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Battles and Campaigns

Battle of Gaugamela

/ˌɡɔːɡəˈmiːlə/ (GAW-gə-MEE-lə)
Also Known As Battle of Arbela
Ancient

Fought on 1 October 331 BC near Gaugamela in what is now Iraqi Kurdistan, the Battle of Gaugamela was the second and final pitched battle between Alexander the Great and the Persian king Darius III. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Alexander's combined-arms tactics broke the Persian center and sent Darius fleeing the field. The victory delivered Babylon and the Persian heartland to Alexander and is regarded as the decisive blow to the Achaemenid Empire. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

Facts
Battle Type
Pitched field battle 1
Year
331 BCE 1
Location
Probably Tel Gomel, near Erbil in modern Iraqi Kurdistan, north of Mount Alfaf. 1
Outcome
Macedonian victory. Alexander gained Babylon, half of Persia and all other parts of Mesopotamia, and was afterward regarded as King of all Asia. 1
Battle Type
Battle Type (category)
Pitched Battle 1
Connections

Led By

Alexander the Great, Commanders
Source Wikipedia: Battle of Gaugamela
In the Other Atlases
  • Also in Geography Atlas: Iraq, found in there.
  • Also in Geography Atlas: Kurdistan, found in there.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Battle of Gaugamela
Wikipedia
  • lead paragraph
    took place in 331 BC between the forces of the Army of Macedon
  • infobox, Date field
    1 October 331 BC
  • infobox, Location field
    Probably Tel Gomel (Gaugamela) near Erbil, modern Iraqi Kurdistan, north of Mount Alfaf
  • infobox/lead
    Macedonian victory...Alexander gaining Babylon, half of Persia and all other parts of Mesopotamia
  • lead/infobox, alternate name
    Also called the Battle of Arbela
  • lead section, pronunciation gloss
    /ˌɡɔːɡəˈmiːlə/ GAW-gə-MEE-lə
View the Source
Wikidata: Battle of Gaugamela
Wikidata Q179670, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)
Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Battle of Gaugamela also called the Battle of Arbela?

It is named for nearby Arbela (modern Erbil), the closest major city to the battlefield.

Ancient and modern sources alike give Gaugamela a second name, the Battle of Arbela, after Arbela (modern Erbil), the nearest major city to the battlefield, even though the fighting itself took place well north of the city at a site now identified as Tel Gomel.
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