Memnon of Rhodes vs Tian Dan

Memnon commanded the Persian defense of Halicarnassus against Alexander the Great. He used fortified positions and naval sorties to delay the Macedonian advance, forcing Alexander to besiege the city for months before it fell.

Memnon advised Darius III to adopt a scorched earth strategy, destroying crops and villages to deny supplies to Alexander's army. The Persian court rejected this plan, leading to the Battle of Granicus and subsequent losses.

Memnon launched a naval campaign to recapture Greek islands and threaten Alexander's supply lines. He captured Chios and most of Lesbos, but died during the siege of Mytilene, ending the Persian counteroffensive.

Tian Dan was appointed as the commander of Jimo, one of the last two Qi cities not captured by Yue Yi's forces. He organized the defense, rallied the population, and prepared for a counterattack against the Yan army.

Tian Dan used a stratagem involving cattle with burning tails to break the Yan siege of Jimo. The cattle charged into the Yan camp, causing chaos, followed by Qi soldiers. This surprise attack routed the Yan army and turned the tide of the war.

Following the victory at Jimo, Tian Dan led the Qi army in a rapid campaign to recapture all 70 cities lost to Yan. He exploited the disarray in Yan after Yue Yi's exile and restored Qi as a major power.

King Xiang of Qi enfeoffed Tian Dan as the Lord of Anping in recognition of his service in restoring Qi. This title granted him a fief and elevated his status among the nobility.