This is Istanbul in modern Turkey, to the West lies Europe, to the East Asia, stretching all the way to India and China. In 334BC Alexander, King of the tiny Greek Kingdom of Macedon, crossed this neck of water and headed East into the mighty Persian empire ruled by Darius III. Both Alexander and Darius had one ambition, to rule the known world. In the war that followed the winner would take all, the decisive battle was fought 3 years later on 1st October 334BC, on the dusty plain of Gaugamela.
