Darius III

Long ago, a man named Darius was a king.

He was a brave leader. He even ran the royal mail.

Later, a leader named Alexander came to fight him.

Darius had a very large army. But Alexander was very strong.

Darius lost two big battles. He had to flee to stay safe. Alexander took over his lands and his home.

It was a very sad time for the king. His empire ended after the fights.

He was the last king of his kind.

Darius III was the last king of the Achaemenid family. He ruled the Persian Empire from 336 BC to 330 BC.

Before he was king, he was a brave soldier. He once won a battle and was given a new land to rule. Later, he was in charge of the royal postal service. This was a very high job.

Darius became king after a man named Bagoas killed the previous rulers. Bagoas tried to kill Darius too. But Darius found out about the plan. He made Bagoas drink the poison instead.

Soon, a leader named Alexander the Great came to fight. Darius fought Alexander in two big battles. These were the Battle of Issus and the Battle of Gaugamela.

Darius had more soldiers than Alexander. However, Darius lost both fights. He had to flee to stay safe. Alexander took over the Persian lands. Darius was killed by a relative named Bessus. His empire ended after these wars.

Darius III was the final king of the Achaemenid dynasty in Persia. He ruled a huge empire from 336 BC until 330 BC. Before he was king, he was known as Artashata. He was a distant member of the royal family. He first became famous for his bravery in battle. During a mission in the 350s BC, he fought a single warrior. This act helped him earn the role of ruler in Armenia.

Darius held many important jobs before he took the throne. Around 340 BC, he ran the royal postal service. This was a very high position in the empire. He rose to power after a difficult time in the royal court. A man named Bagoas had killed the previous kings. Bagoas even tried to poison Darius III. However, Darius discovered the plan. He forced Bagoas to drink the poison instead. This allowed Darius to become the King of Kings in 336 BC.

His reign was marked by a great war with Greece. A leader named Alexander the Great invaded in 334 BC. Alexander led an army of Macedonian and Greek soldiers. At first, Darius stayed home in the capital city of Persepolis. He let his local leaders handle the early fights. This changed when Alexander moved toward the heart of Persia. The two leaders eventually met on the battlefield. These wars would change the map of the world forever.

Darius fought Alexander in two very large battles. The first was the Battle of Issus in 333 BC. Darius had twice as many soldiers as Alexander did. Even with more men, Darius lost the fight. He had to flee quickly to stay safe.

The second major fight was the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC. This battle took place near modern-day Iraq. Darius had a large, organized army there. Still, he was defeated once again. The loss meant he could no longer raise a large imperial army.

The end of Darius's life was a sad time for his empire. After losing the battles, he tried to flee to find safety.

While he was running, a relative named Bessus killed him in 330 BC. Alexander the Great then took control of the Persian lands. Alexander also captured the royal family of Darius. This marked the end of the long Achaemenid rule. The world moved into a new age of Greek influence.

Darius III was the thirteenth and final King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire. He ruled the Persian Empire from 336 BC until his death in 330 BC. His reign is famous because it marked the end of a long and powerful dynasty. While he was a distant member of the royal family, he eventually rose to lead one of the largest empires in history. His story is often told through the lens of his conflict with the Macedonian leader, Alexander the Great.

Before he became king, Darius was known by the name Artashata. He also may have used the name Codomannus, which some historians think was an Aramaic name meaning "Easterner." Darius first gained notice during the Cadusian expedition in the 350s BC. During a battle, he fought a warrior in single combat and won. This act of bravery earned him the Satrapy of Armenia. A satrapy was a province ruled by a governor.

As Darius rose through the ranks, he held several high-ranking positions. Around 340 BC, he was placed in charge of the royal postal service. This was a vital role for managing such a massive empire. He was also known as a "bandaka," which is an Old Persian term. While some Greek writers translated this as "slave," it actually meant a loyal servant or a high-ranking henchman. This term was also used by the great Darius the Great to describe his own officers.

Getting to the throne was a dangerous process involving many deaths in the royal court. A court official named Bagoas used poison to kill King Artaxerxes III and his youngest son, Arses. When Bagoas tried to poison Darius III, the plan was discovered. Darius forced Bagoas to drink the poison instead, which led to the official's death. With the previous rulers gone, Darius was installed on the throne in 336 BC.

In 334 BC, the Persian Empire faced a massive invasion by Alexander the Great. Alexander led an army of Macedonian and Greek soldiers into Asia Minor. At first, Darius did not join the fighting. He stayed in the capital city of Persepolis and let his satraps handle the local battles. He likely believed the local governors could manage the crisis. However, the situation changed quickly as Alexander moved deeper into Persian territory.

The first major clash happened at the Battle of Issus in 333 BC. Darius had a massive advantage in numbers, with at least twice as many soldiers as Alexander. Despite this, the Persian forces were outflanked. Darius was forced to flee the battlefield in his war-chariot. During this escape, he left behind his royal mantle, his bow, and his chariot for Alexander to find.

The final decisive battle was the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC. This battle took place near modern-day Erbil, Iraq. The battlefield was flat and even, which was perfect for the Persian scythed chariots. Darius had a large, organized army and the support of many satraps. Even with these advantages, he was defeated again. The loss was so great that Darius could no longer raise a new imperial army.

After the defeat, Darius tried to flee to find safety. He even offered to give Alexander all the empire west of the Euphrates River in exchange for peace. Alexander refused these offers and continued to pursue him. In 330 BC, while Darius was on the run, he was killed by his relative Bessus. Bessus was the satrap of Bactria. With Darius gone, the Achaemenid Empire fell under the control of Alexander the Great.