Darius III: The Last Achaemenid
- Davit Grigoryan
- Mar 15
- 10 min read
The story of Darius III, the last king of the Persian Empire, is one of struggle and tragedy. From his unexpected rise to the throne through palace intrigues to the epic battles with Alexander the Great, his life is full of drama. How did the "unsuccessful king" lose to the greatest military commander of antiquity? Why were his own allies the ones who betrayed him? And what do the legends of his death hide? This article tells a vivid story of triumphs and falls, strategic mistakes, and personal dramas that decided the fate of an empire. It’s written in simple language, without complex terms, yet includes details that will make you see the history of Persia in a new light.
How did Darius III become king?
Darius III became the king of Persia in 336 BC, and his rise to the throne is a story full of plots, poison, and palace intrigues. It all began with a cunning court official named Bagoas. According to ancient historians, this man practically "made" kings. For example, in 338 BC, he convinced the royal doctor to poison King Artaxerxes III. The new ruler became the late king’s younger son, Arses, who was barely 18 years old.
But Bagoas made a mistake—young Arses did not want to be a puppet. He started acting on his own, and it cost him his life. Just two years later, Bagoas arranged another murder—this time, Arses himself. Now, he needed a new king who would obey him. The choice fell on Darius.
This is where the mystery begins. Some say Darius was just Bagoas’ puppet—a ruler who would not argue. Others believe that not only Bagoas but also Persian nobles wanted Arses dead. They were tired of weak kings and wanted a strong leader. Darius, who had been the governor of Armenia and was known for his bravery, seemed like the right choice.
Interestingly, Darius may not have been the true heir. Ancient writers like Strabo doubted his royal blood. Some said he was from a distant branch of the Achaemenid family, or maybe he even "made up" his connection to the dynasty to seem legitimate. Either way, after Arses’ death, the nobles and Bagoas declared: "Darius is king!"
At first, Bagoas thought he had everything under control. But Darius was not so easy to manipulate. The court official was used to kings obeying him, so he tried to get rid of the new ruler the same way—with poison. According to legend, he bribed a cook to poison Darius’ food.
But then there was a twist. According to Diodorus of Sicily, Darius found out about the plot. So, he invited Bagoas to a feast and… offered him to drink poisoned wine from the very cup. "You wanted to poison me? Cheers!" Darius seemed to say. Bagoas died, and the king got rid of a dangerous enemy. Historians argue whether this was a real event or just a beautiful legend. But the fact is, Darius stopped being a puppet and took control of the power. His new right-hand man was Nabarzan, a person he trusted.
Darius' rise to power shows how unstable the throne in Persia was. Kings were replaced like gloves, and there were plots behind every throne. Although Darius became king through less-than-ideal means, he managed to hold on to power—perhaps thanks to his cunning and military experience.
Interestingly, there is some irony: Darius is often called "the last king of Persia," who lost to Alexander the Great. But at the time of his rise, he appeared to be a strong leader capable of saving the empire from crisis. Sadly, time showed that even his determination wasn't enough to resist the Macedonian army.
The first years of Darius III's reign
When Darius III became king, Persia's main headache was Macedonia. In 336 BC, Macedonian king Philip II sent troops to Asia Minor. But soon, he was killed. Persians were officially blamed, with claims that Darius had ordered the enemy's elimination. However, modern historians consider this a fake: Why would Darius want to kill Philip if Macedonia was already weak?
While Alexander, the son of Philip, was restoring order in Greece, Darius was dealing with his problems: uprisings in Egypt and Babylon. In Asia Minor, Persian forces under the command of Memnon of Rhodes were already defeating the Macedonians. Calas, their commander, struggled to hold onto a couple of cities. Darius probably thought, "Alexander? A boy! What can he do?"
But the "boy" was preparing for war seriously. In 334 BC, he crossed into Asia with an army of 50,000 men. He chose a dramatic reason for the war: "You killed my father and are inciting the Greeks!" However, it was likely just an excuse—Alexander wanted glory.
Before the Battle of the Granicus, the Persians held a council. Their best general, Memnon suggested a smart plan: "Don't fight! Burn the fields, destroy the roads—let the Macedonians die of hunger." After all, Alexander’s supplies would only last for 10 days, and the new harvest hadn’t ripened yet. But here, the Persians made a mistake. The satraps, who didn’t want to burn their lands, said, "No, we will fight!" And... they lost at the Granicus. Although this defeat wasn’t a disaster (the satraps' army wasn’t the main force of Persia), it gave Alexander a foothold for further attacks.
After the Granicus, Darius finally realized that Memnon was right. He made him the commander-in-chief. Memnon began to act cleverly: he fortified Halicarnassus, gathered a fleet, and struck at Alexander’s rear in the Aegean Sea. He captured Chios, Lesbos, and laid siege to Mytilene. The Greeks even rejoiced: "Memnon is coming! Let’s throw off the Macedonian yoke!"
But luck turned away from the Persians. During the siege of Mytilene, Memnon suddenly died of illness. Without him, everything fell apart. His successors, Pharnabazus and Autophradates, were unable to block the straits or stop Alexander. The Persian fleet was defeated, and cities in Asia Minor fell one after another.
Darius tried to influence the situation. For example, he bribed the Macedonian general Lyncestian to kill Alexander. But the plot failed—the messenger was caught. After Memnon's death, the Persians completely lost their strategy. Charidemus, an Athenian mercenary on their side, shouted, "Continue Memnon's plan!" But he was executed for his boldness. Ultimately, the fleet wasted time, while Alexander calmly captured the coastline.
Alexander and Darius
While Darius was gathering his army, Alexander was in no rush to march deep into Persia. But by 333 BC, the Persian king decided, "Enough!" He moved into Asia Minor to crush the Macedonians. And then something unexpected happened: Darius, who was usually not known for his strategy, outmaneuvered Alexander! He bypassed him through the Amanus Mountains and cut off his supply lines. Winter was approaching, and the Macedonians had no supplies—an ideal scenario.
But Darius miscalculated the timing. Instead of striking at Alexander's divided forces, he got stuck at Issus. That's when everything went wrong.
Darius gathered a huge army (some say up to 600,000!). But instead of fighting on the plains, where numbers would give him an advantage, he squeezed his army into a narrow gorge near the River Pinar. Why? Legend says that the defector Amintas advised Darius to wait in an open area, but the king feared Alexander would "escape." Amintas replied, "Don’t worry, he will come to you!"
And that’s exactly what happened. After hearing that the Persians had killed his wounded at Issus, Alexander turned his army around and launched a direct attack.
The Persians occupied the high bank of the river—seemingly an advantageous position. But the Macedonian phalanx, like a tank, broke through their defenses. Alexander personally led the cavalry to the center, where Darius was positioned. A fierce struggle ensued: both kings were wounded, Darius' brother Oxathres attempted a counterattack, but was killed.
And then Darius... fled. He abandoned his family, his chariot, and even his royal bow. Seeing this, the Persians panicked. The army, which hadn’t even engaged in battle yet, scattered. Alexander captured Darius’ mother, wife, and daughters, along with 3,000 talents of gold (which is equivalent to several billion dollars!).
Interestingly, historians still debate this. Some consider Darius a coward, saying, "He fled like a rat!" Others defend him, arguing, "He wanted to gather new forces!" But the fact is, after Issus, Darius’ authority collapsed. Even his family, in captivity, said, "Alexander is the true king."
Battle of Gaugamela
After the defeat at Issus, Darius III thought, "The problem was the narrow space!" For the new battle, he chose a huge plain near Gaugamela, clearing all bushes and hills so his army could spread out. The exact location is still debated—some say it was near Mosul, others closer to Nineveh. But the main point is that Darius wanted to use his numerical advantage.
When Alexander reached the plain, he gathered his council. The veteran general Parmenion suggested, "Attack at night! The Persians won’t expect it." But Alexander refused, saying, "Victory must be fair, without tricks." Strangely enough, this was a wise decision. The Persians were expecting a night attack—their horses remained unsaddled, and their soldiers stayed awake. By morning, they were exhausted, while the Macedonians were well-rested.
Darius had huge numbers of soldiers—infantry, cavalry, and even scythed chariots (these were like "tanks" with blades on the wheels). Alexander had half as many troops, but his phalanx was like a steel wall, and his commanders were highly experienced.
The battle began with maneuvers. Alexander unexpectedly started shifting his army to the right. Why? Maybe he was avoiding hidden traps (some say Darius had buried spikes to stop cavalry), or perhaps he was preventing an encirclement. The Persians, thinking the Macedonians were retreating in fear, sent their chariots charging forward.
The scythed chariots were meant to spread terror. But the Macedonians simply shouted and beat their shields—frightened horses turned back, trampling their own troops. Those who broke through were either struck down with spears or allowed to pass into the rear. Only a few chariots caused damage, sending heads "flying freely," as Diodorus wrote.
Meanwhile, the Persian cavalry tried to outflank Alexander. He sent 400 horsemen against them, but the Persians had numbers on their side. Infantry reinforcements were needed. In this chaotic fight, the Persian formation started to break. Like a predator, Alexander immediately charged into the gap with his Companion Cavalry.
The breakthrough was brutal—the Macedonians fought their way toward Darius himself. His brother, Oxyathres, tried to stop them but was killed. Seeing the Companions closing in, Darius fled once again, and his troops followed. Alexander chased him but then received urgent news—the Persians were pushing back the Macedonians on the other flank. He had to turn back.
Darius fled to Ecbatana, hoping to gather a new army. Meanwhile, Alexander marched on Babylon. The city surrendered without a fight, opening its gates and golden temples. There, the Macedonians found treasures worth 180,000 talents (like trillions today!). Darius, on the other hand, managed to take only 8,000—a mere drop in the ocean.
Interestingly, even after Gaugamela, Darius still believed, "I will return!" But his empire was already collapsing. One by one, the satraps switched to Alexander’s side, and the people welcomed him as a liberator. In the end, the Battle of Gaugamela was not just a military defeat but a psychological one—the Persians lost faith in their king.
The Death of Darius III
After the defeat at Gaugamela, Darius III fled to Media, hoping to gather a new army. He spent the winter of 330 BCE in Ecbatana, dreaming of revenge. By spring, he had gathered 30,000 warriors—mostly mercenaries and remnants of loyal troops. But his hopes crumbled: the satraps of the East were slow to offer help, the Spartans lost their war, and instead of retreating to Macedonia, Alexander was marching straight toward him.
Darius tried to fight, but upon seeing that his army was a "mishmash" of inexperienced soldiers, he turned his horse and... fled again. This time, he headed to Bactria (modern-day Afghanistan). But even his escape couldn’t save him from a conspiracy.
The satraps Nabarzan and Bess, tired of constant failures, decided, "The king is weak—we must act!" According to one version, they wanted to hand Darius over to Alexander to preserve their power. According to another, they dreamed of leading the resistance themselves. In any case, they suggested that Darius "voluntarily" hand the throne to Bess. The king became furious and almost stabbed Nabarzan with a dagger—only the bodyguards saved him.
The conspirators didn’t back down. They captured Darius, locked him in a cart, and took him to Bactria, spreading the rumor, "The king has committed suicide!" But the secret was soon uncovered. Deserting Persian soldiers reported to Alexander, saying, "Darius is alive!" The Macedonian king immediately set off in pursuit with his cavalry.
In July 330 BCE, the Macedonians caught up with the cart carrying the captive king near Hecatompylos. What happened next remains a mystery. The sources contradict each other:
Arrian's version: Satraps Satibarzanes and Barsaentes, realizing escape was impossible, killed Darius and left his body on the road. Alexander found the king already dead.
Plutarch’s legend: A Macedonian soldier, Polystratus, found the dying Darius. The king asked for water, drank, and said, "Tell Alexander to take care of my family. The gods will reward him for his kindness." Then he died, shaking the soldier's hand.
Egyptian myth: Alexander himself killed Darius—supposedly to "free the world from the tyrant."
Modern historians believe the story of Polystratus is a fabrication. However, the fact remains that Darius was killed by his own men. Interestingly, even in death, he became a tool of propaganda. The Greeks and Romans wrote that he "voluntarily handed over power" to Alexander, implying that he had recognized him as the legitimate king.
According to ancient authors, Alexander held grand funeral ceremonies for Darius. His body was sent to Persia and buried in the royal tomb alongside his ancestors. But there are some questions:
No one witnessed the actual ceremony.
There are no tombs or records of the burial.
It’s possible that Alexander simply ordered Darius to be buried, but no one followed through.
However, Persian legends present a much more dramatic story. In the epic Shahnameh, Alexander (Iskander) and Darius (Dara) are portrayed as brothers! As he dies, Darius asks his "brother" to marry his daughter, Roxana, and rule in his place. This is how poets turned enemies into relatives.
Darius's death became a symbol. Each culture rewrote the story to fit its own narrative:
Greeks: Alexander was the noble victor who honored his enemy.
Persians: Darius was a victim of betrayal, and Alexander was the "brother" who took on his legacy.
Egyptians: Alexander was a divine avenger.
But the reality is simpler: Darius III, the last king of Persia, died as a fugitive—abandoned by all except a few loyal servants. His death marked the end of an empire that once ruled from the Indus to the Nile.
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