In winter 334–333 Alexander conquered western Asia, conquering the hill tribes of Lycia and Pisidia. In spring, 333 he moved along the coastal road to Perga, passing the cliffs of Mt. Climax. The fall in the level of the sea was thought of as a mark of divine favor by the gods to Alexander., the historian Callisthenes took note of this. At Gordium in Phrygia, it is said while traveling through Asia minor, he cut the Gordian knot, which could only be loosened by the man who was to be king of all of Asia. During this time, Alexander was very fortunate from the sudden death of Memnon, the very smart Greek commander of the Persian fleet. From Gordium he traveled on to Ancyra (modern Ankara) and then south through Cappadocia and the Cilician Gates (modern Külek Boğazi). A fever held Alexander up for a little while. While this was happening, Darius III the great Persian commander and his Grand Army had advanced northward to the eastern side of Mt. Amanus. Intelligence on both sides was wrong, and Alexander was already set up by Myriandrus (near modern Iskenderun, Turkey) when he learned that Darius was near a town in Phyrgia called Issus, north of Alexander’s position (autumn 333). Instead, Alexander found Darius drawn up along the Pinarus River. In the battle that came after, Alexander won a impressive victory. The struggle turned into a Persian defeat and Darius ran away, leaving his family in Alexander’s hands; the women were treated with polite care. Darius offered Alexander half of his empire in exchange for his family, but Alexander declined and demanded a fight. Darius and Alexander later met in Egypt and Darius was killed. (Paul Roebuck)