Persepolis

I woke up this morning and realized I have been travelling alongside Alexander III for just over 4 years now. We finally arrived in Persepolis today and the men are still strong, and moral is high. Their invasion of the Achaemenid Persian empire has been going well. There have been incredible battles along the way including famous ones at Granicus River, Halicarnassus, Tyre, and Persian Gates to name a few. I cannot predict the future but considering this to be his first campaign we are making amazing progress. If this is a sign of what’s to come, I think he is destined for greatness.

Persepolis is the ancient capital of the Persian Empire and was founded by Darius I in 515 BC. It is a beautiful city and is a testament to the vast power of the Persians Kings. The complex of Persepolis is set on top of a platform surrounded by walls and is made up of multiple areas for ceremonies and receptions for the Persian Kings. This is the main area for the government proceedings to occur and a show place for festivals and important events.

The importance of the day cannot be understated, and I am

excited as I just watched Alexander and his troops take over Persepolis. The significance of this is that this city is considered the center of Persian power and watching Alexander and his troops conquer it is symbolic of the eventual defeat of the Persians. Not only did the Macedonians conquer the city, but they also burned the city down starting with King Xerxes’ Palace. When I speak with some of the soldiers, they tell me that they burned down Persepolis as revenge for the Persians burning the Acropolis of Athens during the second Persian invasion of Greece.

All this death and revenge has gotten to me and I realize now that Alexander’s brutality and ruthlessness have me more down than I would have expected. In addition, I have been following along Alexander the Great for several years now and I am tired and my feet hurt. I think I am going to sign off for now. I figure taking over Persepolis and essentially the Persian empire is a good place for me to leave the conquest. It’s been an incredible journey that I won’t forget.