Turkish archaeologists have successfully identified the exact location of the legendary Battle of Granicus, where Alexander the Great won his first significant battle against the Persians in Asia Minor.
The discovery came after 20 years of research.
In May 334 BCE, Alexander’s Macedonian army achieved a historic victory over the formidable Persian forces for the first time, paving the way for one of history’s greatest empire builders to penetrate deep into enemy territory.
The Battle of Granicus marked the first of three significant confrontations between the two armies, enabling Alexander the Great to continue his campaign toward India, as noted by Professor Reyhan Körpe, the scientific advisor for the project, in an interview with Daily Sabah.
For over 150 years, the precise location of this legendary battlefield remained unknown. However, Professor Körpe embarked on a journey two decades ago to uncover this historic site, where approximately 90,000 soldiers fought fiercely. This year, the research team successfully identified the exact location of the 2,400-year-old battlefield. Plans are underway to develop the area into a tourist destination as part of the Alexander the Great Cultural Route Project.
Alexander’s triumph over the Persians along the banks of the Granicus River served as a crucial testament to his military prowess, which is why historians have long endeavored to determine the precise site of this significant battle.
“Over the last three years, we have focused on identifying the precise location of the battlefield, and this year, we made significant findings,” said Professor Reyhan Körpe, a historian from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University (ÇOMÜ).
He noted that one of Alexander the Great’s most important battles took place in Çanakkale. “This battle occurred near a river once known as the Granicus, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of modern-day Çanakkale, in the heart of the Biga Plain,” he explained.
Researchers knew that the battle occurred along the Granicus River, but historians have long tried to pinpoint its coordinates as no one knew where it happened.
First, they identified the route that Alexander and his army took, which enabled them to focus their research. “We mapped out the exact route Alexander traveled, beginning in Ozbek village, crossing through Umurbey, Lapseki, and ultimately descending into the Biga Plain,” Professor Körpe said.
They not only found the site of the unforgettable battle but also detected the villages that were involved.
Körpe also said that the new route will be added to the existing cultural heritage routes in the region.
The ongoing project in Türkiye aims to transform the battlefield into a tourist destination with cultural significance, led by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and local municipalities. The important cultural and historical sites will undoubtedly draw history buffs as the nation’s tourism industry grows.
Cover Photo: Nazif Cemhan ŞEN/ÇANAKKALE, (DHA)
