This map illustrates the vast extent of Alexander the Great‘s conquests and the routes his army took across three continents. More specifically, the map shows:
1. Background Layer – Political Geography
| Element | How to read it |
|---|---|
| Green | Macedonia (Alexander’s homeland with its capital, Pella) |
| Pink-hatched zone bounded by dotted red line | The maximum extent of Alexander’s empire at his death in Babylon, 323 BCE |
| Province names in olive italic (Media, Parthia, Bactria, etc.) | Former satrapies of the Achaemenid Persian Empire |
2. Alexander’s Campaign – Route, Battles, Key Events
- Red Arrows & Year Labels: These trace Alexander’s campaign route chronologically (years noted in red numbers).
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- 334 BCE – Crosses the Hellespont (near Troy) → Battle of Granicus (first Persian defeat).
- 333 BCE – Southern Anatolia → Battle of Issus. In the same year, Alexander is said to have untangled the legendary Gordian Knot (in Gordium).
- 332 BCE – Siege of Tyre, march to Egypt (founding of Alexandria).
- 331 BCE – Visit to the oracle of Amun at Siwa and march to Mesopotamia → Decisive Battle of Gaugamela near Arbela.
- 330-327 BCE – Through Persia into Bactria/Sogdiana.
- 327 BCE – Siege of Sogdian Rock
- 326 BCE – Crosses the Indus, wins Battle of the Hydaspes (Punjab).
- 325-324 BCE – Turns back via the brutal Gedrosian Desert.
- 323 BCE – Returns to Babylon and dies under mysterious circumstances.
- Red “X” Symbols: Major pitched battles (Granicus, Issus, Gaugamela, Hydaspes) and Alexander’s death.
- White Squares: The numerous cities Alexander founded and named after himself during his conquests. The most famous example is Alexandria in Egypt, but Alexander also founded notable Alexandrias in Aria, Arachosia, and India, among others. Unique is the case of Bucephala, the city that Alexander founded in honor of his loyal horse, Bucephalus, which died in 326 BCE, shortly after the Battle of Hydaspes.
- Black Squares: Pre-existing, often strategic cities Alexander captured
In essence, this map visually chronicles Alexander the Great’s military journey, the vastness of the empire he established, and the significant landmarks and events of his brief yet impactful reign.