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Historical map · 323 BC

Map of the Middle East in 323 BC

In 323 BC, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 14 states, empires and other polities in the Middle East. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Macedonian Empire, the Kingdom of Kush and the Kingdom of Armenia. The Macedonian Empire reached well beyond the Middle East: its whole territory measured about 9.6 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on the Middle East in 323 BC. Zoom in, move the year slider to watch the borders change, or ask the history guide a question and it draws the answer on the map.

OPEN 323 BC ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 323 BC

States and empires in the Middle East in 323 BC

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Macedonian Empire Wikipedia3.5 million km²9.6 million km²675 BC–292 BC
Kingdom of Kush Wikipedia337,000 km²337,000 km²1000 BC–AD 346
Kingdom of Armenia Wikipedia242,000 km²242,000 km²326 BC–AD 646
Kingdom of Lysimachus Wikipedia134,000 km²151,000 km²323 BC–282 BC
Laomedon Wikipedia122,000 km²122,000 km²323 BC–319 BC
Perdiccas Wikipedia117,000 km²117,000 km²323 BC–319 BC
Hadhramaut Wikipedia86,000 km²86,000 km²700 BC–AD 305
Greek City-States Wikipedia58,000 km²134,000 km²800 BC–AD 83
Sabaeans Wikipedia36,000 km²36,000 km²800 BC–AD 282
Minaeans29,000 km²29,000 km²383 BC–26 BC
Athenian Coalition Wikipedia20,000 km²23,000 km²323 BC–257 BC
Kingdom of Bithynia Wikipedia15,000 km²15,000 km²333 BC–67 BC
Qataban Wikipedia12,000 km²12,000 km²350 BC–AD 183
Cyrenaica Wikipedia8,040 km²31,000 km²331 BC–92 BC

"In the data" gives the first and last year the dataset draws the state under this identity; states often existed earlier or later in another form.

What changed since 500 BC

New on the map: Kingdom of Armenia, Kingdom of Lysimachus, Laomedon, Perdiccas, Minaeans, Athenian Coalition, Kingdom of Bithynia, Qataban, Cyrenaica.

Gone from the map: Achaemenid Empire, Peloponnesian League.

What comes next: 200 BC

Appear by 200 BC: Allegiance of Seleucid Empire to Roman Republic, Ptolemaic Kingdom, Parthian Empire, Atropatene, Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Kingdom of Pontus, Kingdom of Cappadocia, Antigonid Macedonia, Galatia, Kingdom of Pergamon, Paphlagonia, Kingdom of Sophene, Achaean League, Aetolian League.

Gone by 200 BC: Macedonian Empire, Kingdom of Armenia, Kingdom of Lysimachus, Laomedon, Perdiccas, Athenian Coalition, Cyrenaica.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in the Middle East in 323 BC?

The map data draws 14 states and other polities in the Middle East in 323 BC. The largest by land were the Macedonian Empire, the Kingdom of Kush, the Kingdom of Armenia, the Kingdom of Lysimachus and Laomedon.

What was the largest empire in the Middle East in 323 BC?

Of the states on this map, the Macedonian Empire held the most land in total: about 9.6 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore the Middle East in 323 BC interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 323 BC, zoom into any region, move through the years, and ask the history guide questions: it answers in plain words and draws places, armies and borders on the map.

About these borders

The borders come from Cliopatria (v0.2.1, Seshat Global History Databank, CC BY 4.0), the dataset behind our interactive map, with our audited name and border corrections. It records each state's territory year by year from 3400 BC to 2024. Borders before modern surveys are reconstructions: the data draws a state where it held control, and frontier zones, nomadic realms and loose overlordships are approximate. Areas are measured on an equal-area projection. Read how we make our maps.

Middle East in other years

Other regions in 323 BC