He [Alexander] crossed the Dalaman River, captured a town – still unidentified – called Hyparna, and reached the coast at Telmessus. This town fell to him without any trouble; both Nearchus the Cretan and Aristander, his personal seer, had friends there. One of these met Nearchus, and asked how he could best help him.
Nearchus sent a group of dancing-girls and their slave-attendants up into the acropolis, as a present for the Persian garrison-commander. They had daggers hidden in their flutes, and small shields in their baskets. After dinner, when the wine had circulated freely, they proceeded to massacre their hosts, and the acropolis fell without further trouble.
Author’s Note:
A similar ruse had been employed by the democratic exiles who recaptured Thebes in 379: see Xen. Hell. 5.4.1-5.
Source:
Green, Peter. “The Road to Issus.” Alexander of Macedon: 356-323 B.C.: A Historical Biography. Univ. of California Press, 2005. 201. Print.
Original Source(s) Listed:
Polyaenus 5.35.
Arrian 3.6.6.
Further Reading:
Αρίστανδρος ο Τελμησσεύς (Aristander of Telmessos)
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