WI: Alexander killed at Issus

[LNSS]

What if Alexander was killed at Issus in 333 BC, and the Macedonian armies were routed as a result. Would the nascent Macedonian Empire collapse? And how much longer could the Achaemenids continue ruling West Asia in this scenario?

 

[Evil Crusader]

Hard to tell, because it's more contingent on somebody from Greece wanting to "pull an Alexander" anyways. But Macedon would retreat back to its turf the opposite side of the Bosphorus.

 

[DJ03]

So in this scenario the Macedonians lose the battle and Alexander dies?
Then the Persians can retake asia minor in a while. Maybe Alexander's defeat goes down in history as great example of hubris being punished

 

[Workable Goblin]

Even IOTL the Greek cities revolted after news of Alexander’s death and actually achieved some success at first before the Macedonians could draw on their armies in Asia. If those armies are mostly dead or prisoners of war…it’s entirely possible that Macedonian hegemony collapses and essentially Greece goes back to its state before Philip II. Perhaps other young, restless men might be able to take advantage of this, like Pyrrhus…

Also, and interestingly, this may still lead to a Greco-Bactria, as apparently the Persian rulers liked using Bactria and Sogdiana as places of exile for troublesome Greeks (as they were as far away as possible from Greece and Asia Minor). Even before Alexander got there IOTL there was a substantial Greek influence, which is only likely to grow if the Achaemenids dump even more Greeks there.