s to take possession of the city
immediately after the battle of Arbela. It was surrendered without a
blow by the satrap Abulites. The treasure found there amounted to
40,000 talents in gold and silver bullion, and 9000 in gold Darics.
But among all these riches the interest of the Greeks must have been
excited in a lively manner by the discovery of the spoils carried off
from Greece by Xerxes. Among them were the bronze statues of Harmodius
and Aristogiton, which Alexander now sent back to Athens, and which
were long afterwards preserved in the Ceramicus.

At Susa Alexander received reinforcements of about 15,000 men from
Greece. He then directed his march south-eastwards towards Persepolis.
His road lay through the mountainous territory of the Uxians, who
refused him a passage unless he paid the usual tribute which they were
in the habit of extorting even from the Persian kings. But Alexander
routed them with great slaughter. He then advanced rapidly to
Persepolis, whose magnificent ruins still attest its ancient splendour.
It was the real capital of the Persian kings, though they generally
resided at Susa during the winter, and at Ecbatana in summer. The
treasure found there exceeded that both of Babylon and Susa, and is
said to have amounted to 120,000 talents or nearly 30,000,000l.
sterling. It was here that Alexander is related to have committed an
act of senseless folly, by firing with his own hand the ancient and
magnificent palace of the Persian kings; of which the most charitable
version is that he committed the act when heated with wine at the
instigation of Thais, an Athenian courtezan. By some writers, however,
the story is altogether disbelieved, and the real destruction of
Persepolis referred to the Mahommedan epoch. Whilst at Persepolis,
Alexander visited the tomb of Cyrus, the founder of the Persian
monarchy, which was situated at a little distance, at a city called
Pasargadae.

Thus in between three and four years after crossing the Hellespont
Alexander had established himself on the Persian throne. But Darius
was not yet in his power. After the battle of Arbela that monarch had
fled to Ecbatana. It was not till about four months after the battle
of Arbela, and consequently early in 330, that Alexander quitted
Persepolis to resume the pursuit of Darius. On approaching Ecbatana he
learned that the Persian monarch had already fled with the little army
which still adhered to him. Alexander,