I, Sestos, report on the battle that took place at the Granicus River. As a scribe bonded to one of the captains of the supply wagons of Thrace, I witnessed the battle from the side of the Greeks and Macedonians. The upstart king, young Alexander, thought to subdue the Persian empire, and was met at a shallow river called the Granicus. Alexander's army was weighted toward the right with cavalry and light troops, and his heavier spearmen were in the center. The Persian satraps arrayed their cavalry at the banks of the river, but they seemed to have difficulty bringing their light foot troops forward.

Parmenio began the battle by displaying his leadership skills and moving the Greek spearmen into the river. Some Greek light spearmen chased off Persian cavalry, and crossed the river alone. The danger to the spearmen was soon obvious, when the Persian medium cavalry charged and decimated the unsupported spearmen.

On the Greek right, Alexander began to move his light troops forward. The Persian light horsemen chose to fight at the river, and were destroyed in the exchange of blows. The Persians again tried to stop Alexander at the river, but Alexander's only losses were to the vaunted Companion cavalry, who could not avoid the Persian arrows. Alexander pushed his right across the river and began to form a line. For much of this time, the Persian satraps seemed confused and evidenced no real plan.

Suddenly, there was a great commotion in the Persian center, and through the dust the Persian medium cavalry crashed into the Companions and Macedonian light troops. Alexander, and what was left of the Companions and light troops were routed back to the river. Not finished, the brave Persian horsemen turned and roared through Macedonian medium spearmen as a lion rushes through sheep.

Alexander's army began to run back across the river. At that moment brave Parmenio commanded the Greek spearmen forward into the center of the Persian line. The Persian satraps seemed to try and consolidate their line, but again seemed to have no plan. For some time, the Greek spearmen pushed forward, but soon all but the most heavily armored Greeks fell away. And while the Persians suffered heavy losses, their banners were not taken. After much fighting, the Greek heavy spearmen seemed to have run out of strength, though none dared to do battle with them.

While the Greek spearmen exhausted themselves, the Persian medium spearmen and brave medium cavalry began to cross the river. The Persians first destroyed the Macedonian bowmen who had caused them much injury. Then, the Persian satrap Spithridates raised his axe and shouted, "I am Spithridates!" Hearing this, the brave Persian medium horsemen charged and swept away the Companions and all of the Macedioians that fled before them, capturing banner after banner.

Soon Persian horsemen were upon us. Seeing that I was not a fighter, but a bonded man of words and numbers, I was spared by a wise officer, who bid me perform the same duties I performed for my Thracian captain. I learned that Alexander had managed to flee the field with three Persian banners, while the Persians took six in return. The Persians have taken to mockingly calling Alexander "the Great," and they wonder aloud if the boy king will try to renew his "conquest."