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o His solution was to stagger his forces at an angle on the left
and right sides of the phalanx so that they could face an enemy
encircling movement head on.o At a distance behind the main phalanx, he positioned a second
line made up of allies and mercenaries.o +LVIRUFHVZHUHDUUDQJHGVRWKDWLIWKH3HUVLDQVGLGRXWÀDQN
them and surround his army, it could form a hollow rectangle
with men facing outward in all directions.x As the battle began, Alexander led his cavalry to the right. Darius
ordered his cavalry to mirror Alexander’s movements, with the result
that the lines were stretched out and the center of gravity began to
shift away from the ground that Darius had so carefully prepared.x Darius therefore ordered his scythed chariots to charge, but the
Macedonian skirmishers and javeliners picked off the charioteers.
When the remainder reached the phalanx, the Macedonians opened
lanes for the chariots to pass harmlessly. As they slowed to turn,
lightly armed troops killed the rest of the charioteers.x Determined to contain Alexander’s sweep, Darius dispatched
more Persian cavalry to block him, and an intense cavalry battle
ensued. Meanwhile, on the left, the Macedonian phalanx was hard
pressed and in danger of losing contact with Alexander and the
Macedonian right.x A gap developed in the Macedonian line, into which a group of
Persian cavalry poured. Had they wheeled to the right and struck
the main phalanx from behind, they might well have broken the
phalanx and won the battle. But the Persian cavalry began looting
the Macedonian baggage train; thus, elements of the second line of
the Macedonian phalanx had time to confront and contain them.x Meanwhile, Alexander had decided to take advantage of the parallel
stretching of the Persian lines, and he now led a bold charge, cutting