Atlas of Battles

battle, major, ancient

Battle of Pelusium

Battle of Pelusium was a battle fought in May 525 BC at Pelusium, in what is now Egypt. It was part of First Achaemenid conquest of Egypt. The recorded result: Persian victory.

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Cambyses II of Persia capturing pharaoh Psamtik III. Image on Persian seal, VI century BC.
Cambyses II of Persia capturing pharaoh Psamtik III. Image on Persian seal, VI century BC.. Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
FoughtMay 525 BC
WherePelusium, Egypt31.042N, 32.545E
OutcomePersian victory
BelligerentsAchaemenid Empire; Arabian and Greek mercenariesagainstKingdom of Egypt; Karian and Ionian mercenaries
Casualties and losses7,000 (Ctesias)and50,000 (Ctesias)
Part ofFirst Achaemenid conquest of Egypt

Record

DateMay 525 BC (month precision)
PlacePelusium, Egypt
31.042N, 32.545E
KindBattle, ancient
Territorial changeEgypt annexed by the Achaemenid Empire
Casualties and losses7,000 (Ctesias)50,000 (Ctesias)
Commanders
  • Cambyses II
  • Psamtik III
Battle of PelusiumBattle of PelusiumBattle of PelusiumSiege of PelusiumBattle of RomaniBattle of Fort LahtzanitBattle of KatiaBattle of RomaniBattle of Fort LahtzanitBur SaidSuezGaza CityGizaIsmaïliaTantaDumyatZagazig100 km31.042N, 32.545E
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 Pelusium
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 5 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Pelusium today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2024-04-17. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2024.

The recorded site stands at about 4 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from -4 to 39 m, 43 m of relief, flat country and today it is 78% bare ground, 17% cropland.

bare ground: 78%cropland: 17%bare ground 78%cropland 17%
west to east, 10.0 km-1 to 9 mnorth to south, 10.0 km0 to 13 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 3 times between 525 BC and AD 639.

Battle of Pelusium is one of 31 engagements of the 6th century BC in the atlas and one of 144 in present-day Egypt.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q544239, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Pelusium, revision 1381256774, 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.