The Human Cost
The Macedonian Conquests
400,000
estimated total dead
Each dot below represents 1,000 human lives. Scroll to watch the scale unfold.
Military Dead
280,000 soldiers killed in combat, from wounds, or from disease. Each = 1,000 lives.
Macedonian Empire — 15,000 military dead Achaemenid Persian Empire & Opponents — 265,000 military dead Civilian Dead
120,000 civilians killed — from violence, famine, disease, and displacement. Wars are not fought only by soldiers.
Deadliest Engagements
Battle of Issus60,500
incl. 500 civilians
Battle of Gaugamela55,000
Battle of the Persian Gates18,000
Siege of Gaza17,000
incl. 5,000 civilians
Battle of the Hydaspes16,000
Siege of Tyre10,500
incl. 2,000 civilians
Battle of the Malli7,000
incl. 1,000 civilians
Siege of Halicarnassus6,000
incl. 1,000 civilians
For Perspective
How Alexander the Great's dead compare to other conflicts and events.
Alexander the Great — total dead400,000
Population of Athens (330 BC)300,000
Macedonian campaign deaths (all battles)280,000
Tyrians killed or enslaved at Tyre38,000
Treasure captured at Persepolis (talents)120,000
Milestones of Loss
8,000 dead
Tyrians killed when city fell (30,000 more enslaved)
40,000 dead
Estimated Persian dead at Gaugamela
100,000 dead
Persian dead at Issus (ancient sources; likely exaggerated)
280,000 dead
Total estimated deaths across all of Alexander's campaigns
All figures are historical estimates and vary across sources. The true human cost of war is impossible to fully quantify — these numbers represent the best scholarly consensus. Each number was a person with a name, a family, and a life unlived.