A Monumental 17th-Century French Tapestry Depicting a Roman Battle Scene Aubusson, France, mid-1700s Silk and wool; approx. 224 × 240 cm Tapestry panel depicting Alexander the Great at the Battle of Gaugamela (Arbelle) against Darius III in 331 BC. It was during this great battle that the Kingdom of Macedon definitively defeated the Achaemenid Empire. Darius intended to assemble an army commensurate with the forces involved in order to win a decisive victory. Alexander, instead of marching on Babylon as initially planned, turned north and crossed the Tigris River (Mesopotamia) to confront, after several days of marching, the vastly superior Persian army awaiting him on the plain of Gaugamela, but their fate would not be in their favour. The tapestry is in good condition with some old restorations, including one with an added piece in the upper right corner. The tapestry is sound with some reinforcements, but the beautiful faces have not been restored. A tapestry of great beauty and rare quality, depicting the famous battle where Alexander defeated Emperor Darius III. Professionally conserved, backed, and stabilized. At more than two meters in both height and width, it commands the room-an exceptional centerpiece for a distinguished interior, private collection, or institutional display. A striking collector’s piece with exceptional decorative impact.