É. Apor (ed.): Stein, Aurel: Old Routes of Western Iran. (Budapest Oriental Reprints, Ser. B 2.)
Chapter I.—In Westernmost Färs
Sec. v] K ÖTAL-I-SANGAR TO B ÄSHT 41 Alexander's march from Susa towards the Persian Gates. As Arrian tells us (Anabasis, hi. xvii.) : 2 " Leaving Susa and crossing the river Pasitigres, Alexander invaded the land of the Uxians. Of these some, who dwelt in the plain lands, had obeyed the Persian satrap, and now surrendered to Alexander ; but the Uxian hillmen, as they are called, had not owned allegiance to the Persians, and on this occasion sent to Alexander and stated that they would on no other terms permit him to páss that way towards the Persians with his army unless they should receive what they usually received from the, Persian king whenever he made a progress that way. Alexander sent them away, bidding them come to the pass ; which, while they held it, made them feel that the way through into Persia was in their hands, there to receive the accustomed payment from himself also. " Then he, taking with him the royal bodyguards, and the Hyp? aspists, and some eight thousand of the rest of the army, during the night marched by another than the obvious road, being guided by the Susians. Then passing along a rough and difficult path in one day, he fell upon the Uxian villages, captured a great deal of plunder, and slew many of them, being yet in their beds ; the rest escaped to the hills. Then he marched quickly to the pass where the Uxians were likely to oppose him in full force, in order to exact the customary toll. But he sent Craterus even farther in advance, to seize the heights, whither he imagined the Uxians, if forced away, would retreat. But he himself came on at full speed and getting first to the pass secured it, and with his men in due battle order he led them from a commanding position to' attack the barbarians. They, however, astounded at Alexander's swiftness, and overmastered at the very position in which they had chiefly put their trust, fled without so much as coming to close quarters. Some of them fell by Alexander's troops in the flight, and many also on the way, which was precipitous. The greater 2 The translation here given is the one in ' Arrian with an English translation by E. I. Robson ' (Loeb Classical Series, 1929), with a few slight modifications suggested by the context.
