Battle of Issus
| Battle of Issus | |||||||||
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| Part of the Wars of Alexander the Great | |||||||||
Alexander battling Darius at the Battle of Issus (Naples National Archaeological Museum) | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Achaemenid Empire | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Darius III | |||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
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Total: c. 37,000
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Modern estimate: 50,000–100,000
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
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150 killed 4,500 wounded 302 missing | ~20,000–40,000 casualties | ||||||||
Issus Location of the Battle of 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 major battle in Alexander's invasion of the Persian empire, and the first encounter between Darius III and Alexander the Great. The battle resulted in the Macedonian troops defeating the Persian forces. Darius was forced to flee, leaving behind his family and treasury which were captured by Alexander the Great.
After the Hellenic League soundly defeated the Persian satraps of Asia Minor, who were led by the 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.