firstblush such a disposition of troops appears to lack solidity.Alexander also held many reviews and sham fights with hisfleet, in the nature of games, intended to exercise the menand ships in the duties and tactics of war.Here, too, Alexander received favorable answer to his messageto the oracle at Ammon, asking whether Hephastion