Alexander the Great's first major victory over the Persian Achaemenid Empire, forcing Persia onto the defensive in Asia Minor.
Key Facts
- Date
- May 334 BC
- Battle sequence
- First of three major battles vs. Persia
- Location
- Granicus River crossing, Troad region
- Modern river name
- Biga River, Turkey
- Road context
- On road from Abydus to Dascylium
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Alexander the Great launched his campaign against the Persian Achaemenid Empire in 334 BC, crossing into Asia Minor with his Macedonian army. The Persian satraps of Asia Minor gathered a field army to block his advance at the Granicus River, a strategically vital crossing on the road from Abydus to Dascylium in the Troad region.
In May 334 BC, Alexander's Macedonian forces engaged the Persian satrapal army at the crossing of the Granicus River. Alexander defeated the Persian defenders in the battle, overcoming their resistance at the river and routing their field army. The engagement was the first of three major pitched battles between Macedon and the Achaemenid Empire.
Following their defeat at the Granicus, the Persians were forced onto the defensive and withdrew into the fortified cities they still controlled in Asia Minor. This victory opened the region to Macedonian advances and established Alexander's momentum for his broader campaign against the Achaemenid Empire.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Alexander the Great.
Side B
1 belligerent