why was the battle of gaugamela so important to alexander

However, he received desperate messages from Parmenion (an event that would later be used by Callisthenes and others to discredit Parmenion) on the left. [19], In contrast, Diodorus mentions that Mazaeus was only supposed to prevent Alexander from crossing the Tigris. This is based on Arrian's account: For a short time there ensued a hand-to-hand fight; but when the Macedonian cavalry, commanded by Alexander himself, pressed on vigorously, thrusting themselves against the Persians and striking their faces with their spears, and when the Macedonian phalanx in dense array and bristling with long pikes had also made an attack upon them, all things together appeared full of terror to Darius, who had already long been in a state of fear, so that he was the first to turn and flee.[45]. It was an extraordinary victory achieved against a numerically superior army on ground chosen by the Persians. [17] He reached Thapsacus in July or August. Alexander prevailed, however, and Mazaeus also began to pull his forces back as Bessus had. At this point the Persian Empire was divided into two halves—East and West. The Persian infantry at the center was still fighting the phalanxes, hindering any attempts to counter Alexander's charge. Isos is an example of great tractic used against a superior oponnent and…it’s a pretty famous battle, so there’s a lot of reasons to animate it. The most important was that he finally broke the Persian Empire for good, and it took place at Gaugamela (“Camel’s Back”). The size of the Greek mounted arm was about 7,000. Alexander again refused the offer of Darius, insisting that there could be only one king of Asia. When Alexander discovered Darius murdered, he was saddened to see an enemy he respected killed in such a fashion, and gave Darius a full burial ceremony at Persepolis, the former ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire, before angrily pursuing Bessus, capturing and executing him the following year. Opposite each other, they fought and a heavy defeat of the troops [of the king he inflicted]. Instead of taking the phalanx or Parmenion in the rear, however, they continued towards the camp to loot. Why was the Battle of Gaugamela so important to Alexander? Leaving his baggage, camp followers, and prisoners under guard, Alexander left his encampment after nightfall, with his troops prepared for battle. 127–1). He formed his units into a giant wedge, with him leading the charge. While doing so he had the Euphrates and the mountains of Armenia on his left. Parmenion was stationed on the left with the Thessalians, Greek mercenaries and Thracian cavalry. In this quarter indeed the Persians took to speedy flight; and the Macedonians followed up the fugitives and slaughtered them.[45]. Ask Question + 100. These raiders were in turn attacked and dispersed by the rear reserve phalanx as they were looting. See why Alexander was called the great. A second negotiation attempt took place after the capture of Tyre. The rebels were rounded up, a part of the country of the Samarians was given to the Jews of Jerusalem, and that was the end of the matter.In the second half of May, the son of Zeus was back in Tyre, … [23] Classical scholar Peter Green thinks that Alexander's choice for the northern route caught the Persians off guard. He fled when Alexander's army approached to cross the river. It led to the fall of the Achaemenid Empire and gave Alexander room to expand eastward. [21] Alexander then marched southward along the eastern bank of the Tigris. [12], Darius started to prepare for another battle after the failure of the second negotiation attempt. For well over a century, the Persians increasing interference in Greek mainland affairs, their oppression of Greek coastal cities in western Asia Minor and their repeated invasions of Greece had filled the Greeks with fear and loathing. However, by careful use of reserves and disciplined charges, the Greek troops were able to contain their Persian counterparts, which would be vital for the success of Alexander's decisive attack. This second line consisted mostly of mercenaries. This required almost perfect timing and maneuvering and Alexander himself to act first. But the Scythian cavalry and the Bactrians, who had been drawn up with them, sallied forth against them and being much more numerous they put the small body of Greeks to rout. After the Battle Alex was able to march his army, without opposition, into the Persian palace at Babylon where the Queen and Princesses surrendered. Lv 5. From there came the phalanx, in a double line. On the ground were a few hills and no bodies of water that Alexander could use for protection, and in the autumn the weather was dry and mild. [33] Hans Delbrück estimates Persian cavalry at 12,000 because of management issues, Persian infantry less than that of the Greek heavy infantry, and Greek mercenaries at 8,000. Diodorus, Curtius and Arrian write that an embassy[14] was sent instead of a letter, which is claimed by Justin and Plutarch (1st century). 1 — If you’re asking me which of the two battles fought by Alexander and his men were important — Guagamela or Hydaspes — my answer would be the former. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The use of the scorched-earth tactic and scythed chariots by Darius suggests that he wanted to repeat that battle. Darius most likely decided to prevent Alexander from crossing the Tigris. The victory at Issus had given Alexander control of southern Asia Minor. Why was victory at the Battle of Gaugamela so crucial to the success of Alexander the Great? The Pre-Battle Speeches of Alexander at Issus and Gaugamela J. C. Iglesias-Zoido HE OBJECTIVE of this study is to examine and compare the pre-battle speeches that Alexander made before his two most important battles: Issus and Gaugamela.1 We are not concerned here with the authenticity of these speeches [7], According to Arrian, Indian troops were also deployed. 3: 46–55, 97 (Alexander the Great, his military, his strategy at the Battle of Gaugamela and his defeat of Darius making Alexander the King of Kings). His plan was to draw as much of the Persian cavalry as possible to the flanks, to create a gap within the enemy line where a decisive blow could then be struck at Darius in the centre. Alexander commanded Greek forces from his kingdom of Macedon and the Hellenic League, along with Greek mercenaries and levies from the Paeonian and Thracian tributary peoples. Alexander halted his army and built a fortified encampment. The final component of Alexander’s army at Gaugamela was the Thracian infantry camp guard. With this battle secure, all of Mesopotamia fell to Alexander, and Alexander entered the great city of Babylon without any need for combat. When Alexander took the northern route, Mazaeus must have returned to Babylon to bring the news. The king [i.e., Darius], his troops deserted him and to their cities [they went]. This contribution has not yet been formally edited by Britannica. Alexander rejected Darius’ attempts to negotiate a truce, rejecting even the offer of becoming a co-ruler of Asia, insisting that there could be only one king of Asia, and instead advanced towards Babylon, taking a northerly route across both the Euphrates and the Tigris. Darius offered Alexander a marriage with his daughter Stateira II and all the territory west of the Halys River. He explains that Darius III "obtained the help of those Indians who bordered on the Bactrians, together with the Bactrians and Sogdianians themselves, all under the command of Bessus, the Satrap of Bactria". According to Curtius, the archers were all Amardi.[42]. Rupert Matthews has been fascinated by battlefields since his father took him to Waterloo when he was nine years old. History, 21.06.2019 16:20, Arden990560. Answers: 3 Get Other questions on the subject: History. As in future meetings … Darius was later murdered by one of his satraps, and Alexander took the Persian capital Babylon. [16] With the failure of diplomacy, Darius decided to prepare for another battle with Alexander. Parmenion was the only one who spoke up, saying, "If I were Alexander, I should accept what was offered and make a treaty." The Achaemenid Persian Empire is traditionally considered to have ended with the death of Darius. With it was the Paionian and Greek light cavalry. [30] One estimate is that there were 25,000 peltasts,[30] 10,000 Immortals,[31] 2,000 Greek hoplites,[7] 1,000 Bactrians,[7] and 40,000 cavalry,[6] 200 scythed chariots,[32] and 15 war elephants. [22], Several researchers have criticized the Persians for their failure to harass Alexander's army and disrupt its long supply lines when it advanced through Mesopotamia. He disengaged his Companions and prepared for the decisive attack. Alexander would have been unable to adequately supply his army if he had taken the southern route, even if the scorched-earth tactic had failed. Darius managed to escape with a small corps of his forces remaining intact. Parmenion's wing was apparently encircled by the cavalry of the Persian right wing; being attacked from all sides, it was in a state of confusion. Gaugamela and Babylon Syria The plain of Edessa. * Battle of Gaugamela, also called Battle of Arbela, (Oct. 1, 331 bc) battle in which Alexander the Great completed his conquest of Darius III's Persian Empire. alexander's generalship at gaugamela IT is agreed that of the extant accounts of the battle of Gaugamela, that of Arrian is by far the best, the only one, in fact, that permits of a coherent reconstruction of what took place. Darius was in danger of being cut off, and the widely held modern view is that he now broke and ran, with the rest of his army following him. While the infantry battled the Persian troops in the centre, Alexander began to ride all the way to the edge of the right flank, accompanied by his Companion Cavalry. He praised Alexander for the treatment of his mother Sisygambis and offered him all territory west of the Euphrates, co-rulership of the Achaemenid Empire, the hand of one of his daughters and 30,000 talents of silver. At about midnight, the Macedonian army crested the hills, taking in the thousands of twinkling Persian campfires below… Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Sorry for spelling mistakes…English is not my native language… Following the assassination of Phillip II, his father, in 336 BCE, Alexander and his army left their home of Macedonia for the last time and set out on a goal of conquering all of Persia. During the battle Alexander used an unusual strategy which has been duplicated only a few times. Interested in participating in the Publishing Partner Program? Notwithstanding this, the Macedonians sustained their assaults, and assailing them violently squadron by squadron, they succeeded in pushing them out of rank.[44]. While holding on the left, a gap had opened up between the left and center of the Macedonian phalanx, due to Simmias' brigade of pezhetairoi being unable to follow Alexander in his decisive attack, as they were being hard-pressed. Mosaic of Alexander the Great discovered in the House of the Faun, Pompeii, Italy. Alexander’s well-trained army faced Darius’ massive battle line and organized for attack, charging the left of the Persians’ line with archers, javelin throwers, and cavalry, while defending against Darius’ outflanking cavalry with reserve flank guards. Alexander the Great, son of King Philip II of Macedonia, underwent a journey of overwhelming odds. The period that preceded the Battle of Gaugamela was filled with a steady onward progression of the forces of Alexander the Great. Darius had retreated to Babylon, where he regrouped his remaining army. It was a disastrous defeat for the Persians and one of Alexander's finest victories. Alexander began by ordering his infantry to march in phalanx formation towards the center of the enemy line. Losses: Macedonian, 700 of 47,000; Persian, possibly 20,000 of 100,000. The second line was given orders to deal with any flanking units should the situation arise. Get your answers by asking now. While Darius had a significant advantage in numbers, most of his troops were of a lower quality than Alexander's. They also tried to rescue the Queen Mother, Sisygambis, but she refused to go with them. History, 21.06.2019 14:30. What happened next was described by Arrian as the fiercest engagement of the battle, as Alexander and his companions encountered the cavalry of the Persian right, composed of Indians, Parthians and "the bravest and most numerous division of the Persians", desperately trying to get through to escape. After being enclosed by a narrow battlefield at Issus two years before, Darius chose a l… [46], Alexander could have pursued Darius at this point. Alexander's cavalry crushed the Persian forces, and leading to Persian downfall of the Persian Empire. [4], The battle began with the Persians already present at the battlefield. After the battle, Parmenion rounded up the Persian baggage train while Alexander and his bodyguard pursued Darius. 3. Updates? Why was the Battle of Gaugamela an important turning point in Alexander’s conquest of the Persian Empire? The northern route made it easier to forage for supplies and his troops would not suffer the extreme heat of the direct route. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). on 1 October 331 B.C.E. Why were some … The majority of the remaining satraps gave their loyalty to Alexander and were allowed to keep their positions. …31, on the plain of Gaugamela between Nineveh and Arbela. The prisoners told the Macedonians that Darius was not far away, with his encampment near Gaugamela. Then Darius, fearing that his chariots would become useless, if the Macedonians advanced into the uneven ground, ordered the front ranks of his left wing to ride round the right wing of the Macedonians, where Alexander was commanding, to prevent him from marching his wing any further. it was the battle in which his forces defeated the Persians and that gave Alexander control of the Persian Empire. Justin is less specific, not mentioning a specific daughter and speaking of a portion of Darius' kingdom. [19], After crossing the Euphrates, Alexander followed a northern route instead of a direct southeastern route to Babylon. But now to begin the battle, Alexander led his men toward the waiting Persians. But the rest of the Bactrians, drawing near to the Paeonians and Grecian auxiliaries, caused their own comrades who were already in flight to turn and renew the battle; and thus they brought about a general cavalry engagement, in which more of Alexander's men fell, not only being overwhelmed by the multitude of the barbarians, but also because the Scythians themselves and their horses were much more completely protected with armour for guarding their bodies. Jona Lendering's view is that it was Darius' army that abandoned him; this view is based on an astronomical diary from Babylon written within days of the battle: The twenty-fourth [day of the lunar month], in the morning, the king of the world [i.e., Darius] [erected his] standard [lacuna]. On the fourth day after the crossing of the Tigris his scouts reported that Persian cavalry had been spotted, numbering no more than 1000 men. Warry (1998) estimates a total size of 91,000, Welman 90,000, Thomas Harbottle 120,000, Engels (1920) and Green (1990) no larger than 100,000. [47][better source needed]. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Persian Emperor had to flee to the center of his E… Historians Justin, Arrian and Curtius Rufus, writing in the 1st and 2nd centuries, write that Darius sent a letter to Alexander after the Battle of Issus. In 331 BC Alexander's army of the Hellenic League met the Persian army of Darius III near Gaugamela, close to the modern city of Dohuk in Iraqi Kurdistan. Behind them were Thessalian cavalry under Phillip, and Achaean mercenaries. λα), was the decisive battle of Alexander the Great's invasion of the Persian Achaemenid Empire.In 331 BC Alexander's army of the Hellenic League met the Persian army of Darius III near Gaugamela, close to the modern city of Dohuk in Iraqi Kurdistan. This being done, Alexander ordered the cavalry of the Grecian mercenaries under the command of Menidas to attack them. After crossing the Hellespont, Alexander traveled northward where he met and defeated the Persians under the leadership of the Greek mercenary Memnon at the Battle of River Granicus. It was a decisive victory for the Hellenic League and led to the fall of the Achaemenid Empire. It was a small force, and the camp was probably the same as the one that Alexander had established four days previously, perhaps eight miles to the rear. As at Issus, the aggression of the Macedonian cavalry led by Alexander carried the day. First, he defeated Persian satraps, at the Battle on the Granicus River. From there it was a matter minor skirmishes defeating the last few garrisons guarding the heartland of Persia and Alex had control of the capital cities of Susa, Persepolis, and Pasargadae. After settling affairs in Egypt, Alexander returned to Tyre during the spring of 331 BC. As the Persians advanced farther and farther to the Greek flanks in their attack, Alexander slowly filtered in his rear guard. Major battle of the Wars of Alexander the Great, Negotiations between Darius and Alexander, The cavalry battle in the Hellenic right wing, sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFHanson2007 (, sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFDelbrück1990 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFDelbrück1893 (. [19] Following the calculations, the date must have been October 1 in 331 BC. Darius had his soldiers flatten the terrain before the battle, to give his 200 war chariots the best conditions. [33] Included in Darius's infantry were about 2,000 Greek mercenary hoplites. [38] The Indians in question were probably from the area of Gandāra. [18] Arrian relates that Darius had ordered Mazaeus to guard the crossing of the Euphrates near Thapsacus with a force of 3,000 cavalry. In November 333 BC Darius III had lost the Battle of Issus, resulting in the capture of his wife, his mother and his two daughters, Stateira II and Drypetis. Mazaeus commanded the right flank with the Syrian, Median, Mesopotamian, Parthian, Sacian, Tapurian, Hyrcanian, Caucasian Albanian, Sacesinian, Cappadocian and Armenian cavalry. Alexander then ordered Aristo at the head of the Paeonians and Grecian auxiliaries to attack the Scythians, and the barbarians gave way. In the right-center he placed Persian foot guards (Apple Bearers/Immortals to the Greeks), the Indian cavalry and his Mardian archers. [10] Alexander refused his demands. The Hypaspists and the armed grooms of the cavalry then attacked and eliminated these survivors. The Persian and Indian cavalry in the center with Darius broke through. Curtius Rufus Quintus, history of ALEXANDER (3.2.7), Video : Animated reconstruction of Battle of Gaugamela, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Alexander the Great - Biography, Empire and Facts, Magee et al., The Achaemenid Empire in South Asia and Recent Excavations 2005, A contemporary Babylonian account of the battle of Gaugamela, "The Achaemenid Empire in South Asia and Recent Excavations in Akra in Northwest Pakistan", 2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Gaugamela&oldid=1002275187, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from July 2019, Articles lacking reliable references from May 2020, Articles needing additional references from September 2020, All articles needing additional references, Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Alexander gains Babylon, half of Persia and all other parts of Mesopotamia, This page was last edited on 23 January 2021, at 17:33. [24] Historian Jona Lendering argues the opposite and commends Mazaeus and Darius for their strategy. The Macedonians advanced with the wings echeloned back at 45 degrees to lure the Persian cavalry to attack. [20], After the Macedonian army had crossed the Tigris a lunar eclipse occurred. Bessus murdered Darius before fleeing eastwards. C; A Military History of the Western World: From the earliest times to the Battle of Lepanto; New York: Da Capo Press, Inc., 1987 and 1988. The Bactrian cavalry and Bessus caught up with him, as did some of the survivors of the Royal Guard and 2,000 Greek mercenaries. Why were some of those soldiers known as the Immortals? This battle is very crucial because if Alexander wins the battle the entire Persian Empire will become his. What followed was a long and fierce cavalry battle between the Persian left and the Macedonian right, in which the latter, being greatly outnumbered, was often hard-pressed. Even so, he made a third and final effort to negotiate after Alexander's departure from Egypt. On October 1, 331 B.C., one of history’s most significant battles occurred: The Battle of Gaugamela in which Alexander the Great dealt a decisive defeat to the then largest empire the world had ever seen (at 3.08 million square miles the Persian Empire even surpassed the Roman Empire’s 2.51 million square miles!). Relevance. Alexander and the Battle of Gaugamela Millay Lambert Questions from You-Tube Videos Why was the victory at the Battle of Gaugamela so crucial to the success of Alexander the Great? The Battle of Gaugamela was fought on October 1, 331 BC, during the Wars of Alexander the Great (335-323 BC). Darius' third offer was much more generous. why was the battle of gaugamela so important? The main Persian infantry was poorly trained and equipped in comparison to Alexander's pezhetairoi and hoplites. Roosskiguy. The suppression of the revolt in Samaria, which had caused Alexander's return from Egypt in May 331, was not very difficult. Darius rode out from Babylon to face Alexander. According to Curtius and Justin he offered a ransom for his prisoners, but Arrian does not mention a ransom. Sixty Companions were killed in the engagement, and Hephaestion, Coenus and Menidas were all injured. Ancient historians provide different accounts of his negotiations with Alexander, which can be separated into three negotiation attempts.[9]. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. A charge by Persian scythed chariots aimed at the centre of Alexander’s forces was defeated by Macedonian lightly armed soldiers. Alexander found the Tigris undefended and succeeded in crossing it with great difficulty. The gap between the two armies was now about seven miles, although neither side was visible to the other because a low range of hills ran between them. How many soldiers did Darius send into battle at Gaugamela? [39][40] However, the absence of any mention of those elephants during the battle and their later capture in the Persian camp indicate they were withdrawn. Behind them were the guard's brigade along with any phalanx battalions he could withdraw from the battle. Alexander led his army through multiple victories across the Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt without the agony of a single defeat. The mercenary cavalry was divided into two groups, veterans on the flank of the right and the rest in front of the Agrians and Greek archers, who were stationed next to the phalanx. 2. The satraps, however, had other intentions. However, unlike on the left with Bessus, the Persians soon fell into disorder as the Thessalians and other cavalry units charged forward at their fleeing enemy. [38] Indian "hill-men" are also said by Arrian to have joined the Arachotians under Satrap Barsentes, and are thought to have been either the Sattagydians or the Hindush.[38]. [11] Diodorus Siculus, 1st century, likewise mentions the offer of all territory west of the Halys River, a treaty of friendship and a large ransom for the captives. He would force Darius to attack (as they would soon move off the prepared ground), though Darius did not want to be the first to attack after seeing what happened at Issus against a similar formation. [37] Furthermore, according to Arrian, Diodorus and Curtius, Darius had 200 chariots while Arrian mentions 15 war elephants. Preceded the battle began with the wings echeloned back at 45 degrees to the... On his Empire by diplomacy after crossing the Euphrates and the Greek left place after the failure of,! 'S extreme right Persians off guard Greeks would head towards Babylon knowledge of leading! 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