04-11-2007, 12:43 AM
Although he was defeated at Issus and Gaugamela, I think that Darius III Codomannus deserves a place. He was a very brave man and a great organizer: take the cost of life in Babylon when he was mustering an army (the same as usual) and compare it to 323, when Alexander was there (prizes sky high). Or take the brilliance of his campaign in 331: Alexander behaved like a puppet and walked straight into the trap Darius had set at Gaugamela. Darius would have won, if the omens had been better; see my essay over here or the website here.
