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BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA
October 1, 331 BC
The Battle of Gaugamela is also called
the Battle of Arbela.
The battle was fought on the Plain of Gaugamela, located near
Arbela, which is today's
Irbil in Iraq.
Who fought THE BATTLE
OF GAUGAMELA?
Macedonia, led by
Alexander the
Great, fought against Persia, led by
Darius III.
Battle of Gaugamela (Battle of Arbela) 331 BC
HOW MANY TROOPS ENGAGED IN THE BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA?
Alexander had about 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry.
Darius had
employed an army of about 1,000,000 men plus 15 elephants,
which he thought might come in handy when fighting against
Alexander's phalanxes.
Map of the Battle of Gaugamela 331 BC -
Initial Situation
Battle starts,
Darius' elephants charge, Alexander orders his army to shape some gaps
in their formation, elephants instinctively prefer to zoom through gaps
rather than to run into sharp objects,
Alexander's army leaves elephants behind, Macedonian phalanxes charge as usual, Alex
wins the battle of Gaugamela. Killed were 300,000 Persians.
Map of the Battle of Gaugamela 331 BC -
Decisive Action
WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA?
The battle of Gaugamela marked the end of the
Persian empire.
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