Battle of Issus in 333 BC between Alexander the Great and Darius III, which brought the first Persian Empire down

In November 333 B.C., Alexander the Great confronted the Persian king Darius III Codomannus in the second major battle between their armies. This victory followed the earlier one in the previous year at the battle of the Granicus and the decisive one in the year 331 B.C. in the plains of Gaugamela.

The battle of Issus took place at the Pinarus River on the southeastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Alexander's army was vastly outnumbered. He commanded an army of 75,000 Greeks against an immense force of an acclaimed 600,000 soldiers led by Darius.

Despite Darius' great qualities as an organizer and commander, he had the bad luck to have as his opponent world history's most impressive commander and conqueror. Alexander's genius and utter fearlessness shifted the balance completely to the Greek side.

Leading the charge of his heavy cavalry and breaking through the Persian lines, he fought his way into the centre of the Persian army, towards Darius. A bloody fight erupted around Darius's chariot, and though Alexander got injured in his thigh, Darius could not hold the pressure. He fled from the battlefield.

The word about Darius' flee spread over the battlefield, and the Persian left and right wings collapsed. At the same time, the Macedonians pushed ruthlessly after having noticed Alexander forced a gap in the Persian formation.

The victory is total. Thanks to his fast chariot, Darius manages to escape, but Alexander captures his mother, wife, and children. Sources name an estimated 110,000 Persian soldiers, 10,000 Greek mercenaries, and 450 Macedonians killed in the battle (10,000 to 20,000 casualties may be a more realistic, if still dreadful, number).

The Battle of Issus has since become one of world history's main events, a major stage in Alexander's rush towards conquest of the known world. It established him as the greatest and most impressive conqueror of all time and opened a new stage in human history.

In November 333 B.C. Alexander the Great confronts the Persian king Darius III Codomannus in the second major battle between their armies, following the earlier victory in the previous year at the battle of the Granicus and the decisive victory in the year 331 B.C. in the plains of Gaugamela. The battle of Issus took place at the Pinarus River on the southeastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Alexander's army was vastly outnumbered. He commanded an army of 75,000 Greeks against an immense force of an acclaimed 600,000 soldiers led by Darius.
Despite Darius' great qualities as an organizer and commander, he had the bad luck to have as his opponent world history's most impressive commander and conqueror. Alexander's genius and utter fearlessness shifted the balance completely to the Greek side. Leading the charge of his heavy cavalry and breaking through the Persian lines, he fought his way into the centre of the Persian army, towards Darius. A bloody fight erupted around Darius's chariot, and though Alexander got injured in his thigh, Darius could not hold the pressure. He fled from the battlefield.

The word about Darius' flee spreads over the battlefield, and the Persians left and right collapse. At the same time, the Macedonians pushed ruthlessly after having noticed Alexander forced a gap in the Persian formation. The victory is total. Darius manages to escape thanks to his fast chariot, but Alexander captures his mother, wife, and children. Sources name an estimated 110,000 Persian soldiers, 10,000 Greek mercenaries and 450 Macedonians being killed in the battle (10,000 to 20,000 casualties may be a more realistic, if still dreadful number).

The Battle of Issus has since become one of world history's main events, a major stage in Alexander's rush towards conquest of the known world. It established him as the greatest and most impressive conqueror of all time and opened a new stage in human history.

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