Alexander the Great: Battle of Gaugamela 331 BC | Decisive battle changed history of Greece

Alexander the Great: Battle of Gaugamela 331 BC | Decisive battle changed history of Greece
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00:00 Prelude
10:46 Battle
19:32 Aftermath
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Alexander the Great: Battle of Gaugamela 331 BC | Decisive battle changed history of Greece. Until the 5th and early 4th century BC, Macedonia was a small, often ignored state in northern Greece, unlike major powers like Athens, Sparta, or Thebes. It was even seen as barbaric. But when Philip II became king in 359 BC, he transformed Macedonia. With a strong economy and a welcoming capital, Pella, he expanded Macedonia’s influence through war and diplomacy, controlling both northern and central Greece.
But soon, after defeating the Athens - Thebes coalition at the decisive Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC, Philip officially gained hegemony over Greece. Macedon was now strong enough, and Philip decided to conquer Persia, the largest empire back then and funded Greek factions to oppose Philip. However, before being able to launch the invasion, he was assassinated. This threw Macedonia into chaos, with rebellions and enemies rising against them.

Alexander the Great: Battle of Gaugamela 331 BC | Decisive battle changed history of Greece. At just 20 years old, Alexander the great, Philip's son, took the throne. His enemies thought they could crush him quickly, but Alexander acted fast. He eliminated his father’s killers and launched a campaign across Greece, crushing rebellions, especially the Theban uprising. With this victory, many Greek cities, including Athens and Sparta, submitted to him.
After securing peace in Greece, In 336 BC, Alexander continue the intention of invade Persia of his father with reason to lead the allied Greeks in a war of liberation: to free forever from Persian control the Greek cities along the Anatolian coast and on the island of Cyprus that were subject to local despots (called "tyrants"), who were loyal to the Persian king from 547 BC. And in so doing also to exact revenge for the Persians' invasion of Greece under Great King Xerxes in 480-479 BCE, during which famous battles like Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea took place. If you are interested in these epic battles, please check our channel to take a look at it.

Alexander the Great: Battle of Gaugamela 331 BC | Decisive battle changed history of Greece. By spring 334 BC, he led an army of 30,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry into Asia Minor, quickly winning a major victory at the Granicus River, defeating 40,000 Persian troops. Then he crushed Darius III, king of Persia at the Battle of Issus one year later, forcing the king to flee, leaving behind his family.
Alexander then continued south, capturing Tyre after a seven-month siege and marching into Egypt. By 332 BC, Alexander had conquered Asia Minor, Egypt, and much of the Mediterranean.
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