THE BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA

Alexander vs. the PersiansThe Last Round

Prior Events

• Defeated Persians at Granicus and Darius led Persians at Issus, then conquered Egypt.

• Alexander marched east from Tyre when he heard that Darius was in Babylon.

• Alexander hoped to draw Darius away from Babylon and its flat plains.

• the two armies met 8 miles from Gaugamela in modern day Iraq.

BEFORE THE BATTLE…

• Alexander saw he was outnumbered 5 to 1.

• he saw that Darius had prepared the battle field making it suitable for his chariots.

THE NIGHT BEFORE…

• Parmenio’s advises Alexander to attack at night and surprise the Persians

• Alexander disagrees:• too dangerous to attack at night,• he doesn’t want to “steal” his victory.

• Instead, Alexander orders his men to have a meal and a rest.

• he himself sleeps in.BUT…• Darius men are on stand-by all night

ALEXANDER’S BATTLE LINE

• Alexander did not want to get outflanked.

• changed his usual battle line.• used Greek allies and Macedonians

to protect the rear.• allied cavalry protects the flanks.

DARIUS’ BATTLE LINE

• Darius hoped to win be share weight of numbers.

• his battle line stretched across the plain of Gaugamela.

• he placed his scythed chariots at the front.

• his wings were made up of massive numbers of cavalry.

THE ORDER OF BATTLE

OR

HOW TO DESTROY DARIUS AND HIS EMPIRE IN HALF A DAY

1. Alexander moves to right and the Persians move to their left to cover him.

2. Darius sends his scythed chariots but they’re ineffective.

3. Darius orders all his battle line to advance with his right wing cavalry attacking Alexander’s left wing.

4. Darius' moves his central cavalry to the left wing to assist his cavalry there

5. This makes a gap in Darius’ line which was what Alexander was waiting for and he turned his calvery and charges straight through it.

6. Darius turns and flees just in time along with his left wing cavalry. Alexander follows.

7. Unaware Darius had left the field some Persians make it all the way through to the baggage train.

8. Alexander’s secondary phalanx turns around and attacks these Persians who have no means of escape.

9. Alexander stops chasing Darius to come to Parmenio’s aid. Alexander has to fight hard to get through to Parmenio

10. When Alexander arrives Parmenio no longer needed rescuing and the battle ends.

Confused…?...good.

Let’s go to the map and the video tape….

Battle of Gaugamela 331BC

Battle of Gaugamela 331BC

ONCE THE DUST SETTLED…

• Darius escaped to the north.• Even though Darius was survived the battle

he is eventually assisinated by his own men and his army is crushed.

• Alexander now free to move into the economic heartland of the Persian Empire.

• Alexander gives himself the title King of Kings and captures Persepolis

After Gaugamela…• Alexander and his army eventually

march across the Hindu Kush into Afghanistan and India

• He is forced by his own men to turn around and head back to Babylon

Alexander Legacy

• Beyond his military genius, he increased trade and contact between West and East

• Spread Greek culture into the East (Hellenization)

• First hand writings about Alexander were lost, but many reliable sources based their writings on those first hand accounts

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