Identifier: alexanderhistory00dodg Title: Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from earliest times to the battle of Ipsus, B.C. 301: with a detailed account of the campaigns of the great Macedonian Year: 1890 (1890s) Authors: Dodge, Theodore Ayrault, 1842-1909 Subjects: Alexander, the Great, 356-323 B.C Military art and science Publisher: Boston : Houghton, Mifflin and Company

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Text Appearing Before Image: oo much time from his greater task of seeking Darius andcoming to a decisive encounter with him, he left the demo-cratic party in each city with power sufficient to control theoligarchical faction, without attempting entirely to extirpatethe latter party. Alexander was now master of all Asia Minor west of theTaurus, and could choose to remain on the defensive or crossthe rantje in offense. The latter course was the one whichwas always the more consistent with his character. He, there-fore, took up his march toward the chief pass in the Taurusmountains, known as the Gates of Gilicia, Pylae Giliciae (themodern Golek Boghaz), a defile tliirty-six hundred feet abovethe sea, and well-nigh inexpugnable if held by a determinedparty. AVhen Gyrus the Younger had passed this defile, he 290 THE CI LI CI AN GATES. had expected to be unable to force it, and had made prepara-tions to turn it by transporting a force of troops by sea to therear of the pass. Xenophon characterized the defile as beyond

Text Appearing After Image: GATES Gordium to Araanus. human ability to take. In many places but four men canmarch abreast between the perpendicular walls of stone. Al-exander was unable, without a fleet, to resort to Cyrus turn-ing manoeuvre. The Persians, did they but know it, had the CAPTURE OF TARSUS. 291 power to block his path. He might possibly have turned thedefile by way of Laranda, from which place were passes intowestern or Hugged Cilicia. But this was a difficult and dan-gerous route, fo be avoided by all means if possible, and it isfar from improbable that these passes were not then knownto any but the native barbarians. But Arsames, satrap of Cilicia^Darius chief officer at thispoint, made no preparation to hold these Gates. He hadprobably received no specific orders on the subject. Whenthe Macedonian army arrived in the vicinity, the Gates werefound to be beset by but a slender force. Leaving Parmenioin camp with the heavy troops, Alexander took the shield-bearing guards, archers, and Agrianians, a

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