Battle of Issus
333 BCE · Issus, Asia Minor (modern Turkey)
The Battle of Issus was fought in 333 BCE in Issus, Asia Minor (modern Turkey) between Macedon and the League of Corinth vs the Achaemenid Persian Empire; decisive Macedonian victory; Darius fled and his family was captured.
Battle of Issus: quick facts
- Date
- 333 BCE
- Location
- Issus, Asia Minor (modern Turkey)
- Belligerents
- Macedon and the League of Corinth vs the Achaemenid Persian Empire
- Commanders
- Alexander the Great vs Darius III
- Result
- decisive Macedonian victory; Darius fled and his family was captured.
- Era
- 🏛️ Ancient Egypt & Mesopotamia
- Quiz difficulty
- medium
What happened at the Battle of Issus?
Alexander the Great confronted Darius III of Persia on a narrow coastal plain near the town of Issus in southern Asia Minor. The confined terrain between the mountains and the sea neutralized the Persians' vast numerical advantage. Alexander led his Companion cavalry in a charge directly at Darius, who panicked and fled the battlefield, abandoning his mother, wife, and children. The victory opened the way to the Levant and Egypt, and the captured Persian royal family was treated with great respect by Alexander.
Did you know?
After Issus, Alexander treated Darius's captured mother, wife, and daughters with such respect that Darius's mother Sisygambis reportedly refused to mourn Darius when he later died, considering Alexander her true son.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Issus on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.