When he arrived in Egypt, Alexander faced no resistance. The Egyptians were glad to be rid of the Persians, who forced Persian gods and customs upon them, and to welcome the Greeks, who liberated them and restored their liberties -- provided, of course, that they become allies of Alexander.
While in Egypt, Alexander took another of his detours that became legendary. He visited the shrine of Zeus Ammon, a site sacred to Egyptians and Greeks alike, at the oasis of Siwah, well into the desert in Libya. There, while visiting the Egyptian priests, he was proclaimed a god by the Egyptians—an honor he did not decline. He submitted to the Egyptian ceremonies, even going so far as to wear Egyptian dress.
This incident did not sit well with some of Alexander's pragmatic and traditional veterans. They knew he was no god. Alexander reassured them that he was merely bowing to local customs, but not everyone was convinced by this. More than once Alexander's soldiers would question whether their general considered himself a man or a god.
Alexander spent some time securing his position here and inPalestine and Syria. He knew he must eventually face Darius for the final struggle, but he knew also that he could not afford to be so far from Greece without being absolutely certain of his lines of supply.
At last, however, he set out. His army had grown, despite having to leave garrisons everywhere he went, for he gathered new recruits in each nation.
