Like his father Philip, the glory-seeking Alexander aimed to conquer the Persian Empire. Amid the sound of trumpets, Alexander and his men plunged into the water and up the opposing bank diagonally. King Darius III was at Babylon, moving towards Alexander, from his capital at Susa, and gathering troops en route. [6], A council was held by the Persians at Zeleia to discuss the state of affairs. This Also, Alexander sent the captured Omissions? The Battle at Issus Flipboard Email Corbis / Getty Images By N.S. Upon arriving on the opposite bank of the river, the fight turned to a hand-to-hand confrontation. The best account in the ancient sources, which include Diodorus Siculus (1st century bc) and Plutarchs Life of Alexander (2nd century ad), is that of Arrians Anabasis (2nd century ad), which draws directly from contemporary accounts. [48] In his preface to the 2013 reprint, Green conceded that he no longer believed his theory was convincing and that the contradiction could not be explained. N.S. To the left of Meleager's Foot Companions were the Thracian cavalry under the command of Agathon. [7], W. J. McCoy compares Memnon's advice with the wise counsel given by Greeks to Persians in the work of Herodotus. The Macedonians tried but were unable to overtake the Persian king. On the other hand, the strategic outcome was precarious for the Achaemenid Empire. The heavy cavalry was made up of 1,800 elite Companion cavalry, 1,800 Thessalian cavalry and 600 Greek allied cavalry. There have been arguments that the figure of 20,000 is accurate, but also included non-Greek native infantry. The right wing consisted of 1,000 Median cavalry, 2,000 cavalry headed by Rheomithres and another unit of 2,000 Bactrian horse. Plutarch used Aristobulus as his source. At the reunion, Alexander rallied his troops and prepared for battle the following morning. The ancient historians Arrian and Diodorus Siculus claim that Memnon advised the Persians to avoid open battle with the Macedonians. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. However, Alexander advanced up the opposite riverbank too quickly for the rest of his men to keep up, and was surrounded by the defending enemy. In total, Alexander's army numbered 12,000 heavy infantry, 1,000 light infantry and 5,100 cavalry for a total of 18,100 men. 3 When was the Battle of Granicus? Alexander moved to gain the Persian's flank. pt:Batalha de Granico, Categories: Battles of Alexander the Great | 330s BC, https://academickids.com:443/encyclopedia/index.php/Battle_of_the_Granicus, Macedonians and their Greek Allies, led by Alexander. The likely mission of this advance-guard was to conquer as much territory as possible, or at the very least establish a bridgehead on the Asian side of the Hellespont to facilitate the crossing of the main army later. Gill is a Latinist, writer, and teacher of ancient history and Latin. Before the battle, some of the Macedonian officers voiced their reluctance to fight because religious custom required them to avoid battles during this month. [15], The Macedonian army consisted mostly of infantry. The Macedonians suffered losses and retreated towards Alexander, who now attacked with the remaining Companion cavalry of the right wing.[39]. The Persians had 2000 infantry captured, roughly 1,000 cavalry and 3,000 infantry killed, mostly in the rout. This suggests that Plutarch misunderstood the information, because his 25 dead cavalry are probably the 25 Companions who fell during the preliminary attack. May 24, 2023 1 Share What happened? Darius III (Old Persian: Drayavau; Greek: Dareios; c. 380 - 330 BC) was the last Achaemenid King of Kings of Persia, reigning from 336 BC to his death in 330 BC.. https://www.thoughtco.com/overview-battle-issus-november-333-bc-116810 (accessed June 8, 2023). He recommended a scorched earth strategy so that Alexander would not be able to continue his campaign due to lack of supplies. Later that year another Macedonian force was defeated by a Persian army in the Troad, possibly under the command of one or more Persian satraps. The Battle of Granicus River may have only lasted a few hours at most, but it was a crucial victory for Alexander. 111, (1991), pp. In Herodotus, the rejection of such counsel led to misfortune for the Persians and was employed to ridicule them. The Greek forces, mostly Spartan, were led by Leonidas. He is eager to pass knowledge on to his students. ja: against the Persian king. By using a unique strategy, he was able to win decisively against Darius III and secure his place as one of history's greatest military commanders. [54] In 146 BC, after the Fourth Macedonian War, this statue group was taken to Rome by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus, where they were displayed in a portico that he built below the Capitoline Hill. [10], According to Arrian, Alexander heard of the location of the Persians from his scouts while he was moving towards the Granicus. In "Upset at Issus" (Military History Magazine), Harry J. Maihafer says Memnon was not only astute militarily, but doled out bribes. This did not alarm the Great King yet, who left the defense of Asia Minor to his satraps there. B. Bosworth considers this movement to have been directed downstream to the left towards the Persian center. [55] Justin mentions 9 infantry and 120 cavalry killed. Battle of Granicus, (May 334 bce). Battle of Issus Sources concerning Alexander are varied - 25-30 Companions - possibly 120 in total. Cite This Work World History Encyclopedia. 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. Back home, statues honoring the 25 fallen Companions were erected at the sanctuary of Zeus at Dium near Mount Olympus. [57], Next to the Persian nobles who fell in personal combat with Alexander, many Persian leaders perished in the battle. [16], From the right wing to the left, Alexander placed seven of his eight squadrons of Companion cavalry, along with the archers and Agrianians, under the command of Philotas. In The Life of Alexander the Great historian Plutarch discussed Alexander's trip to Troy where he honored Homer's hero Achilles. After visiting Ilium, he passed Arisba, Percote, Lampsacus, Colonae and Hermotus. Darius' women at Issus were frightened. After the recent Battle at the Granicus, Memnon was given command of all Persian forces in Asia Minor. It would also explain why Alexander decided to risk a frontal attack there. Gaugamela (means "The Camel's House") was a village on the banks of the river Bumodus. no:Slaget om Granicus This would have meant that Alexander must have moved more or less straight ahead. Submitted by Donald L. Wasson, published on 20 December 2011. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. He considers Arrian's figures of 1,000 cavalry killed and 2,000 captured Greek mercenaries to be reasonably accurate. The Battle of Issus, on 5 November 333 BCE, was Alexander the Great's second battle against the Persian army and the first direct engagement with King Darius III, near the village of Issus in southern modern-day Turkey.It was a major victory for Alexander, defeating the Achaemenid Empire and causing Darius III to flee the battlefield.. Prelude. The rapid loss of a number of the Persian commanders sent the defenders into disarray. Arrian's source may have done so to make Alexander look more heroic. This win boosted his confidence and helped him gain more supporters in Asia Minor. [31], Historians have criticized several decisions made by the Persian commanders. that was over quicker than either side expected. Amyntas's force was at a disadvantage because they were severely outnumbered and the Persians were defending higher ground at the top of the bank. [26], A.M. Devine argues that Arrian likely exaggerated the number of Greek mercenaries for propaganda purposes. Both historians consider the figure of 10,000 cavalry given by Diodorus to be more plausible. Likewise, the encirclement and massacre of the Greek mercenaries later during the battle would have been unlikely if they had actually numbered 20,000 instead of 4,000 or 5,000. Finally, Alexander was a skilled commander who knew how to make use of his resources. Of the 5,000 Greek mercenaries only 2,000 survived, and they were sent to Macedon to work the mines; the rest were slaughtered. After succeeding his father as king of Macedon, Alexander continued the planned invasion of the Persian Empire. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. So is it possible for us, over two millennia later, to trace exactly what happened at the River Granicus? Help us and translate this definition into another language! Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Some historians have taken Arrian's description as an attack on the Persian center. The battle was bloody, Alexander suffered a thigh wound, and the Pinarus River was said to have run red with blood. Before we dive into Alexander's strategy, it's important to understand the situation he was facing. He arrived at Sestus twenty days later, where he split his army for the crossing of the Hellespont. The Battle at Issus. Barely 50 miles into his journey, he met the first Persian opposition at the River Granicus and overcame it convincingly. Why did Alexander ignore the pleas of the mercenaries? At the extreme left were the Thessalian cavalry under the command of Calas. By the time he reached Granicus River, Alexander had built up a large force of allies and supporters. This meant the mercenaries needed to fight in two places at once, which they couldn't do, and so the battle tide soon turned. The ancient historians might have exaggerated to make Alexander's accomplishment seem more formidable. [30], The Persians stationed their cavalry along the bank of the Granicus. [34] A third point of criticism is the deployment of their infantry far from the frontline. Battle of Granicus, (May 334 bce). To start the battle, Alexander sent forward units of archers and skirmishers. The Battle of Gaugamela (1st October 331 BCE, also known as the Battle of Arbela) was the final meeting between Alexander the Great of Macedon and King Darius III of Persia. This was a Alexander's success at Granicus River can be attributed to several factors. Instead, he formulated a plan that would allow him to take on Darius III and win. Although suffering a number of casualties, Alexander began to gain the advantage, and many of the Persians began to retreat. [47], Historian Peter Green, in his 1974 book Alexander of Macedon, proposed a way to reconcile the accounts of Diodorus and Arrian. These two events helped pave the way for Alexander charged and killed him with a lance thrust to his face. [57], The 2,000 Greek mercenaries who were captured were sent to Macedon to work the land as slaves. First, he took a bold risk by crossing the Hellespont into Persian territory. This would be Alexander's first major victory The first victorious engagement of Alexander the Greats invasion of the Persian Empire established the Macedonians on enemy soil. It allowed him to gain a foothold in Asia Minor and establish himself One of these is the deployment of the cavalry on the river's bank, because it did not allow the cavalry to charge. Darius' enormous army was on the other side of the Pinarus River, stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to foothills in an area too narrow to give an advantage to his numbers: Parmenio was in charge of the those of Alexander's troops deployed to the seaside of the battle line. Rhetoric, literature, science, and philosophy. Alexander's strategy was appears to have been quite simple: draw the Persian commanders out of safety and defeat them as quickly as possible. [45], Plutarch's account focuses more on the aristeia of Alexander's personal combat with the Persian leaders and gives less attention to the movements and tactics of the armies. War between the Persians and Macedonians had become inevitable when Persia had supported the Perinthians' resistance against Macedonian aggression in 340. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Diodorus writes that Memnon's force of Greek mercenaries, which Darius III had sent to Asia Minor to fight the Macedonian expeditionary force, numbered 5,000 men. and charged forward into the river, towards the opposite cavalry. The Macedonian forces, with an infantry phalanx in the centre and . The victory left Asia Minor wide open to the Macedonian invasion. This allowed him to take them by surprise and achieve a decisive victory. However, he didn't let this deter him. Soon, however, he would meet the King of Persia himself. A hole opened in the recently vacated place in the battle line, and the Macedonian infantry charged through to engage the poor quality Persian in the rear. Memnon would have been easier for them to control in their midst at the front line. [40] There have been different translations and interpretations of Arrian's description of how Alexander executed the attack with his cavalry. As a consequence, historians have suggested that the discussion may have been fictional. [56], A. M. Devine observes that the source used by Arrian for the casualties was Ptolemy I, who in turn used Callisthenes as a source for the casualties. The modern observations that the river is not difficult to cross contradicts the ancient historians, who emphasized the hardship of the fording of the river. When many of the Persian commanders were slain and the Persian cavalry was pushed back everywhere, the Persian cavalry opposite Alexander was routed. Accounts vary as to whether Alexander immediately attacked, or crossed the river upstream and attack at dawn the next day (as suggested by Alexander's second-in-command, Parmenio). Total casualties for the Macedonians was anywhere between 80 and 200. [46], In the account given by Diodorus, the Macedonian and Persian armies encamped on the opposite banks of the Granicus and did not move for the rest of the day. The Battle of Granicus was the closest that Alexander got to death in battle. Justin's figures seem to be a confused conflation of both Ptolemy I and Aristobulus. . Gill Updated on September 06, 2018 Alexander the Great fought the Battle at Issus soon after the Battle at the Granicus. The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. the world at that time. Greece & Rome (Oct. 1965), pp. The battle of Chaeronea (August 338 BC) was the final major battle in the career of Philip II of Macedon, and saw him defeat a Greek alliance led by Thebes and Athens, in the process establishing his dominance over the states of central and southern Greece. A. M. Devine argues that it was not merely an oblique movement, but also an oblique formation. According to Plutarch, Alexander responded that it would be "disgraceful" for him to fear the river of Granicus since he had already crossed the much The Persians were expecting a standard frontal assault, but they were not Achaemenid satraps had been defeated in Asia Minor before and Sardis had been besieged, but this was the first time that the citadel of Sardis had fallen and that an enemy force could continue its march without significant obstacles until Halicarnassus.[63]. An oracle had predicted that whoever could At the end of 336 BC this all changed. Alexander set out into Asia in 334 BC after he finished consolidating his Greek and Macedonian positions after the death of his father Philip II of Macedon. Losses: Macedonian, 400 dead and 2,000 wounded of 40,000; Persian, 5,000 dead and 2,000 captured of 50,000. in the small Kingdom of Macedonia. This began on the Persian left flank where Alexander was fighting. Thus, the initial defeat was covered up by his propagandists by a very heroic (and Homeric) charge into the now well-deployed enemy. [10] The Greek mercenaries were placed behind the cavalry and led by the Persian Omares. [58], For the Persians, Arrian states that 1,000 cavalry were killed and 2,000 Greek mercenaries were taken prisoner. He believes that Arrian's claim that all Persian infantry consisted of Greek mercenaries was either a mistake or an attempt to enhance Alexander's glory. His army consisted chiefly of Macedonians, but with some allied Greeks. There the Persians mutilated and captured the debilitated people Alexander had left behind. Alexander then crossed the Granicus unopposed at dawn on the next day. After this victory, Alexander was, without question, the King of all Asia. After the death of his father and his ascension . Despite being outnumbered and outmatched, Alexander was determined to defeat the Persian king. "The Generalship of Alexander," by A. R. Burn. This marked the end of the Greek city state as a force. He A. M. Devine reasons that the failure of the attack led by Amyntas was not a mistake, but a ruse to draw the Persian cavalry out of formation as they pursued the retreating force of Amyntas into the riverbed. [49], Other historians have dismissed the account of Diodorus as incorrect and favor Arrian's and Plutarch's narratives. We want people all over the world to learn about history. At this, both flanks of the Persian cavalry retreated, seeing the collapse of the center. He announced the offensive as a Greek revenge for the Persian invasions of Greece in 490 bce and 480 bce. https://www.worldhistory.org/Battle_of_the_Granicus/. In May of 334 BC, Alexander and his army Green accounts for the differences between his account and the ancient sources by suggesting that Alexander later covered up his initial failed crossing. This month preceded Daisios and did not carry a taboo on warfare. 4 Which river did Alexander's troops cross in Persia? [20] Justin gives an even higher number of 600,000 men in total for the Persians. After winning the Battle of Chaeronea in 337 BC, king Philip II of Macedon forced most of the Greek states into a military alliance, the Hellenic League. Initially the campaign was a success, with many of the Greek cities of western Asia Minor surrendering peacefully to the Macedonians. Olympias was exiled. [18], For the Persian army Arrian gives a number of almost 20,000 infantry, all Greek mercenaries, and 20,000 cavalry. Battle of Thermopylae, (480 bce), battle in central Greece at the mountain pass of Thermopylae during the Persian Wars. crossed the Hellespont (present-day Dardanelles) into Persian territory. At Issus, Alexander's men rewarded themselves richly with Persian loot. There were six units of Foot Companions: led by Perdiccas, Coenus, Craterus, Amyntas the son of Andromenes, Philip the son of Amyntas, and Meleager. For almost a decade, Alexander the Great and his army swept across Western Asia and into Egypt, defeating King Darius III and the Persians at the battles of River Granicus, Issus and Gaugamela.Next, despite the objections of the loyal army who had been with him since leaving Macedonia in 334 BCE, he turned his attention southward towards India.It was there, in 326 BCE, that he would achieve . around 13,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. The infantry also routed, with many being cut down in the rout. [26] N. G. L. Hammond thinks it was a sideways movement upstream to the right so that the troops would remain in line as they crossed the Granicus. Alexander commanded the remainder of the army on the right wing. The Persian king fled, followed by others. A problem emerged, Alexander learned he had come to the attention of the Persian king. A possible motive is that the Persian commanders were jealous of him and did not trust him. Memnon himself led the Persian center. Wasson, Donald L.. "Battle of the Granicus." Once the formation was sufficiently disordered, the cavalry would switch to curved swords for the melee fighting. Alexander quickly ran him through. With the loss of a number of their leaders, the Persians became disorganized and, with morale destroyed, retreated. more dangerous Hellespont, and ignored Parmenion's advice. [55], The casualty figures of Plutarch and Diodorus are judged to be impossibly large by A. M. Devine. Granicus River. [3], Darius would have been informed about Alexander's movements for some time, maybe as early as the invasion force had left Macedon. The battle would begin in the afternoon but would last barely an hour. Alexander led some of his troops to the Syrian Gates, where he expected Darius to pass, but his intelligence was flawed: Darius marched across another pass, to Issus. The heavy infantry numbered 12,000 and included the Foot Companions and a smaller group of elite hypaspists. These articles have not yet undergone the rigorous in-house editing or fact-checking and styling process to which most Britannica articles are customarily subjected. Q227. [51] Even if an uncontested crossing elsewhere was possible, it might have induced the Persian army to retreat. crossed the Hellespont (present-day Dardanelles) into Persian territory. #1 Discussion of what would have happened if Alexander got his head chopped off by Spithridates in the battle of Granicus, 334BCE. Alexander also possessed Greek allied and mercenary infantry, but he had marched to the Granicus without them. Although greatly outnumbered, Alexander was a better tactician. Journal of Hellenic Studies, Vol. N. G. L. Hammond accepts the Persian troop numbers given by Arrian. Arrian wrote: He himself led the right wing with sounding of trumpets, and the men raising the war-cry to Enyallus. He also sent 300 suits of Persian armour to Athens as a votive offering to Athena on the Acropolis. In doing so, they did not abide by the agreement made at the Hellenic League, which compelled the Greeks to fight Persia and not each other. Meanwhile, Darius III had become the new Great King of the Achaemenid Empire, around the autumn of 336 BC. When the Macedonian king Philip II had secured his rear in the battle of Chaeronea (338), he wanted to launch a campaign east of the Hellespont.As fate would have it, the Achaemenid king Artaxerxes III Ochus died (of . As the Macedonian forces neared the river, Parmenion, one of Alexander's most loyal generals and commander of his left flank, advised Alexander they should wait until morning before attacking. Contrary to his predecessor Artaxerxes IV Arses, Darius was a distant member of the Achaemenid dynasty.During his early career, he was reportedly an obscure figure among his peers . After a short confrontation, all except for the Greek mercenaries routed. J. F. C. Fuller thinks Alexander led his attack in a movement diagonally to the left to attack the left of the Persian center. We care about our planet! (2023, April 5). The Persians responded with a hail of arrows and javelins. According to Plutarch the Persians had stationed both infantry and cavalry at their front line. By 480 the Persian king Xerxes and his army had overrun much of Greece, and his navy of about 800 galleys bottled up the smaller Greek fleet of about 370 triremes in the . As the Persians fell back, Alexander, instead of pursuing the retreating Persians, turned his attention to the Greek mercenaries who, in turn, pleaded for mercy. 'the Camel's House'), also called the Battle of Arbela ( , rbla ), took place in 331 BC between the forces of the Army of Macedon under Alexander the Great and the Persian Army under King Darius III. metal. Because the battle was short, A. M. Devine considers Arrian's numbers to be reasonably accurate. In May 334 BCE he had his first opportunity when he faced the Persians on the banks of the River Granicus. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout (University of Wisconsin), Merlot (California State University), OER Commons and the School Library Journal. With about 5,000. The Battle of the Granicus in May 334 BCE was Alexander the Great's (356-323 BCE) first major victory against the forces of the Achaemenid Empire. After the death of his father Phillip II of Macedon (r. 359-336 BCE), Alexander set his sights on the Persian Empire seeking revenge, or so he claimed, for the invasion of his homeland by Darius I and Xerxes during the Persian Wars. Wasson, D. L. (2011, December 20). He had his army arranged in battle formation. Many people had tried to untie the Gordian Knot, but no one had been successful. After the victory at Granicus River, Alexander continued his march inland. counter-act them. [Ancient sources say the Persian army had much more.]. Alexander attacked, slashing Mithridates across the face. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization. [2], Once Alexander had defeated the rebellions in the Balkans and Greece, he marched his army to the Hellespont in early spring 334 BC. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. [53], For the Macedonians, Arrian gives losses of 25 Companion cavalry in the preliminary attack, 60 from the rest of the cavalry and 30 of the infantry, a total of 115 killed. Related Content [9] After the council, the Persian army took up position at the eastern bank of the Granicus River and waited for Alexander's attack. There are inconsistencies on the Persian army, Arrian claims 20,000 cavalry and 20,000 Greek . Another Persian noble, Rhosaces, then hit Alexander on the helmet with a sword, but the helmet protected him. The light cavalry numbered 900 in total and was composed of prodromoi, Paeonians and Thracians. The people of these cities welcomed Alexander as their liberator from Persian rule. There was a cavalry battle wit infantry tactics In the center of the traditional phalanx were the Thessalian cavalry and additional light troops. as a powerful ruler. The Battle of the Granicus River in May, 334 BC was the first major victory of Alexander the Great against the Persian Empire. 5 How did the Granicus River affect the Battle of Zelea? Philip ended up winning the battle. When Alexander spotted the royal chariot, his men raced towards it. Alexander reassured them. Alexander had lined his forces on the western banks of the river; Parmenion commanded the left while Alexander (with his eight bodyguards), his Companion cavalry forces, and light troops stationed themselves on the far right. Believing he was on the right track, Alexander pressed on his Persian campaign. Additionally, the Gordian Knot incident demonstrated Alexander's willingness to break with tradition and forge his own path. When Alexander recovered sufficiently, he rode to Issus, deposited the sick and wounded, and traveled on. 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Follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies motive is that the discussion may have only a. Left Asia Minor to his face L. ( 2011, December 20.... Plutarch 's narratives helmet with a sword, but it was a what happened at the battle of granicus, with morale destroyed, retreated and... Formation was sufficiently disordered, the glory-seeking Alexander aimed to conquer the Persian Omares 120! Start the battle of the Greek forces, mostly Spartan, were led by Leonidas can be attributed to factors! Of 20,000 is accurate, but it was not merely an oblique movement what happened at the battle of granicus but with some Greeks.
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