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ALEXANDER AT THEBES (ARRIAN) A number of political exiles had returned to Thebes when they had heard of Philips death

and they incited the city to rebel against Alexander. They spread the rumour that Alexander had died in Illyria. Alexander heard of this uprising and he marched south to Boeotia in 13 days across several mountain ranges. By the time the Thebans knew he was alive he was only six miles away. He halted at the outskirts of the city and gave the Thebans time to consider what to do. Far from dealing with him, they sent out a force of cavalry and light infantry to attack the Macedonians. He repelled this attack and moved around to the gates of the city leading to Attica. He still did not attack and seems to have hoped to end the problem without full hostilities. Many within the city wanted to deal with Alexander and hope for his clemency but the exiles and their supporters would not consider it. The assault was begun by one of Alexanders generals Perdiccas, who attacked the palisade and breached it (perhaps on his own initiative)and was wounded. Then Alexander ordered a general attack which was successful at first but then the Thebans turned on them with full force and to great effect. Alexander rallied his men to counter-atttack and routed the Thebans inside the gates. There was such panic that the gates were left open and the Macedonians flooded in to the city slaughtering all around them. This was a shocking defeat due to the violence of the action, the size and importance of the city and the unexpectedness of the event. Arrian compares it to the Sicilian Expedition (a disaster for the Athenians in the Peloponnesian War), but, he adds, at least that took place far from home. This brought to the Greeks a thrill of horror. He says it happened so suddenly, in such an unplanned way and with such slaughter that many put it down to the wrath of god. Some believed that it was a long due punishment for Thebes for its treachery in the Persian Wars. Alexander formally left it to his allies to settle the fate of Thebes which was razed to the ground. But it has to have been his own responsibility to let it happen. It most likely served as a very useful warning to any other Greek city planning to rebel against his leadership. He did leave the house of Pindar (a poet he admired) standing and he spared his family and some others. The Athenians were thrown into a state of panic by this as they had supported the revolt and indeed some of them had aided the Thebans. They sent representatives to grovel to Alexander and to assure him of their loyalty. As with his father after the Battle of Chaeronea, Alexander, though so harsh on the Thebans, let the Athenians off lightly.

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