Alexander's Generalship at Gaugamela

It is agreed that of the extant accounts of the battle of Gaugamela, that of Arrian is by far the best, the only one, in fact, that permits of a coherent reconstruction of what took place. The best modern accounts derive mainly from Arrian, and it may perhaps be felt that modern criticism has resolv...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of Hellenic studies 1947-11, Vol.67, p.77-89
Main Author: Griffith, G. T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerial locomotion
Aretes
Chariots
Mercenaries
Military tactics
Original order
Rectangles
Warfare
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Summary:It is agreed that of the extant accounts of the battle of Gaugamela, that of Arrian is by far the best, the only one, in fact, that permits of a coherent reconstruction of what took place. The best modern accounts derive mainly from Arrian, and it may perhaps be felt that modern criticism has resolved satisfactorily the two or three important obscurities in his story, and that everything is now plain. With this opinion I cannot agree. To me Arrian's story is not obscure, but, equally, it is not complete; and what he omits is of such importance that without it I cannot see clearly why Alexander, and not the Persians, won this battle. I am not suggesting that really the Persians did win it; but my aim is to supply that part of the picture which (in my view) Arrian has left blank, and without which the manner of Alexander's victory is still not fully explained.
ISSN:0075-4269
2041-4099
DOI:10.2307/626783