Editing Darius III (section)

=== Alexander's campaign ===
[[File:Battle of Issus mosaic - Museo Archeologico Nazionale - Naples 2013-05-16 16-25-06 BW.jpg|right|thumb|230px|Darius III portrayed (in the middle) in battle against Alexander in a Greek depiction; Possible illustration of either [[Battle of Issus]] or [[Battle of Gaugamela]]]]
[[File:Batalla de Gaugamela (M.A.N. Inv.1980-60-1) 02.jpg|thumb|230px|right|Darius's flight at the Battle of Gaugamela (18th-century ivory relief)]]

In the spring of 334 BC, Philip's heir, Alexander, who had himself been confirmed as [[Hegemon]] by the [[League of Corinth]], invaded Asia Minor at the head of an army of Macedonian and other Greek soldiers. This invasion, which marked the beginning of the [[Wars of Alexander the Great]], was followed almost immediately by the victory of Alexander over the Persians at [[Battle of the Granicus]]. Darius never showed up for the battle, because there was no reason for him to suppose that Alexander intended to conquer the whole of Asia, and Darius may well have supposed that the satraps of the 'lower' satrapies could deal with the crisis,<ref>[[George Cawkwell]], ''The Greek Wars: The Failure of Persia'', p. 209</ref> so he instead decided to remain at home in Persepolis and let his satraps handle it. In the previous invasion of Asia Minor by the Spartan king [[Agesilaus II]], the Persians had pinned him in Asia Minor while fomenting [[Corinthian War|rebellion]] in Greece. Darius attempted to employ the same strategy, with the Spartans rebelling against the Macedonians, but the Spartans were defeated at [[Battle of Megalopolis|Megalopolis]].

Darius did not take the field against Alexander's army until a year and a half after Granicus, at the [[Battle of Issus]] in 333&nbsp;BC. His forces outnumbered Alexander's soldiers by at least a 2 to&nbsp;1 ratio, but Darius was still outflanked, defeated, and forced to flee. It is told by [[Arrian]] that at the Battle of Issus the moment the Persian left went to pieces under Alexander's attack and Darius, in his war-chariot, saw that it was cut off, he incontinently fled – indeed, he led the race for safety.<ref>Arrian, ''The Campaigns of Alexander''.</ref> On the way, he left behind his chariot, his bow, and his royal mantle, all of which were later picked up by Alexander. Greek sources such as Diodorus Siculus' ''Library of History'' and Justin's ''Epitoma Historiarum Philippicarum'' recount that Darius fled out of fear at the Battle of Issus and again two years later at the [[Battle of Gaugamela]] despite commanding a larger force in a defensive position each time.<ref>John Prevas, ''Envy of the Gods: Alexander's Ill-fated Journey across Asia'' (Da Capo Press, 2004), 47.</ref> At the Battle of Issus, Darius III even caught Alexander by surprise and failed to defeat Alexander's forces.<ref>Prevas 47.</ref> Darius fled so far so fast that Alexander was able to capture Darius' headquarters and take Darius' family as prisoners in the process. Darius petitioned to Alexander through letters several times to get his family back, but Alexander refused to do so unless Darius would acknowledge him as the new emperor of Persia.

Circumstances were more in Darius' favor at the Battle of Gaugamela in 331&nbsp;BC. He had a good number of troops who had been organized on the battlefield properly, he had the support of the armies of several of his satraps, and the ground on the battlefield was almost perfectly even, so as not to impede movement of his scythed chariots. Despite all these beneficial factors, he still fled the battle before any victor had been decided and deserted his experienced commanders as well as one of the largest armies ever assembled.<ref>Prevas 48</ref> Another source accounts that when Darius perceived the fierce attack of Alexander, as at Issus he turned his chariot around, and was the first to flee,<ref>Ulrich Wilcken, ''Alexander the Great''.</ref> once again abandoning all of his soldiers and his property to be taken by Alexander. Many Persian soldiers died that day, so many in fact that after the battle the casualties of his forces ensured that Darius would never again raise an imperial army.<ref name="ReferenceA">N.G.L. Hammond, ''The Genius of Alexander the Great''.</ref> Darius then fled to [[Ecbatana]] and attempted to raise a third army, while Alexander took possession of [[Babylon]], [[Susa]], and the Persian capital at [[Persepolis]]. Darius reportedly offered all of his empire west of the Euphrates River to Alexander in exchange for peace several times, each time denied by Alexander against the advice of his senior commanders.<ref>Prevas 52</ref> Alexander could have declared victory after the capture of Persepolis, but he instead decided to pursue Darius.

The [[Battle of Gaugamela]], in which [[Alexander the Great]] defeated Darius III of Persia in 331 BC, took place approximately 100 kilometres (62&nbsp;mi) west of [[Erbil]], [[Iraq]]. After the battle, Darius managed to flee to the city. However, somewhat inaccurately, the confrontation is sometimes known as the "Battle of Arbela."