Memnon of Rhodes

Memnon of Rhodes was the one commander in Persian service who understood how to beat Alexander, and he died before he could. Born around 380 BC, he was a Greek mercenary captain from Rhodes who, with his brother Mentor, entered the service of the Persian satrap Artabazus and married his daughter Barsine. When Artabazus rebelled and failed, Memnon shared his exile in Macedonia — where he met Philip II's court and, quite possibly, the boy Alexander. Mentor was later restored to favour by recovering Egypt for Artaxerxes III, and Memnon returned with him. He held the coast of Asia Minor when Alexander crossed in 334 BC, and at the council before the Granicus he advised the Persian satraps not to fight. His proposal was to withdraw, burn the crops, destroy the towns and let the invader starve in a country that could not feed him, while the Persian fleet carried the war to Greece and Macedonia. The satraps refused, on the grounds that they would not burn their own provinces and would not be seen to run, and one is reported to have accused him of prolonging the war to keep his command. They were destroyed at the Granicus. Memnon then conducted the defence he could — holding Miletus and Halicarnassus through hard sieges, evacuating the garrison by sea, and taking Chios and most of Lesbos with the fleet, which threatened Alexander's communications and encouraged Sparta. He died of illness besieging Mytilene in 333 BC. Alexander's rear was never seriously troubled again.

• Lived: 380 BCE – 333 BCE
• Nationality: Greek
• Roles: general