THE BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA
331 BC
After the Greek victory at Issus, Alexander continued south down the Aegean coastline and occupied Egypt unopposed. With Egypt captured, Alexander had secured the Greek mainland from Persian naval attack and could now move inland to the heart of the Persian empire.
On the plains of Gaugamela near the city of Arbela, King Darius had assembled another large army to confront Alexander. However besides a few regular Persian units and Greek mercenaries to form the core of his army, for Gaugamela, Darius had truly scraped the bottom of the manpower barrel.
Alexander now marched his troops to within sight of Gaugamela. The Greek army of forty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry, would find themselves matched by an immense Persian army of some two hundred thousand infantry and forty thousand cavalry.
For the upcoming battle Darius placed his chariots to the front of his army. Behind these stood the bulk of the Persian cavalry extended in line to both wings with the Persian infantry to the rear.In response, Alexander placed his infantry phalanx's in the center with his cavalry supported by light infantry on both flanks.
Darius opened the battle ordering his left wing cavalry under general Bessos to attack. The Persian horseman at first rode outward to the extreme left and then slowly wheeled right in an attempt to roll up Alexander's right flank.
Although heavily outnumbered the Macedonian right wing cavalry commander general Ariston, led a desperate charge towards the oncoming Persians. Once engaged, Ariston found it difficult to hold the Persian attack until Alexander sent in units of the reserve infantry phalanx to stabilize the situation.
Darius now ordered his two hundred chariots forward to attack the Macedonian center. As the chariots drew closer the Macedonian infantry began to divide ranks and form corridors, simply letting the chariots pass through, only to be later surrounded and cut to peices.
Bessos's attack on the Greek right wing had created a large gap between the Persian left flank and the cavalry battle, Alexander now assumed command of his companion cavalry and charged forward into the breach against the exposed Persian left.
With Alexander's manouvre still in progress and Bessos's attack locked in bloody stalemate, king Darius now ordered general Mazaeus and his entire right wing cavalry force of twenty thousand horsemen forward to attack the Macedonian left wing.
The Persian charge slammed into the Macedonian's under Alexander's second in command General Parmenio. The sheer weight of the assault forced the Greek line to buckle and fall back. Meanwhile the Macedonian center now prematurely marched towards Alexander in support. As a result a large opening developed separating the army in two.
With Alexander's center wide open, Darius ordered his reserve heavy cavalry supported by Greek Mercenaires forward to occupy and extend the gap. However the Persians continued to advance through the vacant center and deep into the rear areas of the enemy army.
The attack soon began to trickle away as the Persians and mercenaires contended themselves with looting Alexander's supply train. It was with ease that they were forced to scatter when Alexander's reserve infantry phalanxes arrived to check them.
Although the Persian threat to the Macedonian center had now been thwarted, both Greek flank's under Parmenio and Ariston were exhausted and close to collapse. It is at this critical moment that Alexander's companion cavalry succed in outflanking the Persian's central positions.
With Alexander now behind the Persian formations, he now orders a left wheel towards the Persian center. In desperation, Darius orders what remains of his infantry to fall back and form a new defensive line, but they respond to slow and Alexander simply outflank's the Persian's and continous onward towards Darius himself.
With the Persian left wing crumbling and no reserves left to throw in against Alexander's coming charge, Darius chooses to save himself and abandones his army to its fate. The Persian's now begin to disintegrate as remaining units begin fleeing in all directions, leaving only the Greek mercenaries as an orginized fighting force.
Alexander now orders his cavalry to envelope his former countrymen still occupying the center of the battlefield to prevent their escape, while Parmenio brings up his reformed infantry phalanxes to complete the encirclement.
To Alexander, these men were traitors and were to be shown no mercy, he thus gave the order to annihalte them. Facing attacks from all sides, resistance within the pocket soon collapsed. Only when Alexander was satisfied that every man had been slain, does he give the order to halt the slaughter.
Alexander's victory at Gaugamela completely destroyed the Persian army as a fighting force. The Persians suffered fifty thousand dead and an equal number taken prisoner along with twenty thousand Greek mercenaries. Casualties within the Macedonian Greek army numbered a mere 3,000 men.
King Darius was now to become a fugitive in the vast empire he once ruled, only to be later murdered by general Bessos and his royal body guard. When Alexander discovered Darius he gave him a royal burial ceremony at Persepolis. Alexander then persued Bessos, capturing and executing him the following year.
THE BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA
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