It is estimated that Alexander the Great and his army marched a total of approximately 22,000 miles during their eleven-year (334 to 323 B.C.E) expedition, walking from Macedonia to northwest India and then back to Babylon. On this long journey, the army did not maintain a completely regular speed of advance. The general and his soldiers did not march or fight a battle every day, and at intervals they stayed in the same place for long periods to rest and to acquire food. They also had to cross terrain of varying kinds, from flat plains to sandy deserts to wide rivers to steep mountains. Finally, sometimes they could proceed at a moderate pace, while in other circumstances they had to move as fast as possible to confront a looming enemy threat. Under non-stressful conditions—walking along a reasonably passable route and not facing an imminent attack—the force of tens of thousands of troops and pack animals could average about fifteen miles a day.

Planning for and obtaining the supplies, above all food and water, necessary to support Alexander’s army were constant preoccupations. The amounts needed to keep the men and animals alive were immense. It seems that an average-sized soldier required about three pounds of grain (or the equivalent nutrition from other food sources) and two quarts of water (a bit more than four pounds) every day just to stay alive. The horses and mules that carried much of the army’s equipment and provisions needed even more, perhaps ten pounds of feed and eight gallons of water daily each. Based on a calculation of a total force of some 65,000 personnel and 15,000 animals, one estimate is that the total weight of the food and water consumed per day would have reached more than 2 million pounds (or 1000 tons). That equals approximately the weight of 500 full-sized modern automobiles (at 4000 pounds each) or 11.5 fully loaded Boeing 737 airplanes (at 174,000 pounds maximum takeoff weight each). The men and animals had the strength to carry only enough provisions to keep them alive for about four days before they had to find a resupply or die. That Alexander was able to organize successful logistics for such a prolonged military expedition on such a gigantic scale while relying on ancient technology for foraging and transportation remains one of his greatest accomplishments.

Question to Consider

What sort of planning and what actions might Alexander have undertaken to provide the necessary provisions and logistics for his army as it marched farther and farther into unfamiliar regions?