The heroism of Spitamenes
In the 4th century BCE the state of Macedonia grew strong in Europe. After King Philip II was killed, his son Alexander (356–323 BCE) came to the throne at 20. He defeated the Persian state and also came to Central Asia. In 329 BCE he took Bactria, then Sogdiana, and seized Marakanda (today’s Afrosiyab, Samarkand). An uprising led by Spitamen arose in Sogdiana. Spitamen was a skilled Sogdian commander; the rebels besieged the Macedonian group in Marakanda and won several battles. Alexander returned with a large force and put down the uprising in hard fighting. Ancient writers say that Spitamen withdrew to the Massagetae and was killed by his own allies in 328 BCE, and his head was sent to Alexander. Resistance continued for another year. Alexander did not subdue these lands easily. He strengthened his rule by marrying into the local nobility: he married Roxana of Bactria. Alexander died in Babylon in 323 BCE at the age of 32, and his empire broke up.
“Defence council”: you want to defend Marakanda. Split into three groups: city wall, food and water, army. Each group says what it would do.