View source for Pinarus River

{{For|greek myth figure|Pinarus (mythology)}}
The '''Pinarus River''' ({{langx|el|Πίναρος}}) is a small stream in southern [[Anatolia]] near today's [[Turkey]]&mdash;[[Syria]] border. It was famous in antiquity as the site of the [[First Battle of Issus]], where [[Alexander the Great]] defeated [[Darius III of Persia]].

Ancient sources describe it as being near a small coastal village or town which straddled the stream. The river was said to run red with blood after Alexander the Great, leading his elite [[Companion cavalry]] turned the right flank of the Persians, smashed the center, and routed the Persian forces personally led by Darius III of Persia, who subsequently fled the field in a panic.

Speculation on the location of the Pinarus has been raging for over 80 years.  It was formerly believed it to be the [[Deli Çay]], but the distances measured by Alexander's [[bematist]]s and observations of the local topography, as compared to ancient descriptions, indicate that the Pinarus is actually the [[Payas River]].<ref>[[Nicholas G. L. Hammond]], "Alexander's Charge at the Battle of Issus in 333 B.C.", ''Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte'' '''41''':4:395-406 (1992) {{JSTOR|4436258}}</ref>

The Issos River at approx. 36.30 east by 36.60 north is the geographical point that the battle is named after. The river starts in the hills and flows approx. {{Convert|40|mi|km|abbr=|sp=us}} due west to the coast.

==Notes==
<references/>

{{coord|36.7525|N|36.1923|E|source:kolossus-frwiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Rivers of Turkey]]


{{Turkey-river-stub}}
{{MEast-hist-stub}}