WI: Alexander Refuses to turn back?

We know that despite his wanting to expand seemingly forever, Alexander the Great was forced to turn back when his armies threatened to mutiny. Let's postulate that if Alexander refused (he was drunk and pretty strange much of the time) what would happen next? Would he be overthrown? Would the empire collapsed? Would the Persians revolt?
 

jahenders

Banned
Hard to say exactly how that'd play out, but it'd be bad.

If he pushed on, he'd probably start to see desertions and dissension. When they got back home, those deserters would probably spread dissent there. As Alexander continued on, he'd have more supply issues, which would increase dissent. Then a lot would depend on how his weakened army fared in its next battle. If he won, he could argue that proved he was right all along. If he lost, it could be seen as evidence of his madness and potentially spark revolution on some scale.

We know that despite his wanting to expand seemingly forever, Alexander the Great was forced to turn back when his armies threatened to mutiny. Let's postulate that if Alexander refused (he was drunk and pretty strange much of the time) what would happen next? Would he be overthrown? Would the empire collapsed? Would the Persians revolt?
 
Army revolts and kills Alexander. We might see earlier and bloodier collapse of Alexandrian Empire.
 
Huh. I'd say that the rank and file would generally turn home regardless. A lot of the lesser officers would probably lead that movement. You might well see a similar cavalry/infantry divide as during the time after Alexander's death. Only more tense because it's mid-campaign when you can't afford for that to happen.
 
He'd be defeated. Porus was the commander who came closest to beating Alexander. The victory was a costly one for the Macedonians, and this was merely from a second-rate king in India. Considering the fact that the Nada Empire he would have faced had he gone further East was reputed by Plutarch (albeit, in the usual exaggerated style) to have 6,000 war elephants alone it its disposal, I really don't see Alexander managing to pull off a victory here. It is best for his reputation that he turned back when he did.
 
Alexander is killed. His two children and wives are turned into pawns and Alexander's officers withdraw from the region, plotting against each other. You have the factor of Hephaestion not being dead yet but something tells me he'll meet his demise soon after his best friend/lover is dead.

So pretty much like OTL, except a lot sooner. You might even have the Persians revolt and take back the satrapies east of Babylon from the Macedonians.
 
You really think he would be killed? I mean beyond what amounts to an assassination I don't see it. Alexander still had a strong force of will to get his men to follow him that far. The only way I can see him dying is if he carries on while most of his army doesn't - which seems tricky to do because he's not an idiot - or if he tries to purge whoever led the mutiny.
 
He advances into India, but is ultimately defeated and killed in battle against the Indians, his army already weakened by desertion and overstretched supplies. His empire is divided between his commanders as in OTL, and he is remembered by history not as Alexander the Great, but Alexander the Proud, and serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and hubris.
 
He drinks himself to death after a short and amusing exile as a renowned curiosity at the Nanda court, where he lands after having continued into India... alone. :D
 
He advances into India, but is ultimately defeated and killed in battle against the Indians, his army already weakened by desertion and overstretched supplies. His empire is divided between his commanders as in OTL, and he is remembered by history not as Alexander the Great, but Alexander the Proud, and serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and hubris.

Kinda like Napoleon IOTL
 
Kinda like Napoleon IOTL

Subsequently ITTL, Napoleon, learning from the wisdom of the ancients and Alexander's mistakes, takes a more cautious approach to invading Russia, and is now remembered as the man who crushed the monarchies of Europe, united the continent under his rule, and established the Napoleonic Age.
 

GdwnsnHo

Banned
Subsequently ITTL, Napoleon, learning from the wisdom of the ancients and Alexander's mistakes, takes a more cautious approach to invading Russia, and is now remembered as the man who crushed the monarchies of Europe, united the continent under his rule, and established the Napoleonic Age.

So many dead butterflies! :eek:
 
Can someone explain that "infantry/cavalry" divide mentioned earlier?

Post Alexander's death the Companions / cavalry leaders favoured Roxanne and her unborn child (hopefully male).

One of the infantry commanders (Meleager) favoured Alexander's half-brother as heir
 
He'd be defeated. Porus was the commander who came closest to beating Alexander. The victory was a costly one for the Macedonians, and this was merely from a second-rate king in India. Considering the fact that the Nada Empire he would have faced had he gone further East was reputed by Plutarch (albeit, in the usual exaggerated style) to have 6,000 war elephants alone it its disposal, I really don't see Alexander managing to pull off a victory here. It is best for his reputation that he turned back when he did.

I'm not so sure he'd lose in battle. Menander was able to have success in India and he wasn't what you would call swimming in troops. Alexander would have to turn back, his troops wouldn't be able to take much more, but if Menander could successfully penetrate India, I'm sure Alexander can win another battle or two.
 
Can someone explain that "infantry/cavalry" divide mentioned earlier?

The cavalry and infantry always looked down on each other. Their relative social standings probably having something to do with it-the cavalry were obviously from the upper class, having the wealth to buy a horse, where as the infantry were mostly peasant farmers or hillmen. There was also both sides thinking they had the more important role in the army.

In any case, this led to a lot of disputes. So whereas the cavalry and Alexander's bodyguards favored whatever child Roxanne had for succession, the infantry, after being inflamed into anger by Meleager (who himself had a bone to pick, being one of the few original officers from the initial invasion of Persia to not be promoted to a cavalry officer), favored Alexander's half brother Arrhidaius (subsequently Philip IV). It actually resulted in a full scale mutiny in Babylon, where the infantry kicked the cavalry out of the city. The cavalry subsequently tried to starve them out, until Eumenes brokered a compromise and then during a festival Perdiccas had Meleager die in an "accident" by being stampeded by the elephants.
 
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