Who was King Darius? All to know about Alexander: The Making of a God character 

A still of Mido Hamada who portrays King Darius in Netflix series. (Image via Instagram/@Midohamada)
A still of Mido Hamada who portrays King Darius in Netflix series. (Image via Instagram/@Midohamada)

In the Netflix series Alexander: The Making of a God, the character of King Darius III is portrayed by Mido Hamada. Notably, Hamada's portrayal of King Darius in this series adds a significant dimension to the historical narrative of Alexander's conquests in addition to the fall of the Persian Empire.

In addition, the series is a dramatic portrayal of the life and conquests of Alexander the Great. It portrays scholars with dramatic re-enactments to provide a detailed overview of Alexander's rise to power in Macedonia. Moreover, in the series, the character of King Darius III of Persia plays a pivotal role in establishing Alexander's valor.


Alexander: The Making of a God: Who was King Darius III of Persia?

King Darius III was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia. He reigned from 336 BC until his death in 330 BC. Before ascending to the throne, Darius served as a satrap, a provincial governor in the Persian Empire. Furthermore, he worked as a royal bodyguard.

Notably, Darius' rise to power was marked by the diminishing strength of the Persian Empire, which at that time, had been plagued by internal strife and revolts.

Darius III's reign was most notable for his conflicts with Alexander the Great of Macedonia. Darius, the Achaemenid Empire, faced Alexander's rapidly expanding Macedonian army. Consequently, this conflict culminated in several key battles, which eventually led to the downfall of the Persian Empire.


Alexander: The Making of God: How did Alexander defeat King Darius?

Alexander the Great's defeat of King Darius III was a pivotal moment in ancient history. This is because it marked the shift of power from the Persian Empire to the emerging Macedonian Empire. Significantly, the first encounter between Alexander and Darius was at the Battle of Issus in 333 BC. Despite being heavily outnumbered, Alexander's army was better trained and more cohesive.

In the battle of Issus, Alexander used his smaller but highly skilled forces to exploit the weaknesses in the Persian army, which was larger but less disciplined and coordinated.

Moreover, Alexander's use of the phalanx formation and swift cavalry maneuvers allowed him to break through the Persian lines. This, in turn, caused chaos and forced Darius to flee, turning the battle into a decisive Macedonian victory.

Furthermore, the final and most decisive battle was at Gaugamela in 331 BC. Additionally, this battle is often regarded as Alexander's greatest military achievement. The events of this battle saw Darius prepare a vast battlefield, hoping to maximize the advantage of his larger forces and chariots. However, Alexander employed a brilliant tactical maneuver.

In the battle of Gaugamela, Alexander used a feigned retreat to create gaps in the Persian lines. Following this, he was exploited with a cavalry charge, leading a direct attack against Darius. The precision of Alexander's tactics, coupled with the morale and discipline of his troops, overwhelmed the Persian forces.

Subsequently, Darius once again fled the battlefield, which led to the complete rout of his army.


The victories of Alexander against King Darius III were not just the result of Alexander's tactical superiority but also his ability to inspire and lead his men. Meanwhile, despite his efforts, Darius could not marshal his resources and command his empire's military forces with the same efficacy.

Alexander: The Making of a God is available to stream on Netflix. The series premiered on the streaming giant on January 31, 2024.

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Edited by Tanya Tewari
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