Histories of the Kings of Kings, by Ananda Arslan
The Later Achaemenids
...The relatively brief eight-year reign of Artaxerxes IV left a rather disproportionately large mark on the history of the Persian Empire and the people outside its borders as well. Starting in a mess of bloody political intrigue, Artaxerxes (also known by his birth name Arsham) was able to stabilize the empire with the help of his advisers and allies in the court. From there he initiated reforms all across the empire, mostly aimed at renovating the degraded status of the Persian army at this time. The success of these reforms became quite evident when the greatest Hellenic incursion into Asia was decisively crushed by Artaxerxes at the Battle of Arbela, albeit not before some drastic defeats in Anatolia.
Nevertheless, the looming threat from the west was quashed and Artaxerxes was free to continue reforms of his empire aimed at further advancing infrastructure and even repairing the great temples of Babylon, which won him even more popularity. However, all these successes must have gone to his head as Artaxerxes then personally led an expedition aimed at stopping some rather minor incursions by the Saka nomads in the northeast, particularly against the Saka Tigraxauda and Ma-Saka who had famously slain the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, Cyrus the Great. The campaign was ultimately futile, with little accomplished but the untimely death of the young monarch at the hands of some archers lying in ambush, one of whom, widely believed to be the one whose arrow actually killed the king, having escaped the clutches of the vengeful Persians.
And so it was among this climate of reform amid border clashes that a new king rose to power. The most important supporter of Artaxerxes was the general Artashata, who had been his royal vizier and perhaps the instigator of many of his achievements, having been the commanding general at Arbela as well. Artashata also had a claim to the throne himself, being descended from the king Darius II, and was in the position of being the most powerful man in the empire. So few were surprised that he ultimately did claim the throne itself. But this did not pass without contention, and it's rumored that Artaxerxes had some male children who mysteriously disappeared shortly after his death. However, this has never been proven.
Thus it was that with the fires of Artaxerxes IV put out, Artashata arrived at Parsa and on the first festival of Mithra since the late king's death, he ascended the throne and took on the name Darius III in honor of his ancestor. He lit a new royal fire that would not be put out until his own death, and went to the shrine of Anahita to receive the robe of Cyrus, and had the ritual meal of a fig cake, turpentine wood to chew on, and a cup of sacred haoma to drink. Blessed by the magi, Darius then took on the red royal robe lined with white and blue which represented the three classes of Airyanam's society, and finally the crown itself. Now he was fully investitures as the King of Kings, and received gifts from every satrapy, every corner of the empire, and even dignitaries from beyond came bringing congratulatory messages and token gifts from places like Magadha, Carthage, and even Athens, where people were still grateful for his assistance in clearing the Macedonians out of Attica.
But there were still wars to be fought, and shortly after settling things in the capital and Babylon, Darius III took his retainers and moved northeast to command the army once more. He dismissed some of the exhausted national contingents, such as the Egyptians whose leader Sematawytefnakht had been awarded with new titles back in his homeland. He reformed the forces to contain more eastern Iranian forces used to this kind of fighting, as well as the reformed battalions of Persian and Mede kardakas, veterans of the Makedonian War with their better equipment and training. He even raised a Hellenic force that was to be led by his secretary Eumenes, who had previously served under Alexander. The soldiers under the command of Eumenes included not only Hellenes who had fought under Memnon against Alexander, but also Makedonians and Hellenes who had been in Alexander's army fighting against Persians before deciding to remain in country upon Alexander's defeat. According to Eumenes' own journals, there were a few minor incidents and problems at first but the former enemies quickly got together quite well.
Also under the command of Darius were the generals Bessus and Spitamana, Mazaeus having been left in command at Babylon for the time being. Bessus was the satrap of Baktria, and so of course necessary to have around being the ruler of the province under attack by the Saka. Spitamana was a vassal of his, the ruler of the adjoining province of Sogdia, and known for being as devout a follower of Zarathustra as any magi and a scholar of the sacred texts and hymns. He was also, being a Sogdian, very familiar with the ways of the Saka who lived side by side with his people and some of whom were still allied to them. With this diverse and experienced army gathered together, Darius III prepared to end the raids of these Saka tribes decisively once and for all.
-Persian kardaka and cavalryman under Darius III, and Persian arms and armor showing Hellenic and Saka influence-
When moving his armies to Baktria, Darius saw a golden opportunity for something besides war as well. The Persian Empire had as of late focused itself in the western regions, particularly in Babylon as the heart of the empire, but leaving the homeland of their eastern kin more or less ignored. Darius sought to amend this by improving infrastructure in the rugged provinces of Baktrish, Suguda, Zranka, Hairava and so on. And the presence of the army greatly aided these efforts, with money pouring into the cities like Zariaspa, Maracanda, Artacoana, and Kurushkatha. In this region were many mountain tribes who barely recognized the nominal authority of the Shahanshah, living as they'd done for centuries before the coming of Cyrus.
In bringing more wealth and regular trade to these isolated areas, Darius sought to negate the risk of more conflicts with the tribes of these regions, and in this he largely succeeded. But doing so also aroused the jealously of the satrap Bessus, ill-feelings which would manifest themselves many long years later.
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-Hieronymous of Kardia-
By the time the news of the Persian king's death had reached Athens the situation in Makedonia and Hellas had changed dramatically since the start of the war. The Makedonians in the Peloponnese were driven away, their leader Corragos having been beheaded by the Spartans in a vicious battle that saw Sparta's strength drained badly. Phokion had better luck, the army meant to reinforce Antigonos was badly delayed by ill-weather and by Thessalians harassing them on their long march to Lamia, and by the time they arrived the fleet had been vanquished in battle by Athens and Alexander was already marching on Pella again with his Makedonian allies with him and an army trained in their way of war. Seeing the prospects at Lamia were foreboding and not worth the risk, Antipater hastily doubled back home leaving Antigonos to fend for himself. Lamia was soon taken by the Athenians, although Leosthenes was grievously wounded in the fight, leaving Phokion in sole-command for the time being. Antigonos the One-Eyed for his part was unable to escape the city and killed by Athenian forces rather than surrendering.
With Demosthenes and the majority of the Assembly still backing him, Phokion moved further into Boeotia, where the Boeotians had likewise been abandoned by their Makedonian overlords and ill-prepared to face the might and skill of Phokion's army. After a brief and triumphant campaign, the decision was made to reestablish Thebes as the leading city of Boeotia, albeit as a puppet since it would never be restored to its state prior to Alexander's razing of the city. The rebelling Thessalians now chose a new archon to lead their tetrarchies, allying themselves with Athens and establishing their new independence from Makedon. The safety of Attica achieved and dominance reclaimed over this part of Hellas, the Athenians decided their role in this war was as good as done, with at best only token support continuing to be given to Alexander of Molossia in his fight for the throne.
Alexander for his part was not entirely discomfited with the Athenians' cessation of war against Makedon. They had done their part and he was confident in his own force's strength despite his devastating defeat in the mountains. He had mostly just lost green recruits from Epirus and Illyria, but now he had an even larger army of Makedonian veterans of Alexander's wars as well as Paeonian warriors and pirates from Illyria. Antipater, thinking he had given Alexander a crushing blow, failed to see this in time which allowed to him to cross the Pindos mountains more or less unmolested unlike before. After crossing the mountains he was joined by the Thessalians whose famous cavalry would prove useful. Antipater, realizing his mistake, moved his army back with lightning speed, reaching home before Alexander could march into Pella.
Alexander, not yet ready to engage in open battle on ground of Antipater's choosing, decided to move north to secure more allies and maneuver around his enemy's army. The war was now taken into the region of Paeonia, where an army under Zopyrian attacked Alexander and was soundly defeated, with many of the Thracians under Zopyrion's command being cruelly executed by Epirotes and Molossians seeking vengeance for their earlier defeat in the Pindos. This gave them an even more savage reputation, with the Makedonians whispering about their enemies loosing bloodthirsty hounds on their wounded and fleeing comrades. The campaign in Paeonia became a series of short but brutal skirmishes after the defeat of Zopyrion, until eventually Alexander was in a position to finally march on Pella from the north, with no more mountains in his way, forcing Antipater to fight him on more even ground.