The Battle of the Granicus River in May 334 BC was the first of three major battles fought between Alexander the Great and the Persian Empire. Fought in northwestern Asia Minor, near the site of Troy, it was here that Alexander defeated the forces of the Persian satraps of Asia Minor, including a large force of Greek mercenaries led by Memnon of Rhodes. Total casualties for the Greeks were between 300 and 400. The Persians had roughly 1,000 cavalry and 3,000 infantry killed, mostly in the rout, and of the 18,000 Greek mercenaries, who fought for the Persians, half were killed and 8,000 enslaved and sent back to Macedon. Cyclopedia of Universal History by John Clark Ridpath, 1890 (cropped and cleaned).