Fall of the Achaemenid Empire

[The Great Persian Empire]

So, how in your opinion the Persian Empire lost the war against Greek Macedonians (I say "Greek" cause let's face it, the other "Macedonians" are just a hoax)? What were the main factors that leaded to the fall of this great empire in to the hands of an extremely capable leader? I am asking this cause his army were in primitive numbers against the vast Persian Army. However he managed to bring down Persia. I would appreciate your responses and further talk.

[The Kadeshi Alliance]

Because mass conscript infantry is basically terrible.

[Noobubersland]

Because mass conscript Slave infantry is basically terrible.

Fix'd

[The Great Persian Empire]

Because mass conscript Slave infantry is basically terrible.

Fix'd

Well that's where you are wrong. The practice of slavery in Achaemenid Persia was generally banned( although there is evidence that conquered and/or rebellious armies were sold into captivity).

[Galborg]

extremely capable leader??? Where did you hear that?

Persia had been a plum ripe for plucking for 70 years. Persia only survived because Greek patriotic Front split from Patriotic front for Greece.

480 BC the entire might of Asia marched against one tiny village of indomitable Gauls. battles of Salamis and Plataea, Persians haves their asses handed to them on a silver platter.

480 - 440 Greece unites and frees the Ionian coast.

430 - 400 Peloponnesian War: Greeks fight each other, Persia grabs bit of Greece.

401 Battle of Cunaxa, Cyrus the Younger marched 10,000 Greek Mercenaries to Babylon and only lost the War by happenstance.
Persia was weak and fell as soon as Greece was united.

Because mass conscript infantry is basically terrible.

Alexander's conscript army was terrible to the Persians.

[Bergnovinaia]

So, how in your opinion the Persian Empire lost the war against Greek Macedonians (I say "Greek" cause let's face it, the other "Macedonians" are just a hoax)? What were the main factors that leaded to the fall of this great empire in to the hands of an extremely capable leader? I am asking this cause his army were in primitive numbers against the vast Persian Army. However he managed to bring down Persia. I would appreciate your responses and further talk.

The OP makes no sense... probably because the sentences make no grammatical sense in English. "He" is referring to Alexander the Great, yes? Which "great empire" are you referring too...? Alexander's or Persia? This needs to be elaborated on to promote discussion.

[The Kadeshi Alliance]

Because mass conscript Slave infantry is basically terrible.

Fix'd

It's not quite fair to say that. Most Persian soldiers would have been provided to them by the provinces as a form of tax. It's not clear what their status was, they may have been slaves or otherwise indentured, but we don't know that for sure.

And one should always be a tad skeptical when one's source is the Greeks. They often conflate freedom with being Greek even when it is ridiculous to do so (in what sense is a boy inducted into a military that will rule every aspect of his life until the age of 60 free?)

[The Kadeshi Alliance]

Fix'd

Well that's where you are wrong. The practice of slavery in Achaemenid Persia was generally banned( although there is evidence that conquered and/or rebellious armies were sold into captivity).

Source?

[The Great Persian Empire]

The OP makes no sense... probably because the sentences make no grammatical sense in English. "He" is referring to Alexander the Great, yes? Which "great empire" are you referring too...? Alexander's or Persia? This needs to be elaborated on to promote discussion.

I am refering to the Achaimenid Empire as I mention in the title.

And yes, "he" refers to Alexander.

[The Great Persian Empire]

Well that's where you are wrong. The practice of slavery in Achaemenid Persia was generally banned( although there is evidence that conquered and/or rebellious armies were sold into captivity).

Source?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achaemenid_Empire#Culture the most obvious

"The Neo-Babylonian Text from the Persepolis Fortification," by Matthew W. Stolper. Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 43, No. 4. (Oct., 1984), pp. 299-310.
Here is one of the relevant passages from Persepolis:
Bel-iddin has received from Marduk-belSunu that silver, two minas and twenty-five shekels, the price of his slave. ("1-5) Bel-iddin assumes guaranty against suits (brought by) improper or proper claimants (to the slave) (and against suits claiming) the status of king's servant, free citizen, temple oblate, (or).... (for the slave).

Slavery was forbidden in Persia by Kurus the Great

[Farnhamia]

It may something to do with the fact that "Cyrus was the father, Cambyses was a master, and Darius was a shopkeeper." A weak ruler at the wrong time can prove the undoing of great kingdoms.

[Ankoku Satsui no Hadou Samurai]

Stagnation, I would believe.

[The Kadeshi Alliance]

Source?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achaemenid_Empire#Culture the most obvious

"The Neo-Babylonian Text from the Persepolis Fortification," by Matthew W. Stolper. Journal of Near Eastern Studies, Vol. 43, No. 4. (Oct., 1984), pp. 299-310.
Here is one of the relevant passages from Persepolis:
Bel-iddin has received from Marduk-belSunu that silver, two minas and twenty-five shekels, the price of his slave. ("1-5) Bel-iddin assumes guaranty against suits (brought by) improper or proper claimants (to the slave) (and against suits claiming) the status of king's servant, free citizen, temple oblate, (or).... (for the slave).

Slavery was forbidden in Persia by Kurus the Great

I'm almost positive that what you just quoted does not actually match your accounting of it.

[Trotskylvania]

The main factor was Alexander's extraordinarily good luck, and Darius III's lack of experience and stupidity.

[Pingxiang]

The Persians were too sure of themselves. They had money and a huge army so what could stand in their way. So they tended to underestimate the Macedonias/Greeks. In war you can never underestimate the enemy. Also, the Macedonian spears worked wonders.

First Philip improved his army. He armed his men with very long spears and taught them to form themselves in bodies sixteen ranks deep. When the Macedonians leveled their long spears and advanced upon the enemy with steady step they bore down all before them, for none could break through the bristling line of spear points.

How impossible it seemed that he should destroy the great Persian Empire which stretched thousands of miles on every side, and had millions of inhabitants! Yet he and other wise Greeks knew that Persia was not really so strong as it appeared. Oniy the Persian king and a few of his nobles had any real power. The nations which they ruled had nothing to say in their own affairs, and eared little whether they were governed by Persia or by some other nation. Wonderful were the achievements of the young Macedonian king. The Persian armies went down like paper before the long spears of his well-drilled soldiers. Odds of ten to one made no difference

[Trollgaard]

So, how in your opinion the Persian Empire lost the war against Greek Macedonians (I say "Greek" cause let's face it, the other "Macedonians" are just a hoax)? What were the main factors that leaded to the fall of this great empire in to the hands of an extremely capable leader? I am asking this cause his army were in primitive numbers against the vast Persian Army. However he managed to bring down Persia. I would appreciate your responses and further talk.

The Persians were basically lost because they had inferior generals to Alexander, and did not have troops that could stand up to the Macedonian phalanx. The Persians had great cavalry, which was just about useless against the phalanx to the front. Persian infantry was numerous, and very brave (some, anyway), but again, could not stand against the phalanx. Alexander had a well trained, and fairly well experienced army, that was well rounded. He used his inferior numbers well, and crushed the Persians in 3 major battles. The Persians did come close to winning at Gaugemala, by outflanking Alexander's left flank, but it came to nothing as Alexander returned to the field after chasing away Darius.

So basically the Persian military and leadership could not stand against the Macedonian military under Alexander.

[Helghan Nationalsocialist Party]

I agree with the statement above, but I have to say that I don't understand why the people in satrapies welcomed Macedonians more than Persians? Persians were very tolerent to their subjunctives.

[The Kadeshi Alliance]

I agree with the statement above, but I have to say that I don't understand why the people in satrapies welcomed Macedonians more than Persians? Persians were very tolerent to their subjunctives.

Keep in mind that most of our sources on this subject are Greek.

[Helghan Nationalsocialist Party]

Yes you are right. If the Persians managed to keep a multi-cultural state like this for so many dacades, I say they were very effective in it. So they couldn't had, suddenly, lost control.

[Trotskylvania]

Yes you are right. If the Persians managed to keep a multi-cultural state like this for so many dacades, I say they were very effective in it. So they couldn't had, suddenly, lost control.

It was more likely that the satraps themselves, and the aristocrats therein decided to turncoat and get a better deal from Alexander.

[Helghan Nationalsocialist Party]

I agree with you.