These records also show that although the Empire was vast, it was well connected through trade and governance to its provinces. .
Persepolis was obviously a wealthy and powerful capital city and in Alexander the Great's quest to expand his own Empire, the destruction of this city would be a powerful and threatening message to his enemies. .
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Writings from ancient historians often have conflicting view points and stories about the events surrounding what prompted Alexander to destroy Persepolis in 330BC. .
Cleitarchus (who was patronized by Ptolemy, Alexander's biographer), who was known for his sensational and exaggerated accounts of events is attributed as the author of the story about Thais, the Athenian prostitute (lover to Ptolemy) proposing the idea of burning and applying the torch to the palace. It was thought that she incited Alexander to burn Persepolis in revenge for the Persians destruction of the Acropolis. .
" She found her self reveling luxuriously in the splendid palace of the Persians but that it would be an even sweeter pleasure to end the party by going out and setting fire to the palace of Xerxes who had laid Athens in ashes Her speech was greeted with wild applause and the King's companions excitedly urged him on until at last he allowed himself to be persuaded, leaped to his feet, and with a garland on his head and a torch in his hand he led the way" Plutarch - The Life of Alexander.
Cleitarchus and Plutarch both gave accounts of this story, suggesting that the decision to burn the palace was impromptu as they were all intoxicated at this party. However, later excavations reveal that the burning was not a random act. Plutarch writes that Alexander needed 20,000 mules and 5,000 camels to carry away treasures and gold looted from Persepolis which contradicts the idea that burning the Palace and looting Persepolis was a spontaneous act. .
Diodorus of Sicily also recounts the story of Thais and her speech to Alexander and the drunken Macedonian soldiers.
