The Road to Immortality: An Arche Seleukeia AAR

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 11: The Houses of Seleucia Part 2 - The Ioudaikes
Summer 238 BC


"To know the pains of power, we must go to those who have it; to know its pleasures, we must go to those who are seeking it."

Ballaros Ioudaikes, Satrap of Babylonia watched the festival proceed below him. But he took no joy in the festive mood nor did he wish to celebrate, for something troubling was on his mind. As Satrap of Babylonia he had control of the core provinces and was undoubtedly one of the most important and powerful men in the empire. But the news he had received from the east and west still caused him great concern. The Syriakes had sent an army to Crete and the Isaurikes had been gaining favor with the King. This would bode ill for his house in the future. That much was for certain. A noise distracted him from his thoughts. He turned around and saw his son Pherekles standing behind him with a grim expression.

"What news?" asked Ballaros
"I'm afraid only bad news. It appears that all four of the Isaurikes brothers have come of age and are now actively gaining influence and power. Two are in the east as you know and one is gaining influence with the royal princes as well as sons of Sarpedon and Alexandros."
"So basically the entire royal family."
"Yes what is even more troubling is that our spies could not locate their fourth brother. There are rumors saying he has gone east."
"Damn it! They must be planning on gaining control of the east after the conquests."
"Yes I think so too father...There is one more piece of news. Do you recall Megasthenes Syriakos?"
"The youngest son of Antiochus I Soter and the youngest brother of our current King Antiochus II Theodoros?"

"Yes. Well It appears he is not content sitting around while his three great brothers are amassing glory."
"Why? He has fought many battles"
"Yes but he isn't as famous as his three older brothers. Barely any one outside of Syria has heard of him or even knows there is a fourth brother"
"That was because he was 2 years old when the Great brothers were off fighting their famous wars."
"Well yes but he has began to raise his own army. The word is he is heading west."

Ballaros was silent coming to terms with the news. Megasthenes was not doing this for glory alone he thought. Power was on his mind. The world would soon be in flames and Babylon as the center of the empire would be right in the middle of all of it. He turned to Pherekles.
"My son, I think its time to raise a few men of our own..."

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 12: Bold Moves
Winter 235 BC

"My lord there is a lone horseman approaching us. Looks like an Sabaen messenger"
Alexandros turned to look at where his companion was pointing. The rider was dressed in desert robes but there was something not quite right. Then he realized the man was riding on a Nisean charger instead of the Arabian ponies which the desert tribes used. The rider saluted Alexandros and began speaking in Greek

"Hail lord Alexandros, conquerer of Nubia and Arabia. I have been sent by Antiochos to inform you that he is on his way to the Sabaen fortress of Carna with 15 000 men to start a second front against the Saba'
"My brother is here? How is that possible? He is fighting in the east"
"No my lord not King Antiochus. I am referring to your son Antiochos. He is marching down the desert of M'ain hoping to surprise the Saba"



"What? The desert of M'ain. That fool. The desert will destroy him."
"He asks that you have faith in him my lord."

Alexandros became worried. Antiochos was his only son. Knowing his son was a very headstrong boy and that he would not agree to return to Antioch, Alexandros resigned himself to the fact that Antiochos had put himself in grave danger and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Very well he replied. Tell my son I will meet him in the middle.."

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 13: The Lion of the West
Summer 233 BC



"I'm tired of old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in."

Sitalces quickly marched over to the general and bowed.
"Good day Sitalces."
"My lord. I have a message from Singidunum"
"Yes?"
"A small Epirote-Illyrian Army has laid siege to it sir. What are your orders"
"Leave them."
"What?"
"I have left 6 000 of my professional gallic mercenaries there and my client ruler has raised 1 000 heavily armored elites. They will hold against a small army."
"But my I lord thought we returned to Pella so we could gather more troops for an offensive against the Epirotes."
"Yes but i'm afraid I've changed my plans. We have already conquered all of Dacia and exiled the Dacians to some foreign land."
"But they are still a threat my lord."
"Yes, a threat that younger men can repel"

Sitalces was puzzled by this. Seeing his confusion, Sarpedon continued

"Sitalces my friend tell me, what do you think I have achieved in my life?"
"Sir your achievements have been extraordinary. You have conquered all of Asia Minor, Macedonia, Greece, Epirus, Thrace and Dacia by yourself. You have defeated the strongest of our enemies, the Pontics, Ptolemies, Epirotes, Galatians, Pergamese, Rhodians, Macedonians, Spartans and Dacians. Men who speak your name speak it in awe and you are called by many the 'Lion of the West'. Your achievements mean you will be remembered always as one of the greatest generals who ever lived alongside your brothers."

"So you think my brothers and I will be immortal?"
"Immortal?"
"Yes, Megas Alexandros knew the key to immortality. It is not about living forever. No, a mortal man will only become immortal if he is remembered by history. If his achievements are remembered throughout the ages until the end of time. You know Sitalces, all my life I have been obsessed with immortality as Megas Alexander was. But over the years I've come to realize that my life, however glorious it may seem to others, was a complete waste for me."
"I do not understand my lord"
"You say I will be immortal, remembered through the ages but all men of flesh must die. And here I am, 56 years old. I have been fighting for 40 years without rest and for what? The glory? The Empire? What good will glory do for me now? And I know that however great my conquests have been, no empire lasts forever. My life would have been better spent looking after my sons and wife. My family. I wish to spend the last few years I have on this earth doing the things I should have been doing. I have fought enough wars for this Kingdom and for my Brothers. I need not give anymore. Tomorrow my friend, the lion of the west returns to the east. And I leave you with this one piece of advice. When I leave for Syria tomorrow, go home, make love to your wife, have children and begin a family. You are still young Sitalces. Don't spend your life fighting like me.."

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 14: Maryab
Winter 230 BC

(This picture was taken after the battle so pretend Maryab is still under the control of the Saba)


"Four men who do not know each other will hesitate to face a lion, but once they know and trust each other they will do so without fear"

This was it, thought Alexandros. After all these years, the fighting would end. Not two miles away from where he was standing were the last of the Saba. There was just one obstacle in his way: The Great walls of Maryab. From its roots deep in the ground it rose up into the sky like a range of mountains. Towers lined the walls like sinister peaks which housed dangerous devices within them. Alexandros could see that his men were nervous. He was too. In none of his previous battles had he ever scaled walls like these. But he hid his emotions. He must not show worry around his men.

As dawn broke, his men began to rise and eat their breakfast. The camp was silent as it always was before battle. The men grabbed their weapons and donned their armor, forming up into ranks. The ranks turned into battalions and the army began to take shape. When all was ready, the siege engines were pushed to the front lines. Alexandros and his companions rode to the front of the army. He turned around to face his men.

"Men, glorious soldiers of the Seleucid Empire! Today, we face the last of those Sabaen cowards. For ten years we have hunted our enemy deeper and deeper into the desert. Now they have no where left to run. They hide behind their large walls but know this! Before the day is done their walls will have fallen and their city will be burning!"

A loud cheer came from the army. Alexandros continued

"I know many of you are nervous, for their walls are high and their archers are numerous. But remember who you are. You are men who have fought in Egypt and Nubia. You are fighting under my command. And I have conquered the deserts of Arabia itself! The Gods themselves support our cause. My son marched through the desert of M'ain, an impossible task. But he made it and he took Carna against all odds. Who now can doubt that the Gods are with us? Fight well this day and I promise you this: When the sands of time take their toll and our spirits have journeyed to underworld, you will still be remembered!"

The cheering was deafening. Alexandros gave the order to advance and the lumbering siege towers began to move. The Sabaens on the walls lit their arrows and rained them down upon the Seleucid army. Alexandros saw several of his Arabian mercenaries catch on fire, screaming in agony. The siege towers met with the walls and his Ethiopian mercenaries charged out engaging with the Sabaen spearmen. Several of Alexandros' towers had not reached the walls before the Sabaen archers lit them on fire with the troops inside. Despite all of the horrors he had witnessed in his life the noises coming from the burning towers still sent a chill down Alexandro's spine. The fields beneath the walls were littered with hundreds of the dead but more and more Seleucid towers reached the walls. Soon the walls were overrun.

The Sabaens retreated from the walls and blocked the streets leading to the palace. Alexandros ordered his slingers to climb the walls and rain lead upon the Saba. Volley after volley met with flesh and the Sabaens had no choice but to retreat further into the city. The gates were opened and the rest of the army poured in. There was heavy fighting in the streets and eventually the Saba retreated to the Center of the city. Alexandros gave his men time to rest. Finally at noon the Seleucids once again began to advance. They slowly marched to the center of the city and they found not more than 1 000 defenders left, commanded by the King. These were the elite warrior priests and they would not go down without a fight. They were surrounded by the skirmishers who rained javelins down upon them. However the fine armor of the elites meant little damage was done... So Alexandros ordered all of his infantry to charge. Surrounded, the Sabaen elites fought furiously. They took down three men for every one of theirs. By afternoon they all lay still.

Alexandros entered the conquered city at the front of his companions and his troops cheered for him at every street corner and turn. Their great general had led them to victory once again. The war was over. They could finally go home

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 15: The Curse of Mortals
Summer 229 BC

"All men must die"

Inside the dimly lit room a small group of men formed a circle around the bed. On the bed lay Alexandros Syriakos, the great conqueror of Nubia and Arabia. The white sheets of the bed were dotted with traces of the blood he had been coughing up all day. He spoke in a quiet voice bidding each of the men around him farewell. Even the veteran companions, hard men who had seen much death shed tears for their great general. He beckoned for his son and Antiochos stepped out from the crowd. He motioned for the other men to leave the room. Alone with his son, Alexandros began to speak.

"My son."
"Father..."
"I do not have long. I can hear Hades beckoning to me. Listen my son, there are many things I have achieved in my life but I consider my greatest achievement of all to be you. You have made me proud over the last few months. You have shown me that you are a true son of Seleukos, worthy of your royal blood. I know I have been a harsh father but know this: I have always loved you and now I am the proudest father in the realm..."

The father and son talked for an hour. Finally Antiochos emerged from the room, having been forced out by the surgeon. As he came out tears were streaming down his face. The men waiting outside tried to console him as best they could. Eventually he stopped and waited with the others outside the room. Not an hour later, Alexandros, eldest of the three great brothers, passed from this world

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 16: A Simple Bargain
Summer 229 BC

The King was sitting on the bed, with a letter in his hand. His face was completely emotionless. As Diomedon and Apolloniketes approached he acknowledged them with a slight nod.

"My King you summoned us?" asked Diomedon
"Yes.. This was a letter from Antioch...My brother Alexandros is dead."
"I am sorry for your loss my King."
"It is not only my loss. He has done great things for the empire and its people. His death will be mourned by many. But that is not the reason I've summoned you. The death of my brother has made me realize that I do not have many years left either. When I die I do not wish my Kingdom to fall into civil war. I am asking you for your help to make sure this doesn't happen."
"But my Lord there are slim chances of civil war. Kallinikos is the heir and no one disputes him."
"Kallinikos is not the heir."
"What?" asked both brothers in unison
"He believes he is the heir but in my will, I have not chosen him to succeed me."

"Forgive my boldness my King but you cannot do that! He is the eldest."
"Ahh but have you forgotten my story? My brother Alexandros was the eldest of us yet my father chose me to inherit the throne because I was more capable and Alexandros had no wish to be King."
"But why refuse Kallinikos the throne?"

The King's eyes darkened.

"Because he is incapable of ruling this empire I leave behind. He is now more than 40 yet he spends time drinking, whoring and abusing peasants! It is the same for all of my sons!"

"Not Antipatros my lord, we were his closest friends and..."
"No, it has been 16 years since you've seen him. He has changed. I have been receiving letters from my wife, the grand councillor and one of my former companions named Lycus. They all tell me the same things...My sons are wasted men. The oracle of Siwa warned me of this years ago. I'm sure you've been talking to my companions and been told of the prophecy of the Red Tide. Well what they don't know is the second question I asked the Oracle. I asked if my descendants would rule this empire forever and they told me this:The sons will undo the deeds of the father. I didn't know what those words meant until now. If I pass the throne to Kallinikos or any of my sons, they will bring ruin to this empire."

"Then who did you chose?"



"I have picked Phillipos, son of Kallinikos a very young yet incredibly competent man. He is my eldest grandson and thus of royal blood. Now as I said, because I have made this decision, there could be civil war. Yet if i do not make this decision my empire will decay. Now do you see the position I'm in?"
"What will you do?"
"Well I know as soon as my will is read out, all the contenders will make their move. There are many who covet the throne. My youngest brother Megasthenes will believe he has more right to the throne than my grandson. My son Kallinikos might be angry enough to raise an army to claim the throne. There is only one thing that can prevent this disaster and ensure Phillipos ascends the throne without blood and that is the will of the army. This army."

"So you want us to lead the army and give our support to Phillipos?"
"Yes once I am dead, the two of you, Megasthenes and Sarpedon will be the most experienced generals in the Empire. Sarpedon will support whoever I ask him to but he has retired and has no army. If Megasthenes decides to raise an army then Phillipos will be crushed. However If you bring the royal army back to Antioch and vouch support for Phillipos then no one would dare to make a move...I know that you feel a sense of loyalty to Antipatros and you might chose to support him as he is your friend. I am asking you to abandon your friendship. In exchange I offer your family the seat of Bactria. You will be satraps of Bactria and Warden of the entire east. Your second youngest brother Ophelandros is already in Bactra at my orders, to create a new government. If you accept my offer and support Phillipos when I am dead then I will make Ophelandros the Satrap permanently. Your family will govern Bactra from now on till the end of days."



Both of the brothers kneeled.

"My King, we accept. It shall be done."

[EB rocks]

Great AAR this is bookworthy!

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 17: Eternal Rest
Summer 227 BC


"The day which we fear as our last is but the beginning of eternity" (Seneca)

The Golden Sarcophagus had neared the end of it's journey. The body had traveled over 3 000 miles, from Bactra to Alexandria. Twenty five thousand men marched alongside the procession, for inside the Sarcophagus was the body of Antiochus II Theos, King of the Seleucid empire. Four men led the column, dressed in their best robes and armor. Sarpedon rode on the very left, his face unreadable. On the right were the brothers Diomedon and Apolloniketes, their faces downcast at the death of their King and Mentor. In the center rode a young man, the future King Phillipos. The solemn procession passed under the Canopic gates and along the Canopic way. It slowly made its way into the Brucheum, the Greek quarter of the city. At the corner of the Agora, a huge stone structure had been erected; The final resting place of Antiochus II Theos. The man who had reunited Megas Alexandros' empire would be buried in the same city as the great conqueror, with an equally splendid mausoleum. There, the Greatest general and King the Seleucid Empire had ever seen would rest for eternity

Antiochus II Theos before his death




****


Once again the Great houses of The Seleucid Empire congregated at Antioch to see their new King crowned. Kallinikos sat on the throne and waited impatiently as the crown was brought forth. Before the ceremony could begin, the doors were flung open and in marched Sarpedon, Phillipos, Diomedon and Apolloniketes. Behind them, 100 soldiers of the royal army poured in.

"What is the meaning of this?", asked an outraged Kallinikos
"I should be asking you why you are sitting on the throne" replied Sarpedon
"I am the King!"
"No my nephew, you are not. I have here in my hand the last will of my brother Theodoros. I shall read it out now: I, Antiochus II Theodoros, second of my name, decree that upon my death, my crown shall pass to my worthy successor whose name is Phillipos, son of Kallinikos. Step down from the throne Kallinikos or these men behind us will use force to remove you"

Sarpedon rolled up the scroll. The entire court was deathly silent. Kallinikos was the first to break the silence.

"You have betrayed me Phillipos, you are no longer my son." said Kallinikos before storming out of the throne room.

Phillipos hesitated for only a moment. Then he approached the throne and sat down. The Priest of Seleucus lifted the crown above his head.



"I give your new King, Philli..."
"No," interrupted Phillip,"I wish to have a name and title that is befitting of this empire and its glorious founder. From this day on wards I will be called Seleucus"

The Priest of Seleucus nodded. He placed the crown on the head of Seleucus. The nobles all bowed down

"Arise Seleucus, second of your name. King of the Seleucid Empire.."


End of Act II

[seleucid empire]

Intermission: The World

The World at the Death of Theodoros


The Major Players:

The Getai-Dacia was conquered by Sarpedon however, after his retirement the Getai quickly re-surged and took back most of their former possessions. This was due to the incompetence of the Seleucid generals who replaced Sarpedon

Carthage-The Carthaginians led by the Anti-Barcid party took control of all of Africa. Once the conquest of Africa was complete, the Barcid party argued for more expansion so the Barca family sent their troops to Iberia and reinforced garrisons in Sicily. The first punic war began began not long after and because the Romans were dealing with the newly formed Talentine, Epirote, Illyrian alliance, they were unable to oppose Carthage and all of Sicily fell under their control. In Iberia, the Barca family slowly conquered land until they controlled the entire eastern coast of Iberia.

The Sarmatian Empire-What began as an alliance of Sarmatian and Scythian tribes quickly became a powerful federation which swept across all of the north conquering every city they came across. The Greeks of the Crimean Bosporus quickly fell and the tribes continued to move west. After conquering many tribes of Baltic peoples they were finally stopped by an alliance of Baltic and German tribes who raised an army of 80 000 men and defeated them

The Romani-attacked by the twin powers of the Tarantine, Epirote, Illyrian alliance as well as the Carthaginians, their power slowly began to crumble. Rome was taken by the Epirotes but they continue to resist

The Tarantine-Epirote, Illyrian Alliance- After Pyrrhus of Epirus left Italy, Taras surrendered to the Romans without bloodshed. Because of this they were allowed to keep their wealth and keep some of their independence. After the Invasion of Epirus by the Seleucid Empire, the Epirotes fled to Illyria bring with them their treasury. Using their treasury they hired an army of mercenaries and carved out a Kingdom in Illyria. By building up mines and taking advantage of the sea trade from the Greek cities of Illyria they quickly became rich enough to raise several armies of mercenaries. The King of Epirus sent word to the Tarantines offering Liberation and they quickly accepted forming an alliance between their city and the Epirote Kingdom of Illyria. The Epirotes surprised the Romans landing 50 000 men near Arpi. They were joined by 16 000 Tarantines and the combined force took several Roman cities in quick succession. Sacking thse cities they gained enough money to hire more mercenaries and eventually took Roma itself. Now they are fighting the Romans for dominance over northern Italy

The Extent of Influence of the Epirote-Illyrian Kingdom and the Tarantine Empire

[seleucid empire]

Act III: A Crown of Flames

Prologue: The Fires of Antioch
Syria 227 BC

Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.

Antioch, the shining capital of the empire. Originally a fortress built to protect the port capital of Seleucia Pieria it soon overshadowed the city and became the center of administration. It grew with the empire, reflecting its continued expansion. Now as capital of the largest empire on earth it was also the largest city matched only by Alexandria in the south, Seleucia in the east and Carthage in the west. Under the shadow of its walls and buildings lived half a million souls. But in every shining jewel there lay darkness. Within its streets and alleyways dwelt murderers, thieves and rapists. In its high courts corruption was abundant and within the aristocracy a struggle for power resulted in blood.

These were the thoughts going through the King's mind as he overlooked his city from his chambers in the palace. The city needed to be rid of its filth. He would cleanse this city or he would die trying. He turned around just as he saw two of his guards charging at him with their swords out. He barely had time to register before the man was upon him. The King managed to knock the sword out of his assailant's hand before he was tackled to the floor. The second attacker was holding off the other guards with considerable success. The assailant pinned down the King and reached for his knife but he kicked him in the in the shin and threw him off. The king grabbed his own sword and stabbed the assassin in the gut. He fell with a dull thud. He looked around and saw that the second assassin had been cornered by his guards. Seleucus approached him.
"Who sent you?" he asked.

The man did not reply. Instead he pulled out a hidden dagger and pushed it into his own heart. He fell down..dead. Seleucus' heart was still pounding. He sat down and took some deeps breaths. Who had sent the assassins? Megasthenes? Antipatros? Surely not..his father? He King recovered and stood up. He ordered the captain of his guards to marshal his men and make sure there were no more unfamiliar faces. He didn't want a second attempt on his life in one day.

His enemies had acted and he had been unprepared. Seleucus knew then that he had been thrust straight into the fire..

[EB rocks]

Great AAR keep it up!

[seleucid empire]

thank you! im glad you like it

[hippyeuan]

I've not played EB in years and randomly found myself back here. You've really made me want to install it again, great AAR! I was never very good with Seleukeia, the empire always got far too large to govern.

[seleucid empire]

haha thank you! The key to Seleucids is just knowing priorities such as what cities you can or cannot afford to lose and which enemy is the biggest threat

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 1: Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire
Illyria 223 BC


“It takes two to get one in trouble.”

Day and night the great army marched. Their destination? The Great City of Dalminion, the second largest and greatest city of the Tarantine-Epirote Empire. Although the Epirotes had long since given up on retaking their homeland, the King had decided to attack them anyway. He told the men that Macedonia, the great homeland of Megas Alexandros was not safe until the Epirotes had been banished to the other side of the adriatic. He told his men that their noble allies, the Romani were fighting a losing war against these Barbarians. The real reason, of course, was so the King could leave the dangers of Antioch behind him without seeming weak or cowardly to his enemies.

Sitting astride his horse the King began to wonder if he had made a mistake. Now instead of the daggers of his political enemies he might die from the club of an Illyrian soldier.


****


The army arrayed itself on the hill overlooking the city. They had built no battering rams but they did not need them. For the city gates lay open to them, sabotaged the night before by one of the greatest spies under Seleucid employment



The spy had done his work well, spreading news that a huge Roman army was marching from the north. The city was only defended by 5 000 men. At his signal the fearsome Galatian Tinodalae marched forward, eagerly anticipating the bloody massacre they were about to wreak..

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 2: Legacy
Winter 222 BC


Row after row of men paraded through the streets of Antioch in their best armor. There were veterans from virtually every campaign since the reawakening of the empire. The few remaining veterans of the Egyptian campaign rode on magnificent steeds In the front of the column. Soldiers from the Macedonian, Armenian and Arabian wars marched 10 abreast behind them. Persian troops from the eastern wars carried their bows proudly on their shoulders. At the head of the parade in a golden chariot was Apolloniketes. Beside him stood Sarpedon, who although in his 60's, held himself high like a younger man. Behind him, carried by three wagons lay large statues of each of the three Great Brothers: Theodoros, Sarpedon and Alexandros. Then came the prisoners of war: Indian warriors, Saka archers and Parthian lords all led into the city in silver chains. Everywhere people lined up at cheered for the soldiers. For these men had brought about a dream which none had dared to wish for, the reunification of the Empire of Megas Alexandros.

Everywhere people drank to celebrate the victory and by the end of the first day of celebrations everyone was in a drunken slumber. But not Apolloniketes. He sat quietly in his room with a jar of wine. The men outside were celebrating, but he was grieving. In his hand was the letter than had been delivered to him from Bactra. Its contents had shaken Apolloniketes to his very core: His brother Diomedon, had been killed in battle by the Saka. Suddenly, Apolloniketes knocked over his goblet. Tears of rage flowed down his face. When the last of his tears had fallen he stood up. The Saka would pay for all the suffering they had caused. As soon as these celebrations were over he would return east...and finish what his brother had started..

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 3: Another Funeral
Winter 220 BC

The body of Sarpedon Syriakos lay in the room for 3 days. Men from all over the empire came to pay their respects to the last of the Great conquerors. Megasthenes had waited until all of the other visitors had left before he himself entered. He approached the body cautiously as if it would spring back to life any moment. Megasthenes kneeled down so his face was close to that of his older brother. He began to speak
"I know you can hear me brother, wherever you have gone. I say to you this. I curse you, for you have denied me a throne that was rightfully mine. I curse you for your conquests for they have filled up the pages of history, leaving no pages for the likes of us. We will be forgotten, overshadowed by you.."

Megasthenes stayed with the corpse for a few more minutes. He shed a single tear for his fallen brother, and then left the room. Plans needed to be made, now that Seleucus' protector was gone..

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 4: Into the Wild
Summer 217 BC

"But love of the wilderness is more than a hunger for what is always beyond reach; it is also an expression of loyalty to the earth which bore us and sustains us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need - if only we had eyes to see."

Sitalces scanned the horizon for his scouts. Damn those men! They were going to be late again. At age 33 Sitalces was one of the youngest stategos in the army. And considering he was a Thracian, it was no small feat. His late master Sarpedon had told him not to live out his life fighting. He followed Sarpedon's words until the great general's death. Afterwards he joined the army of Seleucus II. He was a Thracian after all. War was his calling. He now commanded 6 000 thracians in battle, over 1/5 of the army.

When he had first joined the army of Seleucus he had very little faith in his new commander. That had changed. In less than 3 years, Seleucus had reconquered all of the lost lands in Dacia and they were now making their way up to Getic holdings in the north. This time, they would finish the Getai once and for all. At the current moment his Thracians had been put in the vanguard, a weeks march ahead of the main force, sent ahead to prevent ambushes.

Finally, he saw something in the distance. As they approached he could see they were the scouts he sent out earlier. The scouts approached Sitalces
"My lord, the path to Olbia is guarded by many small companies of Getic cavalry. We barely escaped from one of them. Inside Olbia itself is an army of at least 30 000."
"Ride to the King. Tell him we will remain ahead to deal with the Getic patrols and we will try to lure them out of Olbia."
A fresh messenger was dispatched towards the main army. Sitalces walked into his tent. He pulled out a jar of wine and the rest of the night passed very quickly..

[EB rocks]

this has inspired me so much that i will attempt to conquer the world as the {ptolemoi}.

[seleucid empire]

i find ptolemoi campaigns very hard on H or VH campaigns. They are much harder than the Seleucids for me. Theres this large rebel stack that attacks the town west of Alexandria which you have to deal with. After that the seleucid empire has already taken tarsus and is besieging side and on their way to becoming grey death. But good luck EBrocks! I hope you fare a lot better than me at Ptolemies

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 5: Friend of Rome
Summer 217 BC

The Roman envoy approached slowly up the great hall of Olbia. He was dressed in his diplomatic toga, a plain and white piece of clothing that nonetheless held an air of majesty. Seleucus had been educated in Rome in his early years and was constantly impressed at how dignified the Romans always looked.
"We welcome you my friends to Olbia."
"We are honored to be here friend of Rome. Although I must say the accommodations your providing in this shithole are nothing compared to what we offered you when you were in Rome. Wheres your sense of hospitality my friend?"

Seleucus was shocked. No envoy should speak like this to a King. He was about to rebut but then he saw the envoy had a cheeky smile and a twinkle in his eyes that were all too familiar to the King.
"Decimus?"
"Finally, I thought you'd never recognize me."

The King recalled those early days of his stay at Rome. He had befriended Decimus and the two of them were always up to mischief and playing pranks. They had caused untold anguish for the noble families of Rome before the senators threatened to send him back to Syria if they did not stop their behavior

"It is good to see you after so many years."
"Yes it is my friend."
"So what bring you to this Shithole?"
"I have been dispatched by the senate. To bring you news. We have reconquered Rome and we have you to thank for that. The senate has offered you something that has never been offered to an outsider of Rome before. We are offering you a full triumph through the streets of Rome. However they have agreed to hold it until you have finished your conquest of the Getai. The memory of Greek (Epirote) troops marching through the streets of Rome is too fresh a memory. If we give you a triumph now, the mob will hardly be pleased or grateful to see you."
"I agree it is a wise choice, and I am honored"
"There is one more thing. We have not consolidated our holdings, The Epirotes have lost Taras but still control one last city, Capua. We cannot reconquer this city while the Carthaginians threaten us from their holdings in Sicily. If you can spare the men to mount an invasion of Sicily we will be eternally grateful."

The King thought for a moment.

"Of course Decimus, we will come to your aid, I will send one of my most able generals to Sicily. After all the greeks of Sicily need to be liberated from the punic barbarians. Come with me Decimus, it has been a long time, we have much to talk about"

Hours later the Great hall of Olbia was filled with the sounds of a feast and the two friends sat next to each other reminiscing about older days..

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 6: Dissension
Summer 216 BC

"Born in iniquity and conceived in sin, the spirit of nationalism has never ceased to bend human institutions to the service of dissension and distress."

The Great city of Tyre was the perfect meeting place for Megasthenes and his liaison from the Carthaginian republic. The Great population of Phoenicians in the city meant that a Carthaginian outsider would not be noticed. Megasthenes slowly made his way to a house on the outskirts of the city. He made a series of knocks and taps on the door that identified himself and the door was opened for him by a servant. Inside a man sat waiting for him.

"You're late," the man said in Greek with a broken accent
"Don't give me that, you know as well as I do that I had to take precautions." replied Megasthenes
"Very well, lets get down to business. What is it exactly that you want from us?"
"An army."
"Why should we give you an army? We have few men to spare."
"Don't lie to me! I know for a fact that you have 300 000 men in Africa alone for no particular purpose other than to garrison some Numidian hovels."
"What they are doing in Africa is no concern of yours. What i want to know is what we gain from this."
"How about important information and breathing space."
"Breathing space? The last I heard our empire was on the offensive."
"By that you mean you've been attacking a little town called Cyrene at the edge of our empire? How many men have you lost doing that I wonder? At least 200 000 over the years I would say. And you still haven't taken it"

The Carthaginian scowled. Megasthenes continued

"The information I offer you is quite important and I will also offer you that shabby little town of Cyrene if our venture is successful. What I require is Carthaginian mercenaries and Gold"
"Continue.. I am listening."
"The King has sent one of his brightest young generals to Sicily with an army. This army is 35 000 strong and is composed of the strongest troops of the empire. Deadly Cretans, Unstoppable Galatians and the best mercenary Greeks that Ionia has to offer."
"It will be beaten. Our defenses are more than enough to.."
"Why do you keep trying lie to me? We have spies all over Sicily. You do not have more than 10 000 troops on the entire Island. You will be crushed. Here's what I propose. You bring a fraction of those hordes you have in Africa to Syria and give me gold so I can supplement the army with mercenaries. I will take Antioch. It is the heart of the empire and all the lords will fall in line after I take it. The King is in Dacia. He will not return in time to save the city and the empire will be under my control by the time he returns. His forces will be battered while I will have gathered a huge force. After I crush him. I will order the forces to withdraw from Sicily and I will give you Cyrene as your easternmost border."
"Hmm Just one thing. As you pointed out, we can't even get our troops past Cyrene. How do you propose we send them to Syria?"
"I am the lord commander of the fleet. I will send them to Arabia on the pretext of fighting Arabian pirates. They will leave in 3 months. You will find no resistance."
"Very well. I will speak to the Senate. If they agree we will land 40 000 men at Tyre where you will meet us. The rest is up to you."
"Thank you. When I am King, we will work closely together. And the rest of the world will fall beneath our mighty Kingdoms.."

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 7: The Calm before the Storm
Winter 216 BC

Gorgias Syriakos, son of Sarpedon and regent of the empire sat in the room with two others talking in hushed voices. One of his associates was an old but fit man who had a horrific scar on his left cheek. He was clearly a man who had seen the worst of war. And indeed he had, for he was, Acheas the lord commander of the Kings Silvershields. An exalted position, and not one gained through cowardice. The other man was younger but he held a far more prestigious and powerful title. He was Ophelandros Isaurikes, Satrap of Bactra and ward of the east.

"Why isn't the Lord chancellor present in this meeting?" asked the Lord Commander
"Because I don't trust him," replied Gorgias,"Now I'm sure you've heard by now that Kallinikos and Megasthenes have both left Antioch. Right now their location is unknown to us but we can assume they are secretly gathering an army."
"No doubt to come here."
"Yes. Lord Commander, how many troops do we have guarding the city?"
"We have 7 500 city guard, 1 000 royal guard and 1 000 silver shields."
"We have nine and a half thousand men? What about the sister cities of the tetrapolis? Seleucia Pieria, Apamea and Laodicea?"
"Seleucia Pieria has 3 000 city guard. Laodicea 2 000 and Apamea 1 500"
"We should levy more men for the defense of Apamea. Our empires treasures are kept in that city." said Ophelandros
"Apamea was built as a fortress. It needs fewer men to defend it. What I'm really worried about is Seleucia Pieria. It is as important as Antioch itself." replied Gorgias

"No, if anyone decides to take the throne for himself, they will go straight for the heart of the empire. They will come for Antioch. Not Seleucia Pieria, Laodicea or Apamea. If they take Antioch, the all of the other lords will fall in line. Also, remember that any person who is daring enough to attack Antioch will bring a large and well equipped army. Not just some rabble of levies. Our city guards are no match for professional troops. The Silver shields and royal guard could probably hold the citadel indefinitely but that would mean leaving the rest of the population at the mercy of the enemy. Even if we do lift the siege the people will have turned against us and king we serve,"said Acheas.

Gorgias thought for a moment.

"Ophelandros, I want you to gather as many men as you are able to in the east and bring them to Antioch at the first sign of trouble."
"I'm afraid I can't do much. General Apolloniketes has set out with the eastern army to hunt down the Saka. We have been unable to locate him. I have 10 000 men in Bactra but they are needed in the city. It will also take more than a year to march an army to Antioch from the east. If afraid that if someone attacks, it will be up to you to stop them. Although...I have heard rumors of one or two other people who have an army..."

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 8: War on the Horizon
Summer 215 BC

"War is on the horizon"

"My Lord a fleet of battleships has been spotted on the horizon! They are heading towards Seleucia Pieria"
"Shit!" exclaimed Gorgias as he stumbled out of bed. He ordered his servants to bring him his armor. By the time he had finished putting on his armor, the servants had brought horses and his companions were assembled. They rode out of Antioch and soon passed under the gates of Seleucia Pieria, the Great port of Syria. Acheas was already organizing the defenses. Groups of Syrian archers rushed to the walls. Squadrons of city guards assembled underneath them. A few battalions of newly trained phalangites formed up in the streets as a last defense.

"Whose ships are those?"
"There are no flags," replied Acheas.

They waited for the ships to approach. As they neared the mouth of the harbor, one ship sailed ahead of the fleet. A single messenger disembarked. He approached the walls without fear.

"Who are you? Turn your fleet around or else it will be seen as a declaration of war against the Arche Seleukeia."
"I represent Kallinikos Syriakos, the rightful King of the Arche!"

So Kallinikos has made his move, thought Gorgias
"We do not recognize Kallinikos as our King. Tell your master than if he stops this madness now, the King may yet have mercy on his father. Now leave!"

The messenger returned to his ship and the ship left the harbor. An hour later the fleet began to approach. Troops poured onto the harbor and siege machines were transported from the boats. Gorgias tried to assess the strength of the opposing army
"Around 6 500 men." whispered Acheas next to him. Gorgias did not doubt the old commander.

The Syrian archers began to wreck havoc on the army below below them. Everywhere there were cries of dying men. The sounds of bowstrings drawn. The sounds of war...
The ladders reached the walls and the Syrian Archers fell back. The City guard braced themselves. When the first men reached the walls. Chaos erupted. Men fell off the walls in the dozens, pushed off by their adversaries. Eventually the city guard fell back and Kalliniko's troops slowly overran the wall. At this point the Syrian archers began to fire at the wall from the ground and hundreds of men fell. The defenders fell behind the wall of pikes and waited. Kalliniko's men charged down the street only to meet their deaths on the pikes. It was a furious struggle in the streets. Two throngs of men pushing each other trying to get the upper hand. By noon, the royal forces were gaining the upper hand and the invaders were being pushed out of the city. Slowly they began to panic and the army began to rout. They raced back to their ships only to find them burning. The garrison of the city ran out and chased them into the ocean. By the afternoon, few were left alive and hiding. The men cheered for Acheas and Gorgias and returned to nurse their injuries.


****

Acheas and Gorgias stood on the walls of Antioch, overlooking the view of the surrounding country.
"We'll we did it"
"Yes Gorgias but we did not find Kallinikos among the bodies."
"It matters very little. We've always known kallinikos was an incompetent fool. This just proves it to the world. I doubt anyone would be willing to follow him now. We can hunt him down at leisure"
"Yes but you realize its not over. Kallinikos was a fool but Megasthenes is not. He is a frighteningly good commander. Almost as competent as your great father Sarpedon. He will come, That I am sure of."

Before Gorgias could respond, a horn sounded in the distance. Several more followed afterwards. Both men turned to look south. On the horizon was a huge mass of men marching toward Antioch. It covered the Syrian plains as far as the eye could see. The army of Megasthenes had arrived...

[seleucid empire]

Ive recently been embroiled in a bit of a mental, spiritual and philosophical crisis with myself and my writing hasn't been as focused as I had hoped. I migiht take a break from writing this AAR for now, and I might occasionally post a few chapters if im feeling up to it. I promise I will return and see this AAR through to its very end. I hope you guys will understand (if anyone is still reading this).

[EB rocks]

Im still reading seleucid and this aar is great !

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 9: The Siege of Antioch
Summer 215 BC

“Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into clay, and tread the mortar, make strong the bricks.”

Megasthenes watched as his army approached the walls of Antioch. Seventy thousand men marched under his banners. An army of this size had not been seen since the battle of Ipsos. The Carthaginians had kept their word and more. They had sent 50 000 men to Tyre which reinforced the 10 000 he had already gathered. With Carthaginian gold, 10 000 more mercenaries were hired from Arabia and Jerusalem. Nothing could save Antioch now.

His army consisted of a core of 8 000 Greek phalaghites and 2 000 cavalry as well as 10 000 Carthaginian pikemen, trained in phalanx warfare. Also present was a company of 5 000 men trained by Carthage to fight in Roman fashion and 5 000 heavy Libyan cavalry. The number of Spanish and Gallic mercenaries numbered 5 000 each. This already formidable force was supplemented by 20 000 Numidian skirmishers and archers. Megasthenes was not quite happy that the Carthaginians had sent these men but his disappointment was somewhat diminished when he found 200 elephants accompanying the army. He kept his 10 000 Jewish and Arabian Mercenaries in reserve, in case the Carthaginian troops had any notion of betraying him and taking the city for themselves.

Megasthenes ordered his men to to halt and create siege lines. He would not make his tired men attack today..


****


Gorgias and Acheas gazed at the enormous army encamped beneath their walls. They spotted Numidians hurrying to their posts and Gauls practicing their swordplay. It seemed to Gorgias, that the world's armies had conveyed at Antioch.

"How many?" asked Gorgias
"Its hard to say," replied Acheas,"I have never seen such a large army. I an estimate around 60 000 to 100 000 men."
"Where on earth did he find such a force?"
"Judging by the number of Gauls, Africans and Spaniards, it would seem Megasthenes has made a deal with Carthage."
"That bastard, he would ally himself with Carthage?"
"Men have done worse things for power."
"We cannot hope to hold out against such a force."
"Have faith my friend. We have just equipped 5 000 men to supplement our defenses. That brings our garrison up to fourteen thousand. We still have a chance to repel this attack."
"Against a lesser general, maybe. But this is Megasthenes we are talking about. A dangerous general with a truly overwhelming force. We have no hope of stopping him," cried Gorgias, his heart filled with despair
"There is always hope.."


****


As dawn broke, the camp came to life. Each man scurried off to find his battalion. The siege engines had been assembled the night before and Numidians began to push them to the front lines. After all preparations had been made, the army stood still, awaiting their general. Megasthenes rode to the top of a small hill and every man turned his head to him. For a moment, there was silence. Then, he began to speak.


****


Five thousand men watched the army of Megasthenes from the wall. The rest of the defenders stood beneath it, waiting. They were the lucky ones. Unlike the men on the walls, they did not see exactly how large the army they faced was. Acheas strolled along the walls, making sure everything was in order. He looked at the faces of his men. They weren't even trying to hide their fear. He knew he had to do something quickly or the battle was already lost.

"Men of Antioch! Today we face the hordes of the pretender Megasthenes. I know many of you are fearful of their numbers and shining armor. Know this! They have come to kill you. Even if you lay down arms and flee or surrender, they will show you no mercy. None to you, and none to your families! Your wives and daughters will be ravaged. Your sons will be tortured and beheaded! So today I am not asking you to fight for our King's throne. I am asking you to fight for your homes and families. Fight until the last droop of blood has leaked out of your body, then they will fear us! They will realize that they are facing the likes of Leonidas and his 300 Spartans. This is our Thermopylae. We are his Legacy! So lets stand our ground and kill any bastard who climbs over this wall!"

His men cheered and began to taunt the enemy, who had begun to push their siege engines up to the wall. Archers drew their bows and fired. The first volley caused hundreds of men to fall down, with arrows in their bodies. The siege towers slowed allowing the archers on the walls to devastate the enemy with more volleys


****


Megasthenes watched from afar as his numidians began to fall in the hundreds. That caused him little concern. As long as the Gauls and Iberian infantry inside the siege towers reached the walls, he would not fret too much. He had expected to lose men in the initial push which was why he made his numidians push the towers. They were expendable. Suddenly he spotted two of his towers which were aflame. He cursed and ordered his archers to return fire. One of the siege towers reached the wall and his Gauls poured out. His heavily armed Gauls began to cut their way through the troops on the wall until suddenly they stopped. They were being pushed back by something. Megathenes looked more closely and saw that the troops responsible were armed with fine swords, armor and shields, bearing the royal crest. Damn! they had Hypaspistai.

More of his towers caught on fire and he saw some of his Spaniards who had reached the wall were having trouble with another group of Hypaspistai. His men were being butchered. He turned to one of his captains

"Send in the Gate Breaker!"


****


Acheas cut down another Iberian who had underestimated the old man and turned to look at the plains. A giant ram was being pushed towards the wall. He turned to the troops waiting beneath the wall and shouted at them to form up and brace themselves. The ram reached the gate and began to pound it. Soon the head of the ram made a hole. The next swing broke the gate completely. Immediately, hundreds of Numidians poured in. They charged at the line of defenders, swinging their axes and throwing their javelins. Then defenders lowered their spears and counter charged. A group of defenders on the wall had repelled the enemy and they grabbed their bows, firing into the backs of the Numidians, who screamed as they fell.

The defenders on the ground pushed the Numidians to the gates. Soon, they routed. Acheas signaled to his silver shields to array themselves in front of the breach and allow the rest of the defenders to rest. The silvershields quickly formed up as Megasthenes' Libyan cavalry approached. They charged into the silvershields, impaling themselves on the spear tips. The silvershields held firm and the enemy horsemen began to panic.


****


Megasthenes cursed as he saw his Libyan cavalry fleeing from the gate. His eyes turned to the walls just in time to see the defenders cut down the last of his Gallic and Iberian mercenaries. The sun had nearly disappeared behind the hills and he motioned to his second in command.
"Tell the men to withdraw to camp. We will attack again tomorrow."
"But sire, they are tired now, we can finish the job."

"They have destroyed most of our siege towers. If we rush all of our men through the gate alone, they will be forced into a choke point. And it is nearly night time. Do not worry captain. We may have lost a lot of men today but so have they. Tomorrow, I will send my best, and they will be crushed..."


****


"We'll done Acheas," said Gorgias, "You have held them off against all odds."
"Today he only sent his expendable troops, and look how much damage they did to us."
"But you have given our men hope."
"Yes, we took down 15 000 of their men today and lost 3 000 of our own. Tomorrow he will attack us with the cream of his army, and when he does...only the gods can help us...."

[EB rocks]

Great battle Seleucid.

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 10: The Darkest Hour
Summer 215 BC

"The night is darkest before the dawn"

Acheas waited nervously on the walls. It was afternoon already. Why hadn't Megasthenes attacked? Acheas knew that the deadly accuracy of his Syrian archers would be nullified in the dark, but would Megasthenes really risk his army in a night assault? Attacking the city at night would give the garrison an advantage over the larger army. There would be mass confusion and they would be cut down by the defenders, who were familiar to the streets and alleyways. Finally, at dusk, there was movement in the enemy camp. Acheas observed them curiously, as they formed up into lines. From the back of the camp, they began to drag several hundred newly made ladders to the front lines. They were very long ladders and Acheas realized that they could reach up to the top of the high walls of Antioch. So that's what they've been doing all day, thought Acheas.

Megasthenes' Numidians began marching towards the walls. Behind them, Carthaginian swordsmen in heavy armor manned the ladders. Acheas looked more closely at the swordsmen. He recoiled in surprise. They were armed similarly to Roman infantry with a large shield and gladius swords. At the same time, 10 000 Carthaginian pikemen with a ram approached the gates, which had been broken and hastily boarded up the day before. As the Numidians came within arrow range, Acheas ordered his Syrians to rain hell upon them.

Acheas lopped off the head of the first man over the ladder. He kicked the ladder off the wall and watched as the twenty men climbing it fell to their deaths. His Syrian archers dropped their bows and pulled our their long swords and a furious struggle began on the wall. The Syrian archers were armed with the best equipment that gold could buy. Most had chain mail and a large Galatian long sword as a secondary weapon. However they were trained as archers and soon the Carthaginian legionaries began to gain the upper hand. Acheas' hypaspistai were holding against the "legionaries" but other parts of the wall were being overrun.


****


Gorgias waited with his men under the gate. He had placed his city guard in the front and the silvershields behind as a reserve. Gorgias turned to his men.
"Men of Antioch, remember, whatever they send at us, we must hold here or they will spread to the rest of the city."
The Gates burst open to reveal the shape of several large beasts charging at them...


****


Acheas turned to the source of the commotion. He looked down and saw 200 Elephants charging through the gates, right into the city guard. The elephants stampeded over his men and their morale broke completely. They ran and the elephants followed, only to be stopped by the Silver shields, whose incredible discipline held the line. They soon panicked and ran amok but the damage gad been done. The defenders had been disorganized. The Carthaginian pikemen followed the elephants into the city and engaged the silvershields, trying to break them with sheer numbers before the rest of the garrison could rally around them.

Acheas knew he had to think of something fast. He caught a glimpse of something colorful in the dark and scanned the battlefield. He finally spotted Megasthenes in his plumed helmet, approaching the wall with 100 of his best men. He motioned to a group of his hypaspistai to follow him. He intended cut off the head of the serpent... As Megasthenes' personal guard climbed over the top of the wall, Acheas and the hypaspisati charged at them, cutting down many. Acheas made his way to Megasthenes while his Hypaspistai kept the rest of the men busy. He thrust his sword at Megathenes who parried just in time with his own sword.
"Die Traitor!" hissed Acheas
"It is you who is a traitor, for I am the rightful King!" replied Megasthenes before charging at Acheas.

The two men were locked in combat for what seemed like hours. Then, without warning, a sharp object struck Acheas helmet, disorientating him. He pulled his helmet off and realized a Numidian slinger had hit him with a lead shot. He was too dazed to parry Megasthenes' sword...


****


Megasthenes finished the man off and beheaded him. Then he realized that the man he had killed was Acheas, the lord commander of the King's Silver Shields. He looked around and saw that his men were winning the fight on the walls and on the ground, more and more of his army was pouring into the city. The Silvershields could not hold forever. Soon it would all be over. Nothing could prevent his victory now.

But before these thoughts had passed through his mind, a loud, clear note that was blown from a horn, rang through the air. Next came a large rumble, like the sound of thousands of hooves. Megasthenes realized that it was indeed the sound of hooves. He turned east to the source of the sound. As the sun came up over the hills, it illuminated a lone horsemen with dazzling armor. A second man appeared next to him and soon, the outlines of thousands of horsemen appeared on the edge of the hill..


****


Pherekles Ioudaikes took in the sight below him. A massive army, which was trying to force itself into the city. A third of it was already inside. He blew his horn and then shouted at the top of his lungs,"Beware, traitors to the Empire and take heart those who are still loyal to the King! For Babylon has come!!"

(If you do not know who Pherekles is or how he has gotten an army, read ACT II Chapter 11: The Houses of Seleucia Part 2 - The Ioudaikes)


****


Megasthenes watched in horror as tens of thousands of horsemen appeared over the hill. They charged straight into his disorganized Arabians, Jews and Numidians. The effect was overwhelming. The first few rows simply vanished underneath a sea of horsemen. The rest turned to run and ran straight into their comrades. This caused a chain reaction until the entire army was running away from the Babylonians. Even the Greeks.

"No you cowards! Stand and fight!" screamed Megasthenes
"My Lord we must get you to safety!" one of his companions shouted and he began to drag Megasthenes away from the fighting...


****

Gorgias found the body of his friend Acheas, surrounded by the corpses of his Hypaspistai. He had searched the rubble for hours until he found the head. It was stitched onto the body so it would be presentable for the grand funeral they were holding for him. He looked down into his friend's face. He looked so peaceful, thought Acheas.
"You did it. You saved us all and paid for it with your life. But I envy you my friend, for only the dead have seen the end of war..."

[seleucid empire]

Chapter 11: Shield of the Getae
Summer 214 BC


"Beware the wrath of a patient adversary."

A gentle valley separated the two armies from one another. In the center of the valley lay a shallow creek and a clump of trees. It was here that Sitalces and his scouts hid, observing the enemy army. At nightfall they slowly crept out of the grove and made their way back towards the camp of Seleucus II. They hailed the sentry, who opened the gates for the scouts. Sitalces made his way to a tent in the center of the great camp. King Seleucus looked up as the Thracian entered.

"How many Sitalces?"
"The enemy numbers 40-50 000 men my King. It is a huge army."
"I see. What of the quality of their troops? Are they mostly levies like the ones we have faced so far?"
"No my king. They have gathered all of their best. Vicious falxmen, the elite of their skirmishers and the heaviest cavalry they can field. My King, would it not be best to withdraw and set an ambush for them as they chase after us? My Thracians and I can devastate the army in the confusion."
"No. The Dacians still have many cities and men. These barbarians are nothing if not proud. Even if we defeat their best in an ambush, they will say the Greeks are cowards and cannot face them in an open battle. More men will flock to the Getae and we will find our war prolonged. However, if we defeat these men right now, in an open battle, they will begin to fear us..."