ABSTRACT
—Upon quitting Tyre Alexander marched eastwards to Thapsacus on the Euphrates, just as Cyrus the Younger had done. There he found two bridges of boats which had been constructed by his orders. A small Persian force of 3000 cavalry which had been posted without support to defend the passage had withdrawn. Indeed it is an extraordinary feature of this campaign that Darius, who had large bodies of light horse at his disposal, made no attempt whatever to harass the Greek troops, who were heavily armed and possessed only a small force of light cavalry. In these vast open plains the Macedonian host should have been constantly assailed, as was done with complete success a few centuries later by the Parthians, who in this way laid low the pride of Rome.
