The Battle of the Persian Gate was fought northeast of today's Yasuj in Iran between a group of Persian patriots led by Ariobarzan against the large invading Macedonian army of Alexander the Great. In here Ariobarzan fought to death against Alexander in the winter of 330 BC but couldn't stop him from invading, burning and destroying Persepolis, the capital of Persia at the time. Although heavily outnumbered and facing insurmountabe odds, Ariobarzan managed to hold Alexander back for 30 days^[3] and killed a very disproportionate number of Alexander's troops. Bust of Alexander the Great in the British Museum. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 335 BC 334 BC 333 BC 332 BC 331 BC - 330 BC - 329 BC 328 BC 327... Persepolis aerial view. ... A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with devastating cost to the victor. ... Macedons regions and towns Macedon or Macedonia (from Greek ; see also List of traditional Greek place names) was the name of an ancient kingdom in the northern-most part of ancient Greece, bordering the kingdom of Epirus on the west and the region of Thrace to the east[1... Iran is one of the worlds oldest continuous major civilizations. ... Alexander the Great (Greek: ,[1] Megas Alexandros; July 356 BC–June 11, 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, king of Macedon (336–323 BC), was one of the most successful military commanders in history. ... Ariobarzan also spelled as Ario Barzan or Aryo Barzan was a great Iranian (Persian) commander. ... Alexander the Great (Greek: ,[1] Megas Alexandros; July 356 BC–June 11, 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, king of Macedon (336–323 BC), was one of the most successful military commanders in history. ... Combatants Macedon Athens, Thebes Commanders Philip II of Macedon, Alexander the Great Chares of Athens, Lysicles of Athens, Theagenes of Boeotia Strength 32,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry 35,000 Casualties Unknown 1,000 Athenians killed, 254 Boeotians killed, 2,000 captured The Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC), fought near... Combatants Macedon Greek allies Persia Greek mercenaries Commanders Alexander the Great Parmenion Clitus the Black Spithridates Mithridates Memnon of Rhodes Strength 5,000 cavalry 30,000 infantry 15,000 Persian cavalry 10,000 Persian peltasts 8,000 Greek mercenaries Casualties About 150 4,000 killed 2,000 captured Mostly on... Combatants Macedon other Greek allies Persia Commanders Alexander the Great Darius III Strength 5,000 cavalry 26,000 infantry 12,000 cavalry 80,000 Persian infantry 10,000 Immortals 10,000 Greek mercenaries Casualties Nearly 500 10,000 in actual battle, Many more in the rout The Battle of Issus... In 332 BC, Alexander the Great set out to conquer Tyre, a strategic coastal base in the war between the Greeks and the Persians. ... Combatants Macedon Persia Commanders Alexander the Great Darius III Strength 40,000 infantry, 7,000 cavalry (According to Arrian) 200,000 Persian infantry, 45,000 cavalry, 200 scythed chariots, war elephants (according to Curtius) Casualties 4,000 killed or wounded 80,000 killed 150,000 wounded and captured In the... Sogdian Rock or Rock of Ariamazes a fortress in Sogdiana was captured by the forces of Alexander the Great in 328 or 327 BC. Oxyartes of Bactria had sent his wife and daughters, one of whom was Roxane, to take refuge in the fortress because it was thought to be... Combatants Macedon and their various Greek, Persian and Indian allies Hydaspes (Punjabi Indian kingdom) Commanders Alexander the Great King Porus Strength 28,000 infantry 8,500 cavalry 20,000 infantry[1] 2,000 cavalry[1] 60 chariots[2] 200 war elephants[3] Casualties 4,000 men killed [4] 280 cavalry... Yasuj is the capital of the Kohkiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad province in southwestern Iran. ... For information about all peoples of Iran, see Demographics of Iran; for Central Asian Persians, see Tajiks. ... Ariobarzan also spelled as Ario Barzan or Aryo Barzan was a great Iranian (Persian) commander. ... Alexander the Great (Greek: ,[1] Megas Alexandros; July 356 BC–June 11, 323 BC), also known as Alexander III, king of Macedon (336–323 BC), was one of the most successful military commanders in history. ... Ariobarzan also spelled as Ario Barzan or Aryo Barzan was a great Iranian (Persian) commander. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 335 BC 334 BC 333 BC 332 BC 331 BC - 330 BC - 329 BC 328 BC 327...

Battle

As many historians documented, Persians fought bravely at Issus and Gaugamela, but were unable to prevent Macedonian victories, and Alexander proceeded to Babylon and Susa in 331 BC. A Royal Road connected Susa (the first Iranian federal capital city in Elam) with the more eastern capitals of Persepolis and Pasargadae in Persis, and that was the road for Alexander to take. Meanwhile, King Darius was building a new army at Ecbatana^{[citation needed]} (western province of Hamadan in present-day Iran). It was obvious that Alexander wanted to reach the treasures of Persepolis before Darius could defend them. Ario Barzan had to prevent the Macedonian attack on Persis, and had two advantages: Firstly, he commanded fighters who were defending their homes and thus highly motivated; furthermore, he knew the terrain and the topography of the location. There were only a few possible roads through the Zagros Mountains, which were at the time, in January 330, covered with snow and ice. And Ario Barzan knew how to exploit this. This is a list of historians. ... The Persians of Iran (officially named Persia by West until 1935 while still referred to as Persia by some) are an Iranian people who speak Persian (locally named Fârsi by native speakers) and often refer to themselves as ethnic Iranians as well. ... Issus can refer to the: Battle of Issus, fought by Alexander the Great in 333 BC, which took place near Issus (town), along the Issus (river) This is a disambiguation page, a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ... In the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC Alexander the Great of Macedonia defeated Darius III of Persia. ... Babylon (in Arabic: بابل; in Syriac: ܒܒܙܠ in Hebrew:בבל) was an ancient city in Mesopotamia (modern Al Hillah, Iraq), the ruins of which can be found in present-day Babil Province, about 50 miles (80 km) south of Baghdad. ... Winged sphinx from the palace of Darius the Great at Susa. ... The map of Achaemenid Empire and the Royal Road. ... Winged sphinx from the palace of Darius the Great at Susa. ... Elam (Persian: تمدن ایلام) is one of the oldest recorded civilizations. ... Persepolis aerial view. ... Pasargadae was a city in ancient Persia, and is today an archaeological site and one of Irans UNESCO World Heritage Sites. ... External links Official website of Fars Governorship Categories: Iran geography stubs | Provinces of Iran ... Golden Rhyton from Irans Achaemenid period. ... Avicennas tomb in Hamedan Hamadan or Hamedan ( Persian: همدان ) is the capital city of Hamadan Province of Iran. ... Persepolis aerial view. ... External links Official website of Fars Governorship Categories: Iran geography stubs | Provinces of Iran ... The Zagros Mountains (In Persian:رشته‌کوه‌های زاگرس) make up Irans second largest mountain range. ...

When Alexander invaded an unknown country, he usually divided his forces to diminish the risks and facilitate the food supply. Ario Barzan must have learned from his spies that in the area of Masjed Soleyman, the Macedonian army had been split into two parts. Alexander's general, Parmenion, took one half along the Royal Road, and Alexander himself took the route towards Persis. Ario Barzan knew where he could trap his main opponent: in the Persian Gate (in Persian: Darvaazeh Fars), northeast of modern Yasuj (the capital of Kohkiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad Province in present-day Iran).^[4] And if Ario Barzan could have defeated Alexander in that Gate, he could turn to the south and attack Parmenion as well. Masjed Soleyman (also Masjid Soleiman and Masjid-e-Soleiman) (مسجد سلیمان in Persian) is a town in the Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran. ... Parmenion (also Parmenio) (in Greek Παρμενίων, c. ... Yasuj is the capital of the Kohkiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad province in southwestern Iran. ... Kohgiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad (Persian: کهگیلویه و بویراحمد )is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ...

Alexander first massacred a mountain tribe named Uxians, and believed that after this deed, everyone would flee.^[5]Indeed, at the so-called Susian Gate, west of Yasuj, no one appeared to block the road. Believing that he would not encounter any further problems in the Persian Gate, Alexander forgot to send scouts into the pass and as a result, walked into Ario Barzan's trap with his eyes wide open.

The satrap had occupied a position near the little village that is now known as Cheshmeh Chenar. When one approaches this place from the west, the valley, called Tang'e Meyran, is initially very wide, so the Macedonians marched at some speed. But Ariobarzan knew what he was doing. After an hour's walk, the valley becomes narrower, and curves to the east-southeast, where the Macedonians were blinded by the morning sun. Immediately after they had crossed an icy brook, they would had to turn to the left, where Ario Barzan was ready to strike against an army that was standing on slippery ground, pushed forward by its rearguard, and under attack from all hilltops.

Site of the Persian Gate; the road was built in the 1990's.

Some sources mention that Ario Barzan had built a wall across the canyon, but he probably did not have to. The Persian Gate was only a couple of meters wide. However this may be, at some point, the first group of Macedonian invaders must have realized that they could no longer advance, understood that they were ambushed, and hesitated. This was the moment Ario Barzan had been waiting for. One signal was sufficient to convert the valley into a killing zone. From the northern slope, the Iranians rained down boulders and stones on the Macedonians, who were smashed away not individually, but (as Quintus Curtius Rufus says) by entire platoons. From the southern slope, Persian archers and catapults launched their projectiles. The Macedonians panicked, tried to return, but were unable to do so, because their rear guard was still advancing. It must have taken some time before Alexander's men were in full retreat. Quintus Curtius Rufus was a Roman historical writer in the first or second century AD, generally thought to have written under the reign of Claudius. ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the old Persian homeland, and beyond in Western Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. ... Replica catapult at Château des Baux, France For the handheld Y-shaped weapon, see slingshot. ...

Ario Barzan knew that the battle was not over yet. It was likely that Alexander would try again next day, or would try to take another road. This, however, would be dangerous. From Yasuj, the Macedonians could go to the north, to Gabae (which is now called Isfahan or Espahan, a central province in present-day Iran), where they would trap themselves between the army of Darius in Ecbatana and that of Ario Barzan in Persis^{[citation needed]}. Alternatively, they could go to the south and join Parmenion, trapping themselves between Ario Barzan's army and another Iranian army existed there. Given these facts, the Persians had some reason to believe that their success could change the course of the war. Alexander could not move to the north or south, but would have to retreat or try for a second time. It is documented that Alexander considered all options and finally he decided to send a message to Ario Barzan offering him a position as a Field Marshal of the Greek army if Ario Barzan would surrender^{[citation needed]}. Ario Barzan refused and declared that he would fight to death to protect Persia and his countrymen. Yasuj is the capital of the Kohkiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad province in southwestern Iran. ... Esfahān province (Persian: استان اصفهان (Ostan-e Esfahan); also transliterated as Isfahan, Esfahan, Espahan, Sepahan or Isphahan) is one of the 30 provinces of Iran. ... Golden Rhyton from Irans Achaemenid period. ... External links Official website of Fars Governorship Categories: Iran geography stubs | Provinces of Iran ... Parmenion (also Parmenio) (in Greek Παρμενίων, c. ... The Persians of Iran (officially named Persia by West until 1935 while still referred to as Persia by some) are an Iranian people who speak Persian (locally named Fârsi by native speakers) and often refer to themselves as ethnic Iranians as well. ... For other uses of this term see: Persia (disambiguation) The Persian Empire is the name used to refer to a number of historic dynasties that have ruled the country of Persia (Iran). ...

"...and now by this reverse, “the most serious challenge” to his conquest in Iran (Berve, Das Alexanderreich II, p. 61; see also A. B. Bosworth, A Historical Commentary on Arrian's History of Alexander I, Oxford, 1980, p. 326). But for rich rewards, his prisoners, led him at night through unobserved roundabouts to the rear of the Persian position while Craterus remained with a force in the camp (Arrian 3.18.5-6; Curtius 5.4.29; see also W. Heckel, 1980, p. 168; attempted reconstruction of the route in Stein, p. 23) "At dawn Alexander fell on the Persian outposts, destroyed them and attacked Ariobarzanes while Craterus assaulted the gate from the front. Surrounded, the Persians “fought a memorable fight . . . Unarmed as they were, they seized the armed men in their embrace, and dragging them down to the ground . . . stabbed most of them with their own weapons” (Curtius 5.3.31-2; see also Arrian 3.18.3-8; Diodorus 17.68-9; Plutarch, Alexander 35.1).

Death

An Iranian tribal chief betrayed his homeland and guided Alexander through the mountains to the rear of Ario Barzan's lines. The defenders were overwhelmed by outnumbering Macedonians and were mostly cut down. According to the Greek historian (Arrian 3.18.3-8 confirmed by 3.23.7), Ariobarzan escaped with a few men to the hills, but according to the Roman historian Curtius he burst through the Macedonians' line hoping to reach and hold Persepolis, but was barred by its garrison, so he returned and fought to the end. On the 20th of January 330 BC, Ariobarzan was killed in combat along with his 80 companions after weeks of fighting. The similarity between the battles fought at Thermopylae and the Persian Gates has been recognized by ancient and modern authors (Heckel, p. 171 ). The Persian Gates played the role “of a Persian Thermopylae and like Thermopylae it fell” (Burn, 1973, p. 121). Alexander the Great Lucius Flavius Arrianus Xenophon (c. ... Ariobarzan also spelled as Ario Barzan or Aryo Barzan was a great Iranian (Persian) commander. ... Quintus Curtius Rufus was a Roman historical writer in the first or second century AD, generally thought to have written under the reign of Claudius. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 380s BC 370s BC 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC - 330s BC - 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 335 BC 334 BC 333 BC 332 BC 331 BC - 330 BC - 329 BC 328 BC 327... Ariobarzan also spelled as Ario Barzan or Aryo Barzan was a great Iranian (Persian) commander. ... Combatants Greek-city states Persian Empire Commanders Leonidas I † Xerxes I the Great of Persia Strength 300 Spartans 700 Thespians 6,000 other Greek allies2 60,000-2,000,000 (estimates vary)1 Casualties 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians; 1,400 Greek allies in total. ...

Alexander then reached the Palaces of Persepolis, and appointed a man named Phrasaortes as successor of Ario barzan. Four months later, the Macedonians burned the historical Palaces of Persepolis down. It is suggested that Alexander burned Persepolis in revenge of high casualties inflicted by Ariobarzan on his troops^{[citation needed]}. Persepolis aerial view. ... Persepolis aerial view. ... Persepolis aerial view. ... Ariobarzan also spelled as Ario Barzan or Aryo Barzan was a great Iranian (Persian) commander. ...

See also

• Ariobarzan

Ariobarzan also spelled as Ario Barzan or Aryo Barzan was a great Iranian (Persian) commander. ...

Notes

Encyclopædia Iranica is a project of Columbia University started in 1974 at its Center for Iranian (Persian) Studies with the goal to create a comprehensive and authoritiative English language encyclopedia about the history, culture, and civilization of Iranian peoples from prehistory to modern times. ... 1913 advertisement for the 11th edition, with the slogan When in doubt — look it up in the Encyclopædia Britannica The Encyclopædia Britannica (properly spelled with æ, the ae-ligature) was first published in 1768–1771 as The Britannica was an important early English-language general encyclopedia and is still... External links Official website of Khuzestan Governorship Categories: Iran geography stubs | Provinces of Iran ...

Sources

• A. R. Burn, Alexander the Great and the Middle East, Harmondsworth, 1973.
• W. Heckel, “Alexander at the Persian Gates”, Athenaeum 58, 1980.
• A. Stein, Old Routes of Western Iran, London, 1940.
• Aryo Barzan, Encyclopaedia Iranica.
• Livius Picture Archive, Persian gate (Yasuj).

Encyclopædia Iranica is a project of Columbia University started in 1974 at its Center for Iranian (Persian) Studies with the goal to create a comprehensive and authoritiative English language encyclopedia about the history, culture, and civilization of Iranian peoples from prehistory to modern times. ...

External links

• Ariobarzanes: An Article by Jona Lendering.
• Pharnabazus, The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 2006.
• King Darius III: A Research Article on Darius-III Codomannus
• Gabae: The name of two places in Persia and Sogdiana.
• Persian Gates: Photos of the battlefield.
• [1]: RIOBARZANES, Greek form of an Old Iranian proper name AÚrya-bráza