Battle of Gaugamela: Quick Facts

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Facts

Also Known As	Battle of Arbela
Date	October 1, 331 BCE
Location	Iraq • Erbil
Participants	Macedonia • Persia

Photos and Videos

Ancient mosaic detail showing Alexander the Great in armor riding his horse Bucephalus at the Battle of Issus, with another soldier visible behind him.

Map showing the empire of Alexander the Great at its greatest extent, shaded in yellow, stretching from Greece and Egypt in the west through Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, Persia, and reaching as far east as the Indus River in India. Red arrows trace Alexander's campaign routes, with crossed swords marking major battles along his path. Major regions, cities, and rivers are labeled for context.

Diagram of a Macedonian battle formation showing a central block of 4,096 hoplites flanked by 1,024 psiloi in front, 2,048 peltasts behind, and 512 cavalry on each side, illustrating the simple phalanx perfected by Philip II and Alexander the Great.

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Key People

Alexander the Great

king of Macedonia

Alexander and Darius

Darius III

king of Persia

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Parmenio

Macedonian general

Temple ruins of columns and statures at Karnak, Egypt (Egyptian architecture; Egyptian archaelogy; Egyptian history)

History Buff Quiz

Louis IX of France (St. Louis), stained glass window of Louis IX during the Crusades. (Unknown location.)

World Wars

D-Day. American soldiers fire rifles, throw grenades and wade ashore on Omaha Beach next to a German bunker during D Day landing. 1 of 5 Allied beachheads est. in Normandy, France. The Normandy Invasion of World War II launched June 6, 1944.

A History of War

Civil War era cannon overlooks Kennesaw Mountain National Battle. (military, artillery, American history)

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