Alexander the Great Timeline

356 B.C.

• Alexander born in Pella. The exact date in unknown, but probably either 20 or 26 July.
• Philip captures Potidaea.
• Parmenio defeats Paeonians and Illyrians.

354 B.C.

• Demosthenes attacks idea of a ‘crusade against Persia’.
• Mid-summer: Philip captures Mathone: loses an eye in the battle.

352 B.C.

• Artabazus and Memnon refugees with Philip, who now emerges as potential leader of crusade against Persia.

351 B.C.

• Philip’s fleet harassing Athenian shipping.
• Demosthenes’ First Philippic.

348 B.C.

• August: Philip captures Olynthus.
• Aeschines’ attempt to unite Greek states against Philip fails.

346 B.C.

• March: embassy to Philip from Athens.
• Halus besieged by Parmeniio
• April: peace of Philocrates ratified.
• Second Athenian embassy held up till July.
• July: Philip occupies Thermopylae.
• August: Philip admitted to seat on Amphictyonic Council, and presides over Pythian Games.
• Isocrates publishes Philippus.

344 B.C.

• Philip appointed Archon of Thessaly for life.

343 B.C.

• Non-aggression pact between Philip and Artaxerxes Ochus.
• Trail and acquittal of Aeschines.

343 B.C.

• Aristotle invited to Macedonia al Alexander’s tutor.

342 B.C.

• Olympia’s brother Alexander succeeds to throne of Epirus with Philip’s backing.

340 B.C.

• Congress of Allies meets in Athens.
• Demosthenes awarded gold crown at Dionysia.
• Alexander left as Regent in Macedonia: his raid on Maedi and the foundation of Alexandropolis.
• Philip’s campaign against Perinthus and Byzantium.

339 B.C.

• September: Philip occupies Elatea.
• Isocrates’ Panathenaicus.

338 ? B.C.

• August 2: Battle of Chaeronea.
• Alexander among ambassadors to Athens.
• Philip marries Attalus’ niece Cleopatra.
• Oylmpias and Alexander in exile.

337 B.C.

• Spring: Hellenic League convened at Corinth.
• Recall of Alexander to Pella.
• Autumn: League at Corinth ratifies crusade to against Persia.

336 B.C.

• Spring: Parmenoi and Attalus sent to Asia Minor for preliminary
• military operations.
• June: accession of Darius III Codomannus.
• Cleopatra bears Philip a son.
• Wedding of Alexander of Epirus to Olympia’s daughter.
• Murder of Philip.
• Alexander accedes to the throne of Macedonia.
• Late summer: Alexander calls meeting of Hellenie League at
• Corinth, confirmed as Captain-General of anti-Persian crusade.

335 B.C.

• Early spring: Alexander goes north to deal with Thrace and Illyria.
• Revolt of Thebes.

334 B.C.

• Alexander and the attacking force cross into Asia Minor.
• May: Battle of the Granicus.
• General reorganization of Greek cities in Asia Minor.
• Siege and capture of Miletus.
• Autumn: reduction of Halicarnassus.
• Alexander advances through Lycia and Pamphylia.

333 B.C.

• Alexander’s column moves north to Celaenae and Gordium.
• Death of Memnon.
• Mustering of Persian forces in Babylon.
• Episode of the Gordian Knot.
• Alexander marches to Ancyra and thence south to Cilician Gates.
• Darius moves westward from Babylon.
• September: Alexander reaches Tarsus: his illness there.
• Darius crosses the Euphrates.
• ? Sept.-Oct.: Battle if Issus.
• Alexander advances southward though Phoenicia.
• Marathus: first peace-offer by Darius.

332 B.C.

• ? January: submission of Byblos and Sidon.
• Siege of Tyre begun.
• ? June: second peace-offer by Darius refused.
• July 29: fall of Tyre.
• Sept.-Oct.: Gaza captured.
• ? November 14: Alexander crowned as Pharaoh at Memphis.

331 B.C.

• Early spring: visit to the Oracle of Ammon at Siwah.
• ? April 7-8: foundation of Alexanderia.
• Alexander returns to Tyre.
• July-August: Alexander reaches Thapsacus on Euphrates; Darius moves his main forces from Babylon.
• September 18: Alexander crosses the Tigris.
• Darius’ final peace-offer rejected.
• Sept. 30 or Oct. 1: Battle of Gaugamela.
• Macedonians advance from Arbela on Babylon, which falls in mid-October.
• Revolt of Agis defeated at Megalopolis.
• Early December: Alexander occupies Susa unopposed.
• Alexander forces Susian Gates.

330 B.C.

• ? January: Alexander reaches and sacks Perseplis.
• ? May : burning of temples etc. in Persepols.
• Early June: Alexander sets out for Ecbatana.
• Darius retreats toward Bactria.
• Greek allies dismissed at Ecbatana; Parmenio left behind there, with Harpalus as Treasurer.
• Pursuit of Darius renewed, via Caspian Gates.
• July; Darius found murdered near Hecatompylus.
• Bessus establishes himself as ‘Great King’ in Bactria.
• March for Hyrcania begins.
• Late August: march to Drangiana.
• The ‘conspiracy of Philotas’.
• March though Arachosia to Parapamisidae.

329 B.C.

• March-April: Alexander crosses Hindu Kush by Khawak Pass.
• April-May: Alexander advancing to Bactria; Bessus retreats across the Oxus.
• June: Alexander reaches and crosses the Oxus; veterans and
• Thessalian volunteers dismissed.
• Surrender of Bessus.
• Alexander advances to Maracanda.
• Revolt of Spitamenes, annihilation of Macedonian detachment
• Alexander takes up winter quarters at Zariaspa.
• Execution of Bessus.

328 B.C.

• Campaign against Spitamenes.
• Autumn: murder of Cleitus the Black.
• Defeat and death of Spitamenes.

327 B.C.

• Spring: capture of the Soghdian Rock.
• Alexander’s marriage to Roxane.
• Recruitment of 30,000 Perisan ‘Successors’.
• The ‘Pages Conspiracy’ and Callisthenes’ end.
• Early summer: Alexander recrosses Hindu Kush by Kushan Pass: the invasion of India begins.
• Alexander reaches Nysa; the ‘Dionysus episode’.
• Capture of Aornos.

326 B.C.

• Advance to Taxila.
• Battle of the Hydaspes (The Jhelum) against the rajah Porus.
• Death of Bucephalas.
• ? July: Mutiny at the Hyphasis.
• Return to the Jhelum: reinforcements move down-river.
• Campaign against Brahmin cities: Alexander seriously wounded.

325 B.C.

• Revolt in Bactria: 3000 mercenaries loose in Asia.
• Alexander reaches Patala, builds harbor and dockyards.
• ? September: Alexander’s march through Gedrosian Desert.
• Defection of Harpalus from Asia Minor to Greece.
• The satrapal purge begins.
• Nearchus and the fleet reach Harmozia, link up with Alexander at Salmous.
• Arrival of Craterus form Drangiana.

324 B.C.

• January: Nearches and fleet sent on to Susa.
• The episode of Cyrus’ tomb.
• Alexander returns to Persepolis.
• Move to Susa, long halt there.
• Spring: arrival of 30,000 trained Persian ‘Successors’.
• The Susa mass-marriages.
• March: the Exiles’ Decree and the Deification Decree.
• Craterus appointed to succeed Antiparter as Regent, and convoy troops home.
• Alexander moves from Susa to Ecbatana.
• Death of Hephaestion.

323 B.C.

• Assassination of Harpalus in Crete.
• Alexander’s Campaign against the Cossaeans and return to Babylon.
• Alexander explores Pallacopas Canal; his boat-trip through the marshes.
• Arrival of Antipater’s son Cassander to negotiate with Alexander.
• May 20/30: Alexander falls ill after a party; and dies on 10/11th June.