331 BC

Year 331 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. 

 Events 
 By place 

 Macedonia 
 Alexander leaves Egypt and leads his forces towards Phoenicia. He leaves Cleomenes of Naucratis as the ruling nomarch to control Egypt.
 October 1 – Alexander of Macedonia wins the Battle of Gaugamela (near ancient Ninevah) over the Persian King Darius III. Darius turns his chariot and flees. Alexander chases the  Persian forces to Arbela. Darius escapes with his Bactrian cavalry and Greek mercenaries into Media.
 Alexander encounters for the first time war elephants.
 Alexander becomes the master of the Persian Empire.  This ends the Achaemenid dynasty. Babylon and Susa open their gates to him. In the capital, Susa, Alexander gets huge treasures amounting to 50,000 gold talents.

 Greece 
 Agis III of Sparta leads some of the Greek cities in a revolt. He holds Crete against Macedonian forces. In the Peloponnesus he routes a force under the Macedonian general Coragus. Athens stays neutral, but he is joined by Elis, Achaea (except Pellene) and Arcadia, with the exception of Megalopolis.

 Italy 
 Alexander of Epirus takes Heraclea from the Lucanians, and Terina and Sipontum from the Bruttii.
 Tarentum turn against Alexander of Epirus when they realize that he wants to make a kingdom of his own in southern Italy. Alexander is defeated and killed in the Battle of Pandosia on the banks of the Acheron.

 Roman Republic 
 The Gallic tribe of the Senones and the Romans enter a period of friendly relations which lasts the rest of the century.

 Deaths 

 Alexander I of Epirus, Aeacid dynasty king of Epirus (b. c. 370 BC)
 Vahe, legendary king of Armenia and last of the Hyke dynasty

Category:331 BC