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This chapter focuses on the four pitched battles fought by Alexander the Great in the processes of conquering and expanding the Achaemenid Persian Empire: the Granicus River (334), Issus (333), Gaugamela (331), and the Hydaspes River (326). In addition to tactical and strategic overviews of these battles, the chapter considers the nature of pitched battles in general, why forces fight battles at all, and what makes battles “decisive.” One major conclusion of the chapter is that, while attributing “genius” to Alexander might be hackneyed and simplistic, his battlefield leadership really did contribute to him being “great,” and while he inherited an effective army from his father, Philip, Alexander led from the front as a charismatic champion in a way his father did not. In Alexander’s circumstances, this charismatic leadership made a degree of strategic sense.
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