# Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face > Explore the armies, maneuver, and collapse of Darius III’s position at Gaugamela, with attention to cavalry and command decisions. Canonical URL: https://aristotree.com/theo-k/gaugamela-331-bce-alexander-and-darius-face-to-face Language: en Creator: theo-k Last modified: 2026-10-08T08:11:36.405Z Concepts: 10 Relationships: 14 This is a public, user-curated knowledge graph. Follow the cited sources when verifying claims. ## Concepts ### Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face Explore the armies, maneuver, and collapse of Darius III’s position at Gaugamela, with attention to cavalry and command decisions. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gaugamela - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gaugamela?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon, most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon from 336 BC until his death. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Battle of Issus The Battle of Issus occurred in southern Anatolia, on 5 November 333 BC between the Hellenic League led by Alexander the Great and the Achaemenid Empire, led by Darius III. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Issus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Issus?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Bessus Bessus or Bessos, also known by his regnal name Artaxerxes V, was a Persian satrap of the eastern Achaemenid satrapy of Bactria, as well as the self-proclaimed King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 330 to 329 BC. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessus?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. 5 million square kilometres, making it the largest empire of its time. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achaemenid_Empire - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achaemenid_Empire?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Darius III Darius III was the thirteenth and last Achaemenid King of Kings of Persia, reigning from 336 BC to his death in 330 BC. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_III - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_III?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Companion cavalry The Companions were the elite heavy cavalry of the Macedonian army from the time of King Philip II of Macedon, achieving their greatest prestige under Alexander the Great, and regarded as the first or among the first shock cavalry used in Europe. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_cavalry - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Companion_cavalry?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Babylon Babylon was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about 85 kilometres south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-speaking region of Babylonia. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Mazaeus Mazaeus or Mazday was an Achaemenid Persian noble, satrap of Cilicia and later satrap of Babylon for the Achaemenid Empire. He retained the satrapy after Babylon was under the rule of Alexander the Great. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazaeus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazaeus?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ### Parmenion Parmenion was a Macedonian general in the service of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. A nobleman, Parmenion rose to become Philip's chief military lieutenant and Alexander's strategos. He was assassinated after his son Philotas was convicted on a charge of treason. Topics: history, historical episode Sources: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmenion - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmenion?action=history - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ ## Relationships - Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face — related_to → Alexander the Great: Macedonian commander - Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face — related_to → Darius III: Persian commander - Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face — related_to → Parmenion: Led Macedonian left - Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face — related_to → Companion cavalry: Macedonian strike force - Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face — related_to → Bessus: Persian wing commander - Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face — related_to → Mazaeus: Persian wing commander - Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face — related_to → Achaemenid Empire: Defending empire - Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face — related_to → Battle of Issus: Earlier confrontation - Gaugamela, 331 BCE: Alexander and Darius Face to Face — related_to → Babylon: Subsequent destination - Alexander the Great — related_to → Companion cavalry: Led cavalry charge - Parmenion — related_to → Alexander the Great: Senior general - Darius III — related_to → Achaemenid Empire: Ruled the empire - Bessus — related_to → Darius III: Served Darius - Battle of Issus — related_to → Darius III: Earlier defeat