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Leadership Process Four: Directing Symbols 113 26: Utter Destruction Sometimes reframing a problem is done using symbolism. The representation of a symbolic act can be far more compelling than the act itself. At the very start of the invasion of Asia Minor, but after the battle at Granicus, Alexander faced the task of conquering dozens of small and a few large hilltop citadels with very limited resources. On the western coast of modern-day Turkey, Alexander confronted an impossible situation. He had only a small army, but he confronted a formidable number of small cities, towns, citadels, and fortresses. He clearly could defeat any one of them, or even several. But each pursued siege would further reduce his army due to death, injury, and additional needs for garrison duty. Alexander needed to find a way to get the towns to capitulate without a fight and without requiring him to garrison every town. Alexander sent out diplomats to let all towns know that he wanted them to overthrow their Persian overlords. Some joined him; some wanted to, but the Persians held family members as hostages; and others were content with the Persian presence. His solution to this recalcitrance is considered today to be reprehensible (although there are modernday equivalents after hostile takeovers). His purpose was to make such a lurid symbolic statement that subsequent towns would not dare impede his progress; indeed, they would capitulate without resistance. To do so, he made a horrible example of one town, whose name today is un-
114 THE WISDOM OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT known because court historians were ordered not to record the name, thus making the erasure of the town complete. The recalcitrant town was besieged and conquered. While the captive citizens watched, Alexander’s army looted the town. They tore down the city walls, burned the buildings, and salted the fields so no one could grow crops there in the future. The women were then systematically raped while their men watched. Then, all the men and male children were killed while the women watched. The women, female children, and maybe some young boys were then sold into slavery, except for a few, who were sent down the coast ahead of the army to tell other denizens what had transpired. Needless to say, any city without a sizable Persian garrison capitulated without a fight. Who in their right mind would resist, facing such a fate? Thus, Alexander was able to conquer an entire region fighting only one such skirmish. While he did have to besiege one large city (Halicarnassus), starve another into submission by blocking its harbor (Ephesus), and subdue a rebellion (Miletus), he was able to continue his incursion without much hindrance. Inferences and Allegations Alexander redefined the reality of thousands of people in dozens of towns by the horrific symbolic action of utterly destroying a town and its people. As horrible as this destruction is, it caused countless peoples to side with him, without his having to fight them. He clearly showed the seriousness of his purpose. He showed that he was capable
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THE WISDOM OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
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THE WISDOM OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT E
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CONTENTS Foreword .................
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CONTENTS vii 33: Ablutions, Celebra
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FOREWORD Alexander the Great as a l
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PREFACE Leadership cannot be taught
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PREFACE xiii Sources: How Do We Kno
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PREFACE xv Alexander’s exploits a
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Books are not the w
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xix Dickerson, Andy
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RÉSUMÉ Alexander the Great SIGNIF
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Page 183 and 184: 156 APPENDIX 326 Battle at River Hy
Page 185 and 186: 158 BIBLIOGRAPHY Fildes, Alan, and
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164 INDEX Alexander the Great (cont
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166 INDEX integration of cultures,
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168 INDEX Sogdiana, Rock of, 65 Sov
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