Battle of Issus

Battle of Issus
Part of the Wars of Alexander the Great

Alexander battling Darius at the Battle of Issus (Naples National Archaeological Museum)
DateNovember 5, 333 BC
Location
Issus, Anatolia, Achaemenid Empire
(modern-day Kinet Höyük, Yeşilköy, Dörtyol, Hatay, Turkey)
36°45′09″N 36°11′32″E / 36.7525°N 36.1923°E / 36.7525; 36.1923
Result Macedonian victory
Territorial
changes
Alexander captures southern Asia Minor
Belligerents
  • Achaemenid Empire
  • Commanders and leaders
  • Alexander the Great
  • Parmenion
  • Craterus
  • Ptolemy
  • Darius III
  • Strength

    Total: c. 37,000

    • 24,000 heavy infantry:
    • 8,000 light infantry:
      • 7,000 Thracians and Illyrians
      • 1,000 Agrianians and archers
    • 5,100 heavy cavalry:
      • 1,800 Macedonian cavalry
      • 1,800 Thessalian cavalry
      • 600 other Greek cavalry
      • 900 light cavalry (Thracians and Paeonians)

    Modern estimate: 50,000–100,000[1]
    Ancient sources: 250,000–600,000

    • 30,000–80,000 light infantry[a][2]
    • 11,000 cavalry[3]
    • 10,000 Persian Immortals
    • 40,000 infantry Armenians and 7,000 Armenian cavalry[4]
    • 10,000 Greek mercenaries[5]
    Casualties and losses
    150 killed
    4,500 wounded
    302 missing[6][7]
    ~20,000–40,000 casualties[7]
    Issus is located in West and Central Asia
    Issus
    Issus
    Location of the Battle of Issus
    Issus is located in Turkey
    Issus
    Issus
    Issus (Turkey)

    The Battle of Issus (also Issos) occurred in southern Anatolia, on 5 November 333 BC between the Hellenic League led by Alexander the Great and the Achaemenid Empire, led by Darius III. It was the second great battle of Alexander's conquest of Asia, and the first encounter between Darius III and Alexander the Great. The battle resulted in the Macedonian troops defeating the Persian forces.

    After the Hellenic League soundly defeated the Persian satraps of Asia Minor (led by Greek mercenary Memnon of Rhodes) at the Battle of the Granicus, Darius took personal command of his army. He gathered reinforcements and proceeded to lead his men in a surprise march behind the Hellenic advance, in order to cut off their line of supply. Alexander was forced to countermarch, and the stage was set for the battle near the mouth of the Pinarus River and the city of Issus.

    1. ^ Clark, Jessica H.; Turner, Brian (2017). Brill’s Companion to Military Defeat in Ancient Mediterranean Society. BRILL. p. 78. ISBN 9789004355774. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
    2. ^ "pothos.org - Major Battles". Archived from the original on 16 October 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
    3. ^ Moerbeek (1997).[page needed]
    4. ^ Encyclopedia Iranica ARMENIA AND IRAN ii. The pre-Islamic period Archived 2018-12-10 at the Wayback Machine:

      At the battle of Issus in 333, the Armenian contingent is said to have numbered 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry

    5. ^ Welman.
    6. ^ Curtius Rufus reports that, except for about 4,500 wounded, 150 Macedonians were killed in action, and 302 were missing. This means the army lost about one-tenth of its strength.
    7. ^ a b Barry Potter (September 30, 2018). "Battle of Gaugamela: Alexander Versus Darius". HistoryNet. Retrieved August 18, 2019.


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