Battle of the Granicus

Battle of the Granicus
Part of the Wars of Alexander the Great

The Battle of the Granicus (1665) by Charles Le Brun depicts Alexander the Great at the center of the cavalry battle.
DateMay 334 BC
Location
At the Granicus in the Troad region
(modern-day Biga River, Balıkesir, Turkey)
40°19′00″N 27°16′52″E / 40.3167082°N 27.2811127°E / 40.3167082; 27.2811127
Result Macedonian victory
Territorial
changes
Alexander the Great attains half of Asia Minor
Belligerents
Macedonian Empire
Hellenic League
Achaemenid Empire
Commanders and leaders
Strength

18,100 total


4,200 heavy cavalry

900 light cavalry

12,000 heavy infantry

1,000 light infantry

14,000–40,000 total


10,000–20,000 cavalry
4,000–20,000 infantry

Casualties and losses

115 total


  • 85 cavalry killed
  • 30 infantry killed

5,000–6,000 total


  • 1,000 cavalry killed
  • 2,000–3,000 Greek mercenaries killed
  • 2,000 Greek mercenaries taken prisoner
Battle of the Granicus is located in West and Central Asia
Battle of the Granicus
Location within West and Central Asia
Battle of the Granicus is located in Turkey
Battle of the Granicus
Battle of the Granicus (Turkey)
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
1200km
820miles
Babylon
15
Death of Alexander the Great 10 or 11 June 323 BC
Malavas
14
Mallian campaign November 326 – February 325 BC
Hydaspes
13
Battle of the Hydaspes May 326 BCE
Cophen
12
Cophen campaign May 327 BC – March 326 BC
Cyropolis
11
Siege of Cyropolis 329 BC Battle of Jaxartes October 329 BC Siege of the Sogdian Rock 327 BC
Persian Gate
10
Battle of the Persian Gate 20 January 330 BC
Uxians
9
Battle of the Uxian Defile December 331 BC
Gaugamela
8
Battle of Gaugamela 1 October 331 BC
Alexandria
7
Foundation of Alexandria 331 BC
Gaza
6
Siege of Gaza October 332 BC
Tyre
5
Siege of Tyre (332 BC) January–July 332 BC
Issus
4
Battle of Issus 334 BC
Miletus
3
Siege of Miletus 334 BC Siege of Halicarnassus 334 BC
Granicus
2
Pella
1
  current battle

The Battle of the Granicus in May 334 BC was the first of three major battles fought between Alexander the Great of Macedon and the Persian Achaemenid Empire. The battle took place on the road from Abydus to Dascylium, at the crossing of the Granicus in the Troad region, which is now called the Biga River in Turkey. In the battle Alexander defeated the field army of the Persian satraps of Asia Minor, which defended the river crossing. After this battle, the Persians were forced on the defensive in the cities that remained under their control in the region.