The Indomitable Nile: A Ptolemaic AAR

[Basileus Seleukeia]

Great update Chirurgeon, definately worthy of your skills. Although I still can't forgive you for chosing Ptoelmys for this AAR, but, well, it's your problem now that your kings are all married to their sisters. The family tree is really impressive, and I can't see any weird deformings of lines in it, so I think that incest has not yet overtaken in this clan

[Chirurgeon]

LOL man your a trip. People are looking at me wierd now that I am laughing at my monitor! I was expecting a joke in the same fashion as Jeff Foxworthy "You know your a Ptolemy when your brothers fight over your sister"

[Basileus Seleukeia]

Actually I just wanted to quote Foxworthy like this: You know you're a Ptolemy when your family tree doesn't fork, but I thought that would be too lame. I guess I was wrong .
Oh, and could you please in more detail describe what a trip is? I'm no native English speaker so I don't really understand what you mean

[quackingduck]

geez people, show some enthusiasm.
Chirurgeon isnt going to continue if you guys dont give him some support.

[CaesarAugustus]

Chirurgeon!!! Woot!

Btw, your Romani AAr is awesome, im reading the Carthaginian one right now.

[Wolfman]

Excellent Update Man!!! your AARs seem to always improve at each update!

[Chirurgeon]

Chirurgeon!!! Woot!

Btw, your Romani AAr is awesome, im reading the Carthaginian one right now.

Well thanks a bunch guys. I'm really proud of my Carthage one. It was a lot of work and I felt a great attachment to the characters in that AAR. Although I am again becoming attached to the Ptolemai.

[Chirurgeon]

Thanks Wolfman. I think you will like the next Journal about the reign of Ptolemy III. I still cant get over the size of that family. I never really followed closely but how many family members have had Greatgrandchildren? I will be interested to see how long the Ptolemies last :)

[Chirurgeon]

geez people, show some enthusiasm.
Chirurgeon isnt going to continue if you guys dont give him some support.

I understand your concern but Basileus Selukieus is just kidding. The folks on the forums are always very supportive :)

[Xehh II]

Super AAR! It's very good.

[Basileus Seleukeia]

I understand your concern but Basileus Selukieus is just kidding.

Oh really, am I?
jk, you have my full support!

[Spoofa]

Muhahahahahah!

The foolish Ptolemy's shall be crushed beneath their Makedonian master's boots.

You should have listened to your wise brother Magas, he knew your end was near, but now you shall all be sold into slavery, and you, most of all "pharoh", you shall be my personal slave's slave.


PREPARE YOURSELF FOR YOUR DEMISE!




(but seriously, great AAR buddy, the Ptolemy's were always fun to play with.)

[quackingduck]

I understand your concern but Basileus Selukieus is just kidding. The folks on the forums are always very supportive :)

i was actually just being sarcastic since ive never seen so much support for some elses game playing.

[Chirurgeon]

I will have an update forthcoming. I had to deal with some CTD issues. But all is well now and Ptolemy III continues his reign

[CaesarAugustus]

A round of applause for your Carthage campaign, Chirurgeon, which i just finished reading.

Now that I'm up to date, please get to work on that next chapter of the Ptolemys!

[Chirurgeon]

Thank you sir. Ptolemy III is in his 60s so it shouldnt be long until he passes and I can do an update. Some of these Pharohs live a long time!

[White_eyes:D]

Chirurgeon you Ptolemy sister-lovin... lol no man love your AARs I read your Roman one and this one great stuff, kinda like marcus's but with more role-playing.Which is not a bad thing anyway kept going or you may find me at your home.....

[Wolfman]

anyway kept going or you may find me at your home.....

And you will find me waiting for you Chirurgeon where's my weekly update?

[Chirurgeon]

Working on it...Real life always gets in the way

[White_eyes:D]

Working on it...Real life always gets in the way

I hear you I only get about 6 hours so take your time but not too long

[Chirurgeon]

The reign of Ptolemy III part one will be up tonight!

[Chirurgeon]

Winter 243 BC -Helicarnassus
I have recieved word that my father has passed into the planes to join his father. Although I am not totally surprised I am a bit taken by the whole affair. Having recovered from his illness's, thanks to Lysimachos's, great care he had recovered enough to travel here to Helicarnassus. The last few years of his life was wondorous. We took great pain to have the embalmers carefully prepare his body in the traditional fashion. The Priests of Amon-Zeus have carried out the ceremony for me to accept the Pharonic Staff. The Staff of Heirs still lingers in my possesion. My younger brother is the best selection for the honor. I met with him yesterday.


The air was cool with the northern winds of winter. Snow could be seen falling in the distant mountains to our East. My brother and i had sent our father on to Alexandrea where he was to be entombed with the other great leaders of our lands. No doubt Alexandros would have been proud of his accomplishments. My brother seemed to be calm but also ruminating deeply.
"Hello my brother." I said softly as I approached him. We embraced.
Looking down at the staff I carried he looked back up to me. "Father would have given that to you even if he had not passed on. He had talked of abdication just like Ptolemy I." Smiling I replied "I know, I had to talk him out of it."
Leaning over to him i gently told him "I have but another staff. One that you should carry."
He looked away from me and walked to the balcony. He ran his hands on the marble railing and looked out at the failing daylight. The waves distant thunder could be heard upon the beaches. The air fresh with salts from the great sea. He took a deep breath. "I cannot my dear brother. I am no Pharoh." I was a little stunned to say the least. "You are the best cavalry commander a man could ask for! You do well with the men. Why not?"
Tilting his head to one side Lysimacho's continued " Commanding horses is not the same thing as ruling a kingdom. I do not want it dear brother. I knew you would ask me." Perplexed I was respectful, "So why did you not tell me this before this moment?"
Turning back to face the ocean again, " I did not want to upset father. It was assumed I would lead should you perish. I didn't want to give him any anxiety about succession."
I walked over to the railing and joined him. "Well father would want us to do the right thing. If you are not willing to lead I feel it would be a mistake to force you to do so." I put my arm around him. "Don't think you wont get out of commanding my cavalry." We both laughed. He looked at me and half laughing replied "Hell the companions would hunt me down if I relinquished command" I turned and faced the open air. The shades of night were descending upon the city and the people were lighting torches and the towers along the walls were being lit as well. "Who do you think would be a good choice? " I asked honestly. "Agesilaos", he stated bluntly. I slowly nodded. This was a good choice. He was my son. Having ruled Antiochus he was an able governor. He had dispatched rebelious villages and showed a strong knowledge of command.


It was settled. I would call my son to Helicarnassus and he would recieve the Staff of Heirs.
With the issue of succession resolved we would need to return to the fleet and continue the seige of Mytilene on the island of Lesbos


Winter 242-Antiochus

By the gods! As we were besieging Mytilene and having defeated an attempt to break our hold on the fortress a great tremor came from the ground. I find it terrible that the Macedonians must resort to using the gods for their inadequacies on the battlefield:




I was knocked out of bed and a sound like nothing I have heard echoed throughout the camp. It was the sound of the very ground breaking beneath us. Boulders fell onto the men. Others fell into great cracks in the ground. Still others ran screaming into the night. Our camp next to the cliffs near the beaches of Lesbos became alive and the cliffs showered us with great stones. So many died. The fleet fortunately was not harmed and I ordered all the men onto the ships. Some drowned trying to swim to the vessels. The men were terrified by what had happened. It is clear to me that island is forsaken and to travel there again would only mean death. The priests are adament that we steer clear of that Makedonian stronghold. It would seem the Makedonians, despite their losses and treachery, have some favor left with the gods.
I have traveled back to Antiochus to retrain my men. I had lost nearly half of my men in the catastrophe. I will set out in the spring and return to Helicarnassus where I will attack the Selucid region of Lydia. Hopefully the Selucids dont warrant the gods protection.

Summer 240 BC - Sardis, Lydia
Lysimachos and myself have arrived at this Selucid outpost. It is in fact the most westerly of their holdings. The garrison is small but capable and I prefer to wait out the city. It might be a year or two until they relent. The men have seem to have recovered from their great catastrophe at Lesbos. Plague has struck the city of Ankyra to the north. It appears that the gods wish to fight in this war along with men.
In another turn of events my son has won an event at the Olympics. He has bested all the other athletes in the world that could challenge him. He has become the best son any father could want.


He wishes to join me on campaign. His skills as a horsemen are second to none and he has a huge following as an accomplished one. I have told him that as Pharoh he can lead the army but if he wishes he can command the cavalry should he join me after the fall of Sardis.

Autumn 239 BC - south of the Gediz River, Lydia
My son has joined me as the head of our cavalry. He will be my Hyphasteon against our enemies. He came into camp with a mighty entourage. Riding his nearly pure white horse he was escorted by nearly a hundred other riders. It was early morning and the sun was still low on the horizon. Men were busy gathering water from the nearby stream and there was a general sense that another battle was coming. I watched him approach my tent and upon seeing me removed his helmet and smiled ear to ear. He jumped off his horse in a swift move and landed on his feet. He transitioned smoothly into a walk and came up to me and embraced me. I held him by the shoulders arms length away. "The gods have been kind to you my son!" Feeling his muscles ripple under my hands and his even steady breathing led me to believe that my son was the fittest man I had ever laid eyes on. "Look at you. You are as mighty strong as Hercules and nimble as Apollo!"
I let go of him and he bowed ever so slightly. "Thank you father the gods have been kind to you as well. You look quite Pharonic if I may say so." I waved him off with my hand and laughed. "Are we going to sit here and compliment each other all day or shall we go inside to discuss important matters?" Nodding in agreement he followed me inside my tent where we needed to draw up our battle plans. We dined on a light breakfast drinking a variety of juices and eating fresh bread and honey. He told me of his wife and their young girl and talked about how much he has wanted to come join me. I nodded and told him I needed the best men in the empire for the road ahead.
"Father you look troubled" He asked with a concerned tone. I looked at him for a moment and motioned for him to join me at a table witha map of Anatolia spread out before us. "I should think you should know our current situation if you are to be intimate with command." He nodded taking in the map. "Here is our position just west of Lydia. As you can see there is a bridge just a few days march that crosses into Ionia. You also must know that the Seludis control Ipsos to our Northeast and all the lands around it. The Selucids control much of the interior of Anatolia except far to the north where King Artaxerxes of Pontus rules. His territory is small but significant. Should we reach an agreement with the good king we can move south along his kingdom here." I pointed to the map sweeping my finger back and forth. "Ah but son here is where things have gotten interesting. The wretched Makedonians control that vile island of Lesbos but now they have changed the equation a bit." My finger slid north to Pargammon, the ancient city rumored to be Troy itself. "The Makedonians have captured Pergammon and control all the lands around it." Agelisious seemed to take it all in. He pointed north to Nikea and looked at me. "Who rules these lands?" "That city has been occupied by Barbarians from north of the Danube." Agelisious looked shocked at the statement. "How can that be? That has been a Hellenic outpost for eons." I shook my head slowly and crossed my arms across my chest. "You see the Makedonian control over Thracia and basically all the territory south of the Danube has been eroding for nearly 50 years now. The tribes once loyal to Phillip and Alexander have tasted independence. The barrier to their expansion, Macedon itself, is no longer there. The Macedonians cling to their capital at Pella, the city of Mytilene, and now Pergammon." I looked over at him and gazed at him with as serious a look as I could muster. "The key, my son, to keeping the barbarians of Europe from entering Anatolia is control of Nikea. As long as they control that ancient city it is as if a door has been left open to our lands." Taking in a deep breath and exhaling it slowly Agelisious summarized what we must do. "So what we must do is expell the Makedonians from Pergammon, recapture the city of Nikea for hellenic pride, rid the Selucids from Anatolia, and hope that King Artaxerxes doesn't attack our interests." Raising my eyebrows I put my arm around him. "You see what your father has to contend with?" We both laughed a little. It was the only way to deal with truly tumultous times that lay ahead.



Winter, 238 BC - Pargammon
A little over a year ago i set out with my son and our great army and headed to the ancient city of Troy to rid that city of the Makedonian scourge. having arrived and found an underwhelming garrison we waited them out. After a year the city relented and we were able to occupy it. I have sent word to Lysimachos that we have captured Troy and to send a replacement garrison as soon as possible. Before leaving Sidis we talked about the role he played with my military. Having proven himself as a worthy physician and gained notierity he has elected to open a medical academy and train others to help prevent, treat, and cure disease. His ideas are wonderful but albeit a bit obscure for me. Nonetheless there is a large contingent of nobility willing to pay to have the medicinal academy built in Helicarnassus. He will do well. We will press north and look to Nikea. Assuming the Barbarians of the Getai tribe don't bloody us up to badly we will turn our attention to the east again.


Winter, 236 BC - Mysia, south of Nikea
The gate to asia has been closed. The barbarians of the Getai will no longer have a foothold in Anatolia. Just over a year ago we surrounded the city and completely sealed them in. Eventually they charged out. Having only fought other barbarians they were not prepared for the stoic discipline of the phalanx. They died on a sea of prickly sarissas. Before they could launch an assault against my lines I sent in the Galatian swordsmen which made a real mess of things. Many of the Getai perished under the blades of the Galatians. I ordered the withdraw to behind our lines as the Galatians attempted to gain entry to the city. It took all their resolve I'm sure not to charge in and do more killing. However I decided a street to street battle was not necessary. After the battle a small group of men emerged from the town and surrendered it. I promptly put the fighting aged males to the sword.





After claiming the city a messenger arrived during our evening feast and told me that Pergammon had been surrounded by the Makedonians. Although a small force it sent a clear message: The Makedonians would not relent. It was then that I decided to march again on Mytilene on Lesbos. It seemed only yesterday that my army was nearly destroyed by a great tremor. Hades himself seem to come from the depths and pull them into the abyss. However I must think of the big picture. I cannot leave that stronghold at my rear as I march east. Phyrigia is laden with Selucid men and arms. Their capital of Ipsos is paramount to gaining control of Western Anatolia. Yes Mytilene must fall. I must show great resolve when facing that city. I pray the gods wish us no harm as we again challenge the holdings of Macedon.


Summer, 235 BC - Royal Palace of Mytilene
As the summer wheat began its most voracious growth during the ample sunlight of summer we waited for the garrison of Mytilene to charge out of the gates. Assisted by a small relief force the garrison reinforced their resolve and charged out to meet us. On a terrain of rolling hills the Macedonian phalanx and our own met.

The deadly sarissa's overlapped each other until men on both sides began to feel the effects of the weapon. It would be a long time before there could be a winner. The Makedonians had levied their phalanx, however we had more experience and resolve. as the phalanx lines locked I ordered my galatians to the right flank. I was preparing them for a flanking order. I lined them up at a 90 degree angle to our Phalanx line and then had them fall into the enemy. Our cavalry in the mean time, under command of my son, took to the left flank and scattered the levied hoplites that had chosen to isolate themselves. The Makedonians had no visible general and no cavalry. Soon their inferior forces began to break. Many were cut down as they fled. At the end of the day with the setting sun we found ourselves in control of the battlefied and more importantly had captured that thorn in our side, Mytilene.


Winter 234 BC - Laying siege, Ipsos Phyrgia
"Damn him! Damn that man!" I remember myself saying upon hearing the message. I looked at my diplomat sitting next to me in my tent. "I want a meeting with the King of Pontos immediately." The diplomat bowed and scurried off with his entourage to the capital of Pontus. "Everytime I rid myself of a problem another one rears its head. How could he do this? Why would he do this." I was exasperated and irritated that someone would have the audacity to ruin my plans. The Selucids had woken up and are sending relief armies into Anatolia. Just a week ago we had a significant engagement with a relief army.





Although we carried the day they nonetheless are willing to fight for the lands we are contesting. And now the damn Pontic king has sacked Nikea and put his own garrison in place. "Father what should our course of action be?" My son asked as delicately as possible. He had a way of steadying my nerves at times like this. "I'm glad someone here isnt fuming over this" I smiled and looked at my son.


I met with the King Artaxerxes on a plain north of Ipsos. We had both set up tents and when we were ready I asked to speak with him. He obliged.
I walked into his portable residence and took a quick note of all the decorations. But alas I was not here to look at art. One of his servents came to me with a glass of wine. "Something to drink dear Ptolemy?" He asked formally. I waved off the servant. I stood face to face with the man about a mans length apart. "Why did you sack Nikea and slaughter my garrison?" I demanded. Artaxerxes who had sat down with his glass of wine leaned back in his chair. "Ah a man that goes right to the point." He said. "You see Nikea is a very important city for us here in Anatolia. Anatolia is our home and we only want to make sure that would be sackers and destroyers and other heathens dont enter our lands." He paused and took a sip of the wine while I continued standing. "You see these lands are the lands of our ancestors. I only want to honor them by preserving them. We once ruled all of this area. Nikea is a very important city. Do you know why?" I looked at him suspiciously. "You simply want control of the Dardenelles. You know that Nikea has a wonderous port and has great revenue." He nodded in agreement and rubbed his chin in thought. "You are correct. My people deserve wealth like any other. When those wretched Getai migrated through Thrace and sacked the independent city of Nikea I knew that I must act. You see Nikea controls who can enter these lands from beyond in Europe." I shook my head in irritation. "I of course know this which is why I must have that city. Do you realize the size of my Kingdom? It extends from the heart of Africa through all of Egypt, the Deserts, all of the Eastern Mediteranean and now Anatolia. Clearly I could do a better job of defending it with the vast resources at my disposal." Artaxerxes nodded and continued. "That is a valid argument and clearly you are a large powerful kingdom, or dare I say Empire. But you cannot argue against the fact that this is our homeland. If we are to defend our homeland adequately than we must control the entrance to that homeland. I cannot entrust you with that most sacred honor. My men will fight for home and family. Yours will only fight for loot and glory. I think you know that a man will fight much harder knowing his own heritage is at risk." A long silence ensued. The winter winds blew hard from the north. The clouds from the Black sea billowing southward dumping their snowflakes on the plain. Two kings stared at each other. I finally broke the silence. "Although your argument is logical, the fact remains dear King. You ordered the death of my men. You orded the occupation of what I had conquered. This is unacceptable. You have rolled the dice. You have lost the gamble and now you must deal with the consequences of your actions." I told my entourage that we were leaving and I left the King holding his glass of wine sitting in his chair in a tent on a windblown plain in Anatolia. I arrived back at the seige lines and saw my son. "Father what news from the Pontus king? How did the meeting go?" He stood there with great anticipation. "After Ipsos falls we march on the Kingdom of Pontus." Agioseles was silent but he understood.

[White_eyes:D]

" I did not want to upset father. It was assumed I would lead should you perish. I didn't want to give him any anxiety about succession."

I thought they would kill even there 8-year old sons without a second thought??When succession was on the line???
still good AAR as always

[Wolfman]

Keeps getting better and better! Good update!

[Basileus Seleukeia]

Aha, the sister lovers are making success. Be it so. They still are not the rightfull heirs of Alexander, hands down
*Ptolemyhatemodeoff* Another great chapter, Chirurgeon! I especially like the battle picture with the Galatian ducking from 3 levy hoplite spears, it's so... "matrixy"

[Chirurgeon]

Thank you all. Im overwhelmed with the number of AARs on the forums! When I have some time to kill I will need to spend some time reading them all. I saw a Arche Selucia AAR on here Basileus...you must be terribly excited about that :)

[Teleklos Archelaou]

I like the results of the earthquake. Stay away from Lesbos!

[Chirurgeon]

I like the results of the earthquake. Stay away from Lesbos!

That totally killed me when that happened. I could not believe i lost half my men. I must admit that was unexpected but nonetheless adds to the overall feel of the game. I should have Part two of Ptolemy III reign up soon!

[Disciple of Tacitus]

Truly inspiring. A riveting read. We await the next installment!

[Chirurgeon]

Truly inspiring. A riveting read. We await the next installment!

Thank you for following. I must admit there is alot of good reading on these forums at the moment.