Atlas of Battles

battle, major, ancient

Battle of Gaza

Battle of Gaza was a battle fought in 312 BC at Gaza City, in what is now Palestine. It was part of Third War of the Diadochi, which ran from 314 BC to 311 BC. The recorded result: Ptolemaic–Seleucid victory. Recorded strength: c. 22,000 total; 18,000 infantry; 4,000 cavalry against c. 17,000 total; 12,500 infantry; 4,400 cavalry; 43 war elephants.

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Battle of Gaza (312 BC)
Battle of Gaza (312 BC). Γ Γεραδάμος at Greek Wikipedia, GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought312 BC
WhereGaza City, Palestine31.517N, 34.450E
OutcomePtolemaic–Seleucid victory
BelligerentsPtolemaics; SeleucidsagainstAntigonids
Casualties and lossesUnknownand500 killed; 8,000 captured
Part ofThird War of the Diadochi314 BC to 311 BC

Where it sits in Third War of the Diadochi

Siege of Tyre, 315 BCBattle of Aphrodisias, 315 BCSiege of Tyre, 314 BCBattle of Gaza, 312 BCBattle of Myus, 311 BC315 BC311 BCBattle of Gaza, 312 BC
5 placed engagements of Third War of the Diadochi in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date312 BC (year precision)
PlaceGaza City, Palestine
31.517N, 34.450E
KindBattle, ancient
Strengthc. 22,000 total; 18,000 infantry; 4,000 cavalryc. 17,000 total; 12,500 infantry; 4,400 cavalry; 43 war elephants
Casualties and lossesUnknown500 killed; 8,000 captured
Commanders
Battle of GazaBattle of GazaSiege of GazaSiege of GazaSiege of GazaBattle of GazaFirst Battle of GazaSiege of GazaTel AvivAmmanJerusalemNablusEl ArishNazarethAl KarakAz Zarqa100 km31.517N, 34.450E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of Gaza
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 10 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Gaza today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2023-07-14. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2023.

The recorded site stands at about 48 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 0 to 88 m, 88 m of relief, gently rolling country and today it is 76% built-up, 14% water, 7% tree cover.

built-up: 76%water: 14%tree cover: 7%built-up 76%water 14%tree cover 7%
west to east, 10.0 km0 to 72 mnorth to south, 10.0 km0 to 55 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 9 times between 720 BC and 1948.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 312 BC

Battle of Gaza is one of 137 engagements of the 4th century BC in the atlas and one of 43 in present-day Palestine.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1231054, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Gaza (312 BC), revision 1370110774, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.