Alexander watched twenty-five of his Companion Cavalry drown in the Granicus River before the real fighting even started. The Persians held the high bank—textbook defensive position—and Darius's generals actually argued about whether to burn the countryside or meet the Macedonians head-on. They chose battle. Mistake. Alexander lost maybe 115 men total. The Persians lost 20,000, plus every Greek mercenary fighting for Darius got slaughtered as traitors. And here's the thing: this wasn't the big showdown with Darius. That king wasn't even there. This was just the door to Asia, and Alexander kicked it open.
May 22, 334 BC
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