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

CYRUS' STRATEGIC SURPRISE. 47reasonably exact narrative is possible. Military critics ofevery age are wont to disag'rec in many things ; but theirvariations are rarely fatal.from any ofthem.The same lessons can be learnedCyrus, of the family of the Acheminidae, was the founderof the great Persian empire (b. c. 558-529). Persia hadbeen subject to the ISledes, and was grievously ojipressed.Cyrus deposed Astyages, the Median king, and united Persiaand Media under his own sceptre. Alarmed for his safety,Croesus, king of Lydia, which then comprised almost allAsia Minor west of the Halys, entered the lists against Cyrus,and advanced across the Halys into Cappadocia, the mostwesterly of the Persia-Median provinces, and devastatedthe rich lands and cities of Pteria. He had as allies theBabylonians, and theEgyptians and even Sparta had promisedblm support. Croesus was preparing to advance stillfarther into Persia, when Cyrus, by a rapid march, anticipatedhim, and met him on the scene of his devastations.An indecisive, wild and bloody battle was fought here, andended only by night (b. C. 554), after which Croesus retiredto his capital, Sardis, not expecting that Cyrus would undertakea winter campaign.Here he endeavored to strengthenConquests of Cyrus.