It allowed Alexander to replenish his empty supply stores and encouraged some key Greek states to rebel against the Persians. Alexander replied, according to Plutarch, that it would “disgrace the Hellespont should he fear the Granicus.” The historian Arrian spoke of this encounter by saying that Alexander realized that the Persians did not fear him because they did not know him. In the early years of Alexander’s career as ruler of Macedonia and leader of the army, his determination for conquest was shared by his men. He doesn't mention the aborted attack the evening before. After this victory against his satraps, he would meet Darius in battle twice, at the Battle of Issus and then at the Battle of Gaugamela. xvii 11.3, 12.1–2). The battle would begin in the afternoon but would last barely an hour. Darius’s Greek mercenaries were largely massacred, but…, …an Achaemenid army at the Granicus and, by the following year, had won most of Asia Minor and reached Cilicia. Losses: Macedonian, 400 dead and 2,000 wounded of 40,000; Persian, 5,000 dead and 2,000 captured of 50,000. Corrections? Some historians believe this idea cost the Persians the battle. Alexander’s forces numbered 13,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry. The Persian army consisted predominantly of cavalry but it also had a substantial number of Greek mercenary infantry. The battle on the Granicus [16.1] In the meantime, Darius' captains, having collected large forces, were encamped on the further bank of the river Granicus, and it was necessary to fight, as it were, in the gate of Asia for an entrance into it. The Battle of the Granicus River in May 334 BC was the first of three major battles fought between Alexander the Great and the Persian Empire. He is eager to pass knowledge on to his students. While Alexander and his men were at Troy, the Persians held a council of local satraps to discuss the arrival of the young Macedonian and possible strategies to defend against him. Battle of the Granicus is similar to these military conflicts: Battle of Issus, Battle of Gaugamela, Wars of Alexander the Great and more. Battle of the Granicus: Amazon.es: Miller, Frederic P., Vandome, Agnes F., McBrewster, John: Libros en idiomas extranjeros Battle of the Granicus (Alexandros) The Battle of the Granicus was the only major battle during the Macedonian Invasion of Asia, which saw the confrontation of the Macedonian and Greek invasion force, under the command of Alexander III, against the forces of the Achaemenid Empire. The Persian plan to tempt Alexander across the river and kill him in the melee almost succeeded; but the Persian line broke, and Alexander’s victory was complete. Some historians believe this idea cost the Persians the battle. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Battle of the Granicus. For a brief moment, both armies stood across from each other in silence. The Persian army consisted predominantly of cavalry but it also had a substantial number of Greek mercenary infantry. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. The local satraps rejected the idea in part because Memnon was Greek but also because they did not want their lands destroyed. Besides, the newly appointed king was more concerned with possible rebellion and unrest among the local satraps. THE BATTLE OF THE GRANICUS RIVER 75 dawn battle sub luce was padded out with details from Arrian's (or his source's) account; but at least the Itinerarium did not transfer those details to a different battle-scene. The first victorious engagement of Alexander the Great ’s invasion of the Persian Empire established the Macedonians on enemy soil. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. After succeeding his father as king of Macedon, Alexander continued the planned invasion of the Persian Empire. Battle of Granicus, (May 334 bce). The Granicus was roughly 60 feet wide with both a fast current and steep embankments, providing, what they thought to be, an advantage for themselves. The Battle of the Granicus River In chapter 15 of the Life Plutarch tells us that when Alexander left Macedon his army was between 30,000 – 43,000 infantry and 4,000 – 5,000 cavalry in size. in southern Anatolia he defeated a much larger force under the direct command of Darius. These articles have not yet undergone the rigorous in-house editing or fact-checking and styling process to which most Britannica articles are customarily subjected. After the death of his father Phillip II of Macedon (r. 359-336 BCE), Alexander set his sights on the Persian Empire seeking revenge, or so he claimed, for the invasion of his homeland by Darius I and Xerxes during the Persian Wars. 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