HIST 134

Nano-Historical Research Paper

Faisal Siddiqi

It is recorded that Scipio, a Roman general from the Second Punic War, asked Hannibal,
one of the greatest military strategists in human history, whom he considered to be the greatest
general. Hannibal replied, Alexander of Macedonia (Devine, 377). Alexander the Greats
revolutionary tactics were not only ahead of his time but is the gold standard by which modern
military strategies are formed. His ability to adapt to changing landscapes and formations during
battle is what distinguishes him from the likes of Napoleon, Julius Caesar, Hannibal, and Cyrus
the Great.
Alexander completely transformed how battle was done. Until his ascension, warfare had
been all about a full-frontal assault, opposing sides hurling themselves against each other like
crashing ocean waves till the larger army was victorious. Alexander was the first leader to reveal
how superior strategy could allow an outnumbered army to overwhelm a much larger one
repeatedly (Bose, 5). His habit of scouting his enemies as well as their terrain allowed him to
formulate calculated maneuvers prior to battle. He implemented the military genius of his father,
Philip II, to its maximum potential, supplementing it with genius of his own. For instance,
Alexander was the one of the first to utilize cavalry as disruptive technology in battle (Bose, 10).
Every so often, he would direct the cavalry to a lighting charge across enemy lines to disorient
the enemy as well as redirect an ongoing cavalry maneuver.
Alexander believed that cavalry and infantry needed to act together in battle (Bose, 11).
This was reflected in his unique structuring of army ranks. While every opposing army placed
their cavalry front and center when marching into battle, Alexander centralized the Macedonian
phalanx, whose sarissas were not only deadly, but also long enough to deceive the opposition as
to the true number of troops and hide troop movements during battle. The Macedonian cavalry
flanked the army on both sides, along with archers. The long sarissas of the phalanx were

HIST 134

Nano-Historical Research Paper

Faisal Siddiqi

designed to slay opposing cavalry whereas the flanking Macedonian cavalry could overwhelm
the infantry when battle horns locked (Lonsdale, 35). This formation played a pivotal role in
Alexanders victory over Darius in the Battle of Guagamela, during which Alexander patiently
waited as his left flank withstood the charging infantry and the right flank held off the Persian
chariots. As the Persians advanced farther to the Greek flanks in their attack, Alexander gradually
filtered in his rearguard (Devine, 381). Any phalanx battalions he could withdraw during battle
gathered behind him, along with his Companions, and Alexander formed these into a giant
wedge, with him at the helm, as he led them into the weakened Persian center (Devine, 382)1.
This took out Darius royal guard the Greek mercenaries, leading to Darius fleeing. Eventually,
Darius was murdered by his own men. Many deem Darius death as the fall of the Persian
Empire, which can be attributed to Alexanders military brilliance (Devine, 383).
While the Battle of Guagamela is just one example of Alexanders ability to examine an
enemys weakness, strategize on the fly, and systematically dismantle an opposing army while
being severely outnumbered. The Macedonian king successfully campaigned for twelve years,
never losing a battle, displaying adroitness beyond his years, with all the tools of grand strategy,
against a range of worthy foes, an in a host of different geographical environments and forms of
warfare (Olsen, 15). This is the benchmark by which modern military tactics are weighed
against. Scouting, now commonly referred to as recon, is done by every military on the planet,
and the more successful army is always one who utilizes their environment to their advantage,
something Alexander always did. His astute grasp of coercion and his ability to perform rapid
operational maneuvers during battle is what set him apart, and the world may never see another
military mind again.

HIST 134

Nano-Historical Research Paper

Faisal Siddiqi

1 For more details on the strategic maneuvers utilized by both Darius and
Alexander, and how Alexander eventually overwhelmed Darius, please read A. M.
Devins journal article on the Battle of Guagamela in the Phoenix journal.