ague condemn Thebes to be razed to the ground and then implemented that decision with moderation. He especially treated Athens leniently because he knew he would need its fleet to counter the large Persian naval threat.
In 334 Alexander crossed the Hellespont with a relatively small force, approximately 43,000 infantry, 12,000 of whom were Macedonians and the rest Greeks, and 6,000 cavalry, 1,800 Macedonian (Maihafer 63). At a Persian council of war, Memnon, the wiliest commander, who was from Rhodes, argued that the Persians should retreat and let Alexander's small force outrun its supplies. Other Persians satraps argued that Alexander's small force could be stopped at the Granicus River where makeshift defenses were improvised. When Alexander arrived at the scene and saw their weaknesses, he overrode the advice of his senior general Parmenio to rest and wait overnight and ordered an immediate attack. Alexander led the charge by his elite Companion Calvary on his right
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