| Darius III was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia from 336 BC to 330 BC. He was dealt a pretty poor hand by life, being deposed during Alexander the Great's conquest. In the spring of 334 BC Alexander invaded Asia Minor at the head of a combined Macedonian army and almost immediately faced and defeated a Persian force at the Battle of Granicus. In 333 BC Darius took the field against Alexander but his much larger army was defeated at the Battle of Issus and Darius fled. In September of that year Alexander again defeated Darius at the Battle of Gaugamela when his chariot driver was killed and Darius was knocked off his feet setting off a general Persian rout. Darius then fled to begin raising a third army, while Alexander took possession of the Persian capital at Persepolis. Darius was then deposed by his satrap Bessus and was assassinated at Bessus' order. Darius' defeat by Alexander is mentioned in the song Alexander the Great by heavy metal band Iron Maiden. | ||
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Later Achaemenid Persian
