The Ascension of Alexander the Great Part 4

After the Battle of Issus Alexander conquered the bread basket of the Persian Empire (Egypt). Founding the city of Alexandria, and one of the Wonders of the Ancient World (the lighthouse of Alexandria, or the Pharos as it was known). While in Egypt Alexander got his first taste of what it was like to be worshiped and acknowledged as a god.

After receiving some miraculously huge and clear salt crystals Alexander visits the Oracle of Zeus-Ammon in the Siwa Oasis receiving either acknowledgement of his divinity or possibly humoring an Egyptian not quite fluent in Greek language.

Two years after Issus Alexander leaves Egypt to continue his conquest of Persia besting Darius III again in battle, this time at Gaugamela before enjoying a moment in one of the greatest cities of antiquity (Babylon) and exploring a strange and mysterious liquid to Greeks that can catch fire which the Babylonians have knowledge of.

Finally Alexander continues his hot pursuit of Darius III eager to put the nail in the coffin on the Persian Empire and pauses long enough at one of the great Persian palaces at Persepolis to inexpliciably burn it to the ground before chasing down Darius and crushing the last of the Persian Empire resistance in the form of Besus. We pause for a moment to explore the complex memories of Alexander's legacy to Persians as both destroyer and enlightened king through the Persian epic poem the Shahnameh.

We're ripe for one final episode exploring Alexander's conquests in Asia and finally his death and legacy

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