The Battle of Helicore was a battle fought between the Macedonian armies of Alexander the Great and Balakros and the Cappadocian army of Satrap Labashi near present-day Iznik, Turkey in 334 BC. The battle resulted in the defeat of the Persian army, but Labashi and a sizable portion of his army survived to retreat up the Persian royal road into the Anatolian interior.
Background[]
In the aftermath of the Siege of Pergamon in 334 BC, Shahanshah Darius III of Persia planned a major counterattack against the invading Macedonian armies of Alexander the Great, Crios, and Balakros. Satrap Polemon of Armenia marched along the northern shore of Anatolia and towards Alexander's Anatolian foothold of Daskyleion, Satrap Labashi of Cappadocia and his general Kuri advanced through central Anatolia to attack Alexander's battered army as it rested and replenished its numbers near Pergamon, Darius and his general Ariarathes marched to defend the central Anatolian city of Gordion and confront the Macedonian invaders, and another Persian army assembled in Syria to march north and along the southern Anatolian coast.
Labashi and his Cappadocian army was the first army to pose a threat to the Macedonian invaders, emerging from the mountains and forests near the city of Helicore (the future Nicaea, present-day Iznik), from which he could pose a threat to Alexander's army near Pergamon (which had not yet decided to join Alexander's war with Persia, depriving him of prospective reinforcements), as well as the small Macedonian army which protected Daskyleion, which was commanded by Balakros. Both Alexander and Balakros recruited mercenaries into their ranks to intimidate the Cappadocians into not attacking; their plan worked, and Labashi decided to stay put and await reinforcements from other Persian armies. Intent on securing Anatolia's western coast for Macedon, Alexander marched his and Balakros' armies to attack Labashi's large Cappadocian army in a battle for control of Mysia.
Battle[]
Balakros' army attacking the Cappadocians at Helicore
The Macedonian armies closed in on the Persians from two sides, with Alexander commanding the main body and Balakros leading a smaller force which closed in on the Cappadocian rear. Alexander and his army formed a line in a clearing, with treelines guarding his force's flanks; his men held out against several spirited Persian attacks as Balakros and his force found themselves attacked by the Persian cavalry. Both Macedonian armies suffered considerable casualties, but Balakros personally charged into battle with his bodyguards, outflanking and overwhelming the Persians. This enabled Balakros' troops to come to the aid of Alexander's beleaguered troops, and the surrounded Persians broke and fled. The Macedonian cavalry pursued the fleeing Persians and took 338 prisoners, but the Macedonians were too exhausted to mount an extensive or effective pursuit. The Macedonians lost a third of their number and the Cappadocians two-thirds, and Labashi and the remnants of his army survived to fight another day.
Aftermath[]
The Macedonian cavalry pursuing the retreating Cappadocians at Helicore
The Macedonian victory at Helicore forced Labashi's Cappadocian army to withdraw further inland as Balakros and his army returned to Daskyleion to protect the city from Issaruutunu's advancing army, which marched along the northern coast. Alexander recruited enough troops to march inland and conquer Sardis from the Cappadocians, after which he marched on Gordion. Issaruutunu joined forces with Labashi's army, and Alexander would again confront and defeat the Cappadocians at the Battle of Nallihan.
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