The Pyrrhic Dynasty : A Makedonian AAR

[Dutchhoplite]

He's not that close ;)

[HunGeneral]

Finally I managed to read trough all since I had left up. Simply great:2thumbsup:

This new Basileus seems to be the start of an interresting part in the history of Makedoni.

Keep up the good work:2thumbsup::2thumbsup:

[the man with no name]

I have a bad feeling about this...

[burn_again]

I've been following this AAR since the beginning and it's still brilliant.
Let's hope for a successful reign of the new Basileus!

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

Discovered this about a week ago and I've finally caught up. Great job!!!

Makes not only for an excellent AAR but creates its own alternate history of the world.

Now just go and create a new language created from Greek and Persian influences and you'll be on the same level as Tolkien.:beam:

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

What's going on here? Me and a lot of ppl are yearning for news about the Pyrrhids!

[Horatius Flaccus]

Totally agree Centurio!

[the man with no name]

Ya seriously

[gollum]

Sure do, this AAR is passing into legend.

:bow:

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for the continued interest. Sorry I haven't updated lately. I started my final year at university and I've been busier than other years. I'm also taking a history class on the Islamic Middle East and I've had the urge to play Broken Crescent in the little time I do have for games. Additionally, I bought Dragon Age a week ago and have been spending my free time in the last week playing that.

I have played this campaign for another five or so years and have enough content for three or four chapters, but there hasn't been much fighting. I seem to have achieved an era of peace. Although there have been some interesting developments that I can role play for a decent story. I have a half of a chapter written up from about a month ago. I think I'll just use that half chapter, finish it up, and make a short chapter to post today or tomorrow. It doesn't really have any interesting content though.

I noticed that I haven't even commented my AAR threads since I last posted a chapter, so I'd like to just say thanks to everyone who has been reading, new and old. Also, thanks for the comments and support.

In other news, since I last posted my AAR (including original thread) has passed its second anniversary. I've been writing about this empire for two years now. :sweatdrop:

[Ludens]

:bow:

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 135 : Forgotten by Some

In the last years of the reign of Basileus Philippos V and the early years of the reign of Basileus Antigonos III, the Arche enjoyed and era of peace. Ever since the peace agreement with Persia had been agreed to, there had been no major wars fought by the soldiers of Hellas. This was not an era of absolute peace for everyone across the Arche, however. In far flung corners of the Arche there were riots and rebellions, mostly kept in check by large garrisons that not only guarded the borders from invasion but also from secession. There were bandits and brigands in poorly governed provinces, though the reforms of Philippos V had almost completely removed them from Hellas, Anatolia, and Syria. There were border skirmishes with barbarian raiders and tiny tribes, but these were a constant problem along any empire with a barbarian frontier. There were even wars being fought against the Arche, but these were so small that they were largely ignored in Hellas.

Iberia suffered from all these problems with troubles that seemed to only grow by the day. The Keltoi along the northern borders of the Arche were discontent by Hellenistic rule, but due to large border garrisons did not openly rebel like the Iberians. The north-western coasts of Africa were newly conquered and discontent, as well as suffering from invasions by the Numidian Kingdom. The most heated war was also the most ignored war. This was the war in Arabia.

When the Makedonian Civil War ended, the Arab tribes along the southern edge of Mesopotamia and Syria became an ever growing problem. Although loosely united under the banner of the Sab'yn Kingdom, these tribes were easily turned to the side of the Arche once Sab'yn envoys garrisons had been expelled. Several client kingdoms had been established in Arabia shortly after the Makedonian Civil War, but as the First Persian War drew the attention of the Arche, the Sab'yn Kingdom revived and rebuilt. One by one the client kingdoms fell and the Sab'yn Empire was reestablished.

In Syria an army was assembled and placed under the command of a minor noble named Aidesios Thermaios. They were to march south and to save the city of Carna but were too late to save the city. Unable to save the southern clients and unwilling to retake those cities alone, General Thermaios camped his army in the small trade city of Macoraba, attempting to hold onto the western coasts of Arabia.

These regions were not suited to feed and supply an army of this size, however. Soon food, supplies, and morale were nearly depleted. Aidesios Thermaios sent requests for aid but the leaders in Hellas simply wished to ignore this distant war. The army took what they needed from the locals, but there was not enough and this only angered the people of the surrounding towns and oasis.

https://img268.imageshack.us/img268/4725/maa4795.jpg

When the armies of southern Arabia arrived to take the city, General Thermaios decided to march out against them. The Sab'yn army expected a long siege of the city and a forced surrender. They were not prepared for General Thermaios to sally forth. He knew if he could surprise the Sab'yn army and chase them from the field, he could capture their baggage train and maybe get enough attention from Hellas to get support.

https://img10.imageshack.us/img10/5875/maa4797.png

The army of the Arche marched from the city unopposed. They took the battlefield and slowly marched toward the Sabaean army. To test the lines, the Sabaeans sent skirmisher cavalry forward and threw their spears. The cavalry seemed surprised to receive a volley of spears in return from the Thermaios' army.

https://img688.imageshack.us/img688/7230/maa4800.png

The skirmishing did not last long. The Sab'yn cavalry withdrew and formed a line just in front of their infanrty. Slowly the army of the Arche marched forward to confront them. Just as they drew close, a great wind came up and filled the air with sand and dirt.

https://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6417/maa4802.png

Not letting this distraction go to waste, General Thermaios immediately ordered his light infantry to charge forward and into the Sabaean cavalry.

https://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9529/maa4803.png

With the cavalry disorganized and pinned down, they lost any advantage they might have had and began to fall to spears of the light infantry. Seeing their cavalry falling, the Sabaean infantry charged forward and attacked the Arche's light infantry. General Thermaios held back his men long enough for the Sabaean infantry to begin to tire. Then as his own light infantry began to falter, General Thermaios ordered the center of his line to charge forward. The native thorakitai infantry charged in and slew horse and man alike.

https://img202.imageshack.us/img202/4775/maa4804.png

As the battle drew on, the center of the Sabaean line began to be pushed back. Soon the battle lines took the shape of an arch, with most of the fighting on either side. General Thermaios personally moved to the center of this arch so that he might encourage his men to fight on.

https://img682.imageshack.us/img682/3212/maa4806.png

When the center of the Sabaean line broke, those thorakitai fighting in the center moved around the rear of the Sabaean troops on either side of the line, enveloping them in two separate places.

General Thermaios ordered his cavalry to give chase to the retreating Sabaean troops through the gap in the line. They chased down the Sabaean infantry and charged forward to capture the Sabaean baggage train just beyond the battlefield.

https://img691.imageshack.us/img691/6001/maa4808.png

When the Sabaean general fell, all those fighting around him surrendered or fled, leaving only one small pocket of fighting. The full force of the Arche's army easily crushed them and took the battlefield.

https://img682.imageshack.us/img682/7679/maa4811.jpg

General Thermaios managed to win the battle, destroy an enemy army, capture their supplies, and defend the city of Macoraba. The victory and supplies improved the moral of the troops for a short time. Never fond of the southern Arabians, even the people of Macoraba were happy with the victory. Their happiness did not last long. The occupation of the city continued and discontentment continued to grew in the city, the camp, and between them.

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The known world during the third year of the reign of Basileus Antigonos III (126BC):
https://img9.imageshack.us/img9/364/hxmak1272edit.png

Next: Chapter 136 : The King's Son

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Yay! That's a great day for me, first I destroyed the Sabeans today and now I can read of your war against them. Keep this up if you can spare the time please. :yes:

[Dutchhoplite]

Finally! http://i.fokzine.net/s/static.gif

[Horatius Flaccus]

Great!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for reading. The next chapter has a lot of developments in the royal family. However, the era of peace continues, so there isn't much combat to fill out the AAR content. The next chapter may be short or text heavy, depending what all I manage to add to the story of the royal family.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

It's the greatest moments of your AAR when you describe policy and such, not the battles, imho.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Yeah, I'll admit that my battle reviews tend to be pretty dry. Although battles tend to fill out the AAR.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 136 : The King's Son

The third and fourth years of the reign of Basileus Antigonos III (126-125BC) were important years for changes in the royal family of Makedonia. The family had many branches who claimed descent from Antigonos I and Demetrios I, but some had died out or were disappearing. Only two could claim descent from Antigonos II. One was by direct male descent and one was descended from Demetrios II Megas.

That winter tragedy hit the most distant branch of the family, who were descended of Antigonos II through one of his sons, other than Demetrios II Megas. In the lands north of the Pontos Euxinos, Anaxagoras died quietly in his sleep. His death left his son the sole surviving man who could claim direct male descent from Antigonos II.

https://img687.imageshack.us/img687/8168/maa4817.jpg

Not even the Demetrids could claim direct male descent from Antigonos II, seeing as they were descended from Antigone (the daughter of Bykoli) and Pefkolaos of Thraikia. The Demetrid line has slowly continued, oddly having only having one son per generation. Euktimenos, who had claimed to be Basileus when he was a boy, still lived. His son Synlekteinos "the Untrustworthy" managed to continue the Demetrid line when his wife gave him a son, Hylaios.

This was not good news everywhere it was received. Many, including the Pyrrhid family wished to see an end to the Demetrid line that would not require another war. However, this news did not draw attention for long. At nearly the same time, Basileus Alypios Antigonos III was given a second son. The boy was named Euphrillos and immediately became the second in line to the throne.

That same eventful year for the family, his older brother, the first prince and heir, Hippostratos, took his first steps toward manhood.

https://img197.imageshack.us/img197/8488/maa4814.png

He had spent most of his life in Athenai, but at the age of sixteen Hippostratos was sent from the schools of Athenai to Alexandreia in Aigyptos. There he was to study with the great master who collected and maintained a vast amount of knowledge in that city.

With Hippostratos to Aigyptos came many servants and guards. Most prominent amongst them was the nanny who raised him when he was a child in Athenai and the leader of his guards. The captain of his guard was an old Nubian man who has started out as a common soldier and worked his way up to become the captain of the guards for the heir to the throne. It had been this man who had taught Hippostratos to fight and was almost like a second father to him.

Hippostratos was a smart and energetic person. He worshiped the gods and believe in doing what was right. He was a decent leader and could influence people, but he greatly lacked a certain something. Like his father, he had very little charisma. However, unlike his father, he understood how to manage the details of an army and how to run a city or empire. In less than a year of study at Alexandreia, Hippostratos nearly became an expert at the art of management.

https://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1825/maa4819.png

At the Library of Alexandreia, Hippostratos studied things such as mathematics, debate, and philosophy, but he sought to lead men into battle like his father (Antigonos III), his grandfather (Philippos V), and his great-grandfather (Pyrrhos II) had done. Soon an opportunity would arise.

https://img44.imageshack.us/img44/2981/maa4822.jpg

A year after arriving in Aigyptos, Hippostratos was joined by his father's cousin, a man a year younger than himself. Two of Hippostratos' great-uncles had been given children late in their lives. These two men were younger than Hippostratos but actually a generation before him. Hippostratos met the first, Theophilos (fifth in line to the throne), for the first time in Alexandreia, where they both were studying.

While Hippostratos studied in Alexandreia that first year, his father continued to rule from the city of Athenai. Basileus Alypios Antigonos III was a good leader of men and armies, but he simply could not rule an empire like his father. The Council of Elders in Athenai, representatives from all of Hellas, continued to take up more tasks and gain power at the cost of the Basileus.

During this time, a massive earthquake hit the island of Kypros. Thousands died and tens of thousands were homeless. The Council of Elders quickly sent aid to the island and began the task of rebuilding. Fortunately, from a fiscal point of view, the damages were restricted mainly to loss of life.

https://img687.imageshack.us/img687/29/maa4815.png

News came to Athenai that concerned the Basileus. Reports came of the collapse of the Arverni Kingdom in Gallia. The Arverni tribe had lost the confidence of her allies and her loose alliance had fallen before a confederation of tribes headed by the Aedui. Although the Aedui were not and had never been enemies of the Arche, the Arverni were allies of the Arche. Although the Basileus was concerned for the Arverni, the true fear was that of a unified Gallia, if only loosely. The Arverni continued to fight on, though separated from her few remaining allies.

Far from Gallia, purposely ignored by both the Basileus and Council of Elders, the war between the Kingdom of Sab'yn and the Arche's allies in Arabia continued. The garrison at Macoraba had bought themselves another year or two, but the Sabaeans were determined to dislodge the garrison from Arabia. With the bulk of their army, they surprised the Hellenes and Syrians at Macoraba by marching a mass of men through the desert and toward the city.

https://img251.imageshack.us/img251/9526/maa4820.png

In the east, as well, the Kingdom of Sab'yn was marching to war. With a much smaller force, the Sabaeans marched against the Arche's important ally in Maka. This ally was much more vital to trade than cities like Umar, Carna, and Macoraba and the Arche might be willing to fight to defend them.

https://img692.imageshack.us/img692/35/maa4821.png

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The known world during the fourth year of the reign of Basileus Antigonos III (125BC):
https://img31.imageshack.us/img31/7286/hxmak1252edit.png

Next: Chapter 137 : Rebellion in Egypt

[satalexton]

I haven't said this in ages:

ALL HAIL MAKEDONIA!!!!

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

I never said your battles were dry ;) Great update, and All Hail Makedonia, of course. :egypt:

[Horatius Flaccus]

Love it! (and your battle reports!)

Good that Hippostratos turned out to be quite a good ruler.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for reading.

I never said your battles were dry ;)
No, but others have and I agree most of the time. Sometimes I just don't put enough effort into writing about battles. I prefer writing about more complex developments in the royal family or the dynamics behind a war, and it shows.

Good that Hippostratos turned out to be quite a good ruler.
Yes, he turned out pretty good, though lacking charisma and optimism. Too bad his father, the Basileus, is falling apart. He has no 'Management' and is slowly loosing his 'Influence'. He's becoming one of those old crazy family members early. Nice opportunity for roleplaying for the AAR, though.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I've been contemplating whether to continue this or not for about a week now and have decided that I'll continue and see if anyone is still going to read it. I have decided to continue playing the campaign, and I have about three chapters worth of content ready to go right now. Since it has been a while, I'll write a little info to remind myself and everyone else what is going on and show some pictures:

Recent History of the Arche Makedonia:

After the Makedonian Civil War, the Pyrrhic line of the western branch of the Antigonid Dynasty came to power. Pyrrhos II and his son Philippos V defeated the descendants of Demetrios II Megas and reunified the Arche.

After the conquest of Aigyptos, the Mauretanian coast, and northern Iberia, Basileus Philippos V returned to Hellas and initiated a series of comprehensive reforms. Most notable was the creation of a Council of Nobles with theoretical power, the transfer of the capital to Athenai, and the reformation of the military to be based mainly upon the Thorakitai heavy infantry equipped with state purchased equipment.

Shortly after this came the First Persian War. Philippos V's son Alypios Antigonos III lead the Makedonian troops in the war and reconquered Mesopotamia, Armenia, and Elymais. The war did not last long and was settled by a peace agreement. Both the Medio-Persians and the Makedonians wanted to avoid drawing the Parthio-Persian king into the conflict. The peace settlement angered many in the Makedonian military and nobles back in Hellas.

With the end of the First Persian War came the beginning of an era of peace. Alypios Antigonos III returned to Hellas and joined his father in Athenai.

When Philippos V died, Alypios Antiognos III became the new Basileus. However, unlike his charismatic grandfather who was a great military leader and his father who was a good commander and great administrator, Alypios Antigonos III was lacking. Antigonos was a decent military command but was bad at associating with his troops and a downright awful administrator. Due to his ineptitude, the Council of Nobles began to gain true power in administration of the Arche.

Meanwhile, Basileus Alypios III's first born son, Hippostratos, was sent to Alexandreia to study. There, Hippostratos began to show promise. (See last chapter for recent family developments.)

Other things occurring around the Arche during this era of peace were:
Tension between Hellenic settlers and natives in Iberia.
A war in Arabia.
The collapse of the Arche's Arverni allies in Gallia.
And growing military tension along the Persian border.

The provinces, satrapies, and boundaries of the Arche:
https://img16.imageshack.us/img16/3487/provinces128.png
White: Area governed from the Capital (Type 1)
Red: Provinces; governed by appointed governors (Type 2)
Yellow: Satrapies; governed by local nobles/kings (Type 3)
Orange: Military controlled regions (Type 3)
Green: Allies and Client States; ruled by local nobles/kings (Type 4)
Family Tree of the Antigonid Line:
https://img717.imageshack.us/img717/6389/familyline3.png
Red: Was Basileus of Makedonia
Orange: Claimed Throne of Makedonia

[gamegeek2]

Good to see you back in the biz.

Re-subscribed.

EDIT: 2000th post!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 137 : Rebellion in Egypt

Aigyptos was a land that had always been known for her fertile river, ancient wonder, and rebellions. Throughout the history of Aigyptos, she has resisted conquest and rebelled against foreign occupiers. Perhaps not the most difficult land to occupy, but Aigyptos was always trouble for those who sought to control her. Aigyptos had resisted almost all foreigners who sought to control her, with the notable exception of Megas Alexandros.

During the time of the Ptolemaic pharaohs and the time after the conquest by Megas Demetrios II, there were many rebellions by the native Aigyptoi. The most recent rebellion in Aigyptos had been by Hellenic nobles who sided with the Demetrids in the Makedonian Civil War, then betrayed the Demetrids and declared Aigyptos independent. After a short rule, this rebellion was crushed by Basileus Philippos V. It had been thirty years since this rebellion and the rebellious spirit had once again returned to Aigyptos. This time it was true rebellion, lead by the native people of Aigyptos. While discontentment grew in the cities, small rebel armies began to gather in the deserts and the mountains.

The threat of rebellion was far from critical, but Hippostratos seized upon the situation. Hippostratos had spent only one year learning from the scholars of Alexandreia, but he felt that he was ready to move on. His progress seemed to prove this. With "permission" from the governor of Aigyptos, Hippostratos called as many men as he could quickly gather. He formed an army of half elite soldiers and half native Hellenes and Aityptoi thorakitai, who were equipped at the personal cost of Hippostratos.

https://img203.imageshack.us/img203/191/maa4823.png

The majority of the rebel soldiers had gathered near the delta of the Neilos or in the mountains east of the Neilos. Hippostratos first struck the armies in the delta. Hearing that a green royal was leading a small army, these rebels chose not to flee but rather to foolishly face him in battle, hoping to win a hostage.

https://img708.imageshack.us/img708/6812/maa4824.jpg
https://img11.imageshack.us/img11/8562/maa4825.jpg

The first two armies were crushed and fell apart soon after the battle was met. In one battle, one of the rebel leaders, a local called Hermonthites was captured, taken to Memphis, and executed. Although it was only a small glimpse warfare, Hippostratos quickly showed the signs of a great warrior from these experiences. It seemed that the blood of warriors truly flowed in the veins of the Pyrrhid line. The ability to lead men was a sign of a great leader, but a skill that may not be necessary in a time of peace.

https://img29.imageshack.us/img29/107/maa4826.png

With his victories in the delta and the city of Memphis quieted by the example, Hippostratos moved southeast and into the hills of eastern Aigyptos. Here too, the rebel armies chose to meet the prince on the battlefield. The majority of those who supported the rebellion hid from the Arche's army and fled under threat, but those who were serious enough to gather arms and group as armies chose to fight to the death. And so they did.

https://img708.imageshack.us/img708/9003/maa4828.jpg

With the lands of Aigyptos secured from any organized threat, Hippostratos moved south and into the Arche's Nubian territories. The handful of battles had already given him much practical experience with warfare. However, aside from the rebellions in Aigyptos, there were also rebel bands gathering in Nubia and along the borders with the Kingdom of Meroe. A young Philippos V had fought in Nubia before the Makedonian Civil War and Alypios Antigonos III had waged a suceessful war against the Kingdom of Meroe just before the war with Persia. It made sense that the next in this great line of rulers would lead an army into battle in the lands of Nubia as a youth.

Hippostratos first marched his army down the coast toward the trade port of Ptolemais Theron. North of the city he confronted and defeated a Nubian rebel army.

https://img708.imageshack.us/img708/6049/maa4832.jpg

When the battle was settled, Hippostratos' army turned west and headed back to the Neilos. Along the river, between the fortified city of Pselkis and the city of Syene, Hippostratos and his army defeated another rebel army.

https://img708.imageshack.us/img708/2729/maa4833.jpg

With the defeat of the last rebel Nubian army near the Neilos, the rebellions in Aigyptos and Nubia faded away. There was still discontentment, but it was much quieter. No longer did rebels gather as armies in the wilderness and prepare for war. As before, the discontentment of the Aigyptoi returned to the back alleys and taverns of the cities.

With the rebels defeated, Hippostratos marched his army south and challenged the Ptolemaic King of the Kingdom of Meroe. During the war with Persia, the Kingdom of Meroe had encroached on the Arche without consequence. [They marched armies around in the southern portion of the Pselkis province and I role-played that they took the southern half of that province.] Hippostratos took his army and marched up the river, to the south. Though he had expect little resistance, he was surprised to find none. With the borders of the Arche restored to where his father had left them [I role-played them back to the in-game border between Pselkis and Meroe], Hippostratos turned north again. It is also said that Hippostratos made this journey so the aging man who was his Captain of the Guard, and who was also his mentor, could see his homeland once more.

With the rebels defeated, no challenge from the Kingdom of Meroe, and Hellenic power known well in the region, Hippostratos marched back north. Once he passed the upper cataracts, Hippostratos and his army boarded ships and sailed back down to Alexandreia. Although the campaign had lasted only a year [I used cheats to speed up his movement], Hippostratos had learned a great deal of war and added to his knowledge of leadership. Hippostratos now returned to the schools of Alexandreia, a brave veteran.

https://img708.imageshack.us/img708/1835/maa4845.png

Hippostratos was met in Alexandreia not only by Theophilos but also by Athenion.

https://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5959/maa4846.png

Theophilos was Hippostratos' father's cousin, son of Euphrantos. Athenion was one year younger than Theophilos and his cousin. He was son of Laandros (who still lived) and also cousin of Basileus Alypios Antigonos III. These three men were the entirety of the royal family in their generation. Were both Basileus Alypios Antigonos III and Hippostratos to die, one of these two men would become the new Basileus. As it was, death was far from the mind of Hippostratos. He was young and brave. He thought himself invincible and ready for anything. Soon he would have to prove himself ready.

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The known world during the sixth year of the reign of Basileus Antigonos III (123BC):
https://img188.imageshack.us/img188/295/hxmak123edit.png

Next: Chapter 138 : Birth of A Republic?

[gamegeek2]

As always, great to see you alive and kicking.

A republic? This oughta be good...

[satalexton]

Good to have you back MAA =] All Hail Makedonia to you!

[Horatius Flaccus]

It's great to see you return to your AAR!

Can't wait for the next chapter.:2thumbsup:


It is also said that Hippostratos made this journey so the aging man who was his Captain of the Guard, and who was also his mentor, could see his homeland once more.

Nice reference!

EDIT: I took a closer look to your map; the Seleucids have expanded? I thought they were all but dead?

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for reading.

EDIT: 2000th post!
Congratz.

There will be a change of government in the next chapter but I don't want to spoil it.

Nice reference!

EDIT: I took a closer look to your map; the Seleucids have expanded? I thought they were all but dead?
I was wondering if anyone would catch that reference and remember.

The Seleukids surprised me with that one too. They invaded [Hayasdan] territory and then turned and declared war on [Pahlava] and managed to hold their own.

[Subotan]

Just catched up again after not reading for a few months. I'd forgotten how much I enoyed it.

[johnhughthom]

Just catched up again after not reading for a few months. I'd forgotten how much I enoyed it.

It's comforting to know you can go away for a time, but when you came back to the EB forums MAA's Makedone behemoth will be rolling on.

[STuNTz2023]

It has been a long while since I've been to this forum and played EB. Just started playing again and decided I'd come to the .org. Glad to see this AAR continues, nice work!

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

You know how much I enjoy this AAR! It's great to see it back! :2thumbsup:

[Roka]

I'm really glad you decided to continue this AAR, it's one of the best if not the best i've ever read

[Vasiliyi]

:2thumbsup: How dare you speak such things MAA, of course people read. I enjoy it. Your politics and such are much better than battle descriptions (not that there is anything wrong with them) so don't be afraid to write about them.

[gamegeek2]

Poor Medians. Kicked out of their homeland (as they are really Hayasadan), they aren't able to recruit cataphracts, right?

You should fix that, maybe let them recruit some Asvaran-i Azadan or something.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate it.
Thanks to all of you who have been following a long time, good to see you all again. Welcome to the newer commenters. And greetings to anyone lurking.

Your politics and such are much better than battle descriptions (not that there is anything wrong with them) so don't be afraid to write about them.
I'm still trying to decide on my point of view for the next chapter, but the next couple chapters will definitely cover politics. The only battles I'm having are against Sab'yn and occasionally Numidia but I've decided to stop mentioning those individually.

Poor Medians. Kicked out of their homeland (as they are really Hayasadan), they aren't able to recruit cataphracts, right?

You should fix that, maybe let them recruit some Asvaran-i Azadan or something.
I hadn't given the Hayasdan half of the Persian Empire any modifications to their recruitment selections because I wanted them to recruit Persian units. You have a good point with cataphracts, though. I hadn't though about them lacking cataphracts. Right now all they have is their super heavy bodyguard cataphracts. They should have some more, especially since I can't now recruit them too.

[gamegeek2]

Right - even if they're supposed to be Persians, they'd be evolved persians, especially as they fought the Parthians, no?

[satalexton]

a bit OT actually....but aren't the persians and parthians/skythians related?

[Ludens]

I too am still following this, Marcus.

Please continue ~:thumb: .

[Dutchhoplite]

MAA is much too modest for such a master of the AAR :grin3:

[Subotan]

a bit OT actually....but aren't the persians and parthians/skythians related?

That's really vague, and not really answerable unless you're clearer.

[Tyrfingr]

Following it and re-reading it every now and then...please continue!

[the man with no name]

I'm glad this exellent AAR is back. I actually liked Down from Africa more than an overview because it focused more on one part. You made an exellent reference.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Again, thank you for the support. :bow:
I'll beginning writing the next chapter tomorrow and have it ready some time this weekend.

a bit OT actually....but aren't the persians and parthians/skythians related?
IIRC:
Persians related to the Skythians in modern-day Ukraine? Not really. However they were Indo-European like the Iranians, with a closer relation than say the Persians and the Germans, but not really all that related. The Persians themselves probably migrated into Iran from the steppe. Persians, Parthians, and those who lived on the eastern steppe (Kazakhstan etc) during this time were aryan. Since those on the eastern steppe were often generalized with the name "Skythians" by some Greeks, then yes, those Skythians are related to the Persians.

[gamegeek2]

Genetically, Skythians/Ukranians would be on average more similar to Afghans and Pakistanis than Persians. At least, this is what modern DNA tells us.

http://www.taiwandna.com/KirgizR1aDistribution.jpg

Haplogroup R1a distribution by nation.

Linguistically, they're both part of the Iranian language group, though the Skythian tongue would be East Iranian (seriously!) and Persian is a West Iranian language.

It's pretty cool, actually, how the Indo-Iranian tongues are very closely related to the Balto-Slavic tongues, and the Balto-Slavic peoples are also quite genetically similar to the people of Indo-Iranian heartland in Kyrgystan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and northern Pakistan. It's irrefutable evidence of the common ethnolinguistic ancestry of these peoples, and a major confirmation of Indo-European theory. The R1a group also significantly drops when you cross the Oder, which makes perfect sense, as in the EB time frame the Oder was the boundary between Germanic/Celtic groups and Balto-Slavic (mainly Baltic at the time) groups.

Even further evidence is the fact that R1a's sister group, R1b, is found heavily in areas that once had a heavy Celtic presence. It's in over 80% of people living in the British Isles, and over half of all Frenchmen, Belgians, and Spaniards, as well as a large percentage of Swiss, Northern Italians, Danes, and Dutch.

[satalexton]

interesting...how we're all closer related that we would think......(wt bout the sino-tibetian group and their relation with indo-aryan?)

[Subotan]

wt bout the sino-tibetian group and their relation with indo-aryan?
Say whaaa

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

https://img691.imageshack.us/img691/6456/ancientgreece3.jpg

Dromeus Krokeaios
Athenai, Hellas
Spring of the Sixth Year of the Reign of Basileus Antigonos III (123BC)


On that day, it had already been more than six years since the death of
Basileus Megas Philippos, our great leader. It is said, since the time of
Antigonos Gonatas, in this Arche, that all great men die quietly. So it was
that our Philippos began his journey into Hades. Six years since Antigonos
became the Basileus. In these quiet years I have heard many stories of the
intrigues of politics. Rumors of poor management. Rumors of corrupt
members of the Assembly. Rumors of a lazy Basileus. Rumors of plotting
and counter plotting. And yes, there were rumors of the Assembly planning
to overthrow the Basileus. Never had I believed these rumors, few did. The
events of that day changed that.

My name is Dromeus, though it matters not. I live in the great city of Athenai,
capital of the Hellenes' Arche, one of the largest and busiest cities in the
world. I am a simple man who works in one of many warehouses that store
goods that have been brought up from the port. Exotic goods, spices, rare
animals, strange people, and stories of foreign lands all come to Athenai from
all across the Pontos Mesogeios and beyond. The work can be difficult but at
least I work for my money. The city has grown so quickly that many simply
live in the streets or hastily built slums begging, thieving, gambling, drinking,
and waiting. On my particular street, it is many of these kinds of people who
are my friends and neighbors. For the evening meal and after, both those who
work and those who do not gather on the ground floor, telling stories and
talking of rumors. A man name Titus, a theiving man from the west, usually
tell the best stories and will exaggerate any rumor he feels like passing on.

https://img697.imageshack.us/img697/3253/ancientgreece5.jpg

My simple life and those of the forgotten inhabitants of this distant, darkened
street of this great city matter not. The events of that day were more
important issues and concerned men who the gods themselves keep their
eyes fixed upon. The night before that particular day, the rumors had begun.
Titus was on the street, over excited and going on about something even as I
returned that night. I could tell he already had plenty wine in him and payed
him no heed. After I had a little wine in me, I decided to listen to what he and
the others had to say.

Titus was arguing with Diokles, another street "personality" who I believe came
from Ionia. I spent the night as I would any other night, talking with friends
and acquaintances. After some time I was able to figure out what Titus,
Diokles, and there others were talking about. I didn't really care at first, that
night. I didn't believe them either. As their story went, the Basileus had been
removed from power by the Council in the meeting at the Assembly that day.
They said that he had arrived and had given an order to the Council, as was
his right. The Council had refused to follow it and forced him to leave.

All of the arguing between Diokles and Titus had been whether they believe the
Basileus would use the military to overthrown the Council or would simply step
down and let the Council rule. Titus believed that rule by a Council was a
better system, whereas most of others gathered that night believed that the
Basileus had the right to rule. For me, Basileus Pyrrhos had been the
military's Basileus and Basileus Philippos had been the people's Basileus.
As a Hellene, born in Korinthos, I had loved Basileus Philippos. To me, any
descendant of Philippos had the right to rule. Basileus Antigonos was son of
Megas Philippos and the true ruler of all of Hellas and beyond. No Council run
by Athenaioi would take away what rightfully belonged to the family of Pyrrhos
and Philippos.

Before the night was over, rumors began to spread that the Basileus would
speak to the people at the Agora the next day. Diokles and Titus both said
that they would be there to see it.

[Hotseat_User]

switching lurk to applause mode. looking foward to the speech

[Horatius Flaccus]

I hope Antigonos will crush those nasty, corrupt senators...:smash:

[Vasiliyi]

Nice chapter, I like the point of view. Kinda reminds me of the series "HBO Rome". Keep it up.

[gamegeek2]

Love it.

Now comes a real test for the Basileus.

[Subotan]

I can hear pigeons couping in the background.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

All traitors deserve death!

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

Good god I really like this AAR, keep up the good work!:2thumbsup:

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for reading and commenting, both lurkers and old friends.

I had planned to post the three or four parts of this story within a week, but this passed week turned out to be rather busy for me. And this coming Tuesday, three classes at Uni decided to all have their midterms on the same day. I may finished the second part of this story that I'd already started but until I get passed Tuesday, I can't really concentrate on anything else.

[podoh]

I finally managed to catch up with this (from the civil war onwards), so it's a good time to leave lurking mode as well.
I'm with the people stating that the political parts are the most interesting of the story, although "Down from Africa" was very good too.
Since it seems like there's a lot of politics coming, I can't wait untill the next chapter.
(Unlike most people, I'm with the democratic senators: ALL HAIL ATTIKA! :grin:)

So, for the whole AAR, have this: :balloon2:
(My first balloon given to anyone on these forums, by the way. :2thumbsup:)

[gamegeek2]

I, too, support the Senators.

[Subotan]

I, for one, welcome our new democratic overlords.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

https://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2320/athensrecons4.png

Dromeus Krokeaios
Athenai, Hellas
Spring of the Sixth Year of the Reign of Basileus Antigonos III (123BC)


That fated day began as countless other days in the city of Athenai had begun
for me. I awoke with the dawn, ate a small piece of bread and joined my
coworkers at the warehouse where I earned my wage. The day ended like no
other day I had lived in that great city. By midday it was clear that something
had happened. Rumors spread around and men started leaving. With neither
the little old man, with all his scrolls and notes, who runs the warehouse nor
his overseer, a strict enforcer, anywhere to be found, I decided to go out
outside and see what was happening on the streets.

As I walked down the wide streets, toward the dark narrow street where I lived,
I listened in on those who were talking. Nobles, merchants, laborers, and
street filth all alike stood around talking and there were all speaking of the
same thing. I wasn't sure what had happened but I could tell that the Basileus
had stepped down. A group of men, yelling and waving cudgels ran down the
street as I walked. I also began to notice, among those talking or rushing
about, there were old men, women, and entire families carrying everything
they owned slowly walking for the city gates. I rushed back to my own street,
knowing that Titus and Diokles would have returned to tell everyone what they
had heard at the Agora.

The first person I recongnized was a friend of mine. He was an old man who
had seen many things during his life. He had lived in the city of Pella and
moved to Athenai when the capital was moved here, like many others had.
He had a sack thrown over his back and seemed in a hurry. When I stopped
him he said that he was leaving the city and didn't have any time to waste. I
let him go and hurried onward.

The first voice I heard from the street was Titus. I knew it was him before I
saw him because of his strange barbarian accent. When I saw him, I didn't
believe my eyes. Titus, a common theif and teller of exaggerated stories, was
standing on a cart with a crowd around him giving a speech like a noble
politician. The people were gathered all around, blocking the street, staring
up at him. "What is happening here?" I asked a man near the edge of the
crowd.

"He is telling us of the speech by the Basileus," the man responded. I stood
and listened to what Titus had to say. The night before he was in support of
the Council but on that day he was clearly behind the Basileus. He spoke of
the speech he heard from Basileus Antigonos at the Agora.

From Titus and from others later that day I was able to learn of what the
Basileus said. From what I was told and how they told it, I gather that the
speech was very moving and dramatic. The Basileus had announced that he
was going to step down. The said that "the people" had chosen to remove
him from his position and he would do as they said. He spoke of his
ancestors, of Megas Alexandros, of Megas Demetrios, and of his father
Philippos. They say he repeated that the choice was with the people and he
would listen to them. He said this but we did not see the Council as "the
people". I had lived in this great city for many years and not once had I been
asked who would speak for me in the Council. The Council was not "the
people" the council only spoke for the with estates and owned large villas in
the old city.

I remember Titus saying, "Our great Basileus, son of Megas Philippos, said
that he would follow the decision of the people. We are the people and we
say that he is our leader. Let us not allow these self righteous Athenians rule
us. Only the line of Antigonos and of Pyrrhos can rule!" With this there was
a great cheer. From there, Diokles took over and the overflow of emotions
from the crowd turned to anger at this direction. I too was angry. I had loved
Basileus Philippos and I would not stand to let the nobles take anything away
from his family.

As the day passed I learned of what the Basileus had said and listened to
many angry speeches. The first sign that this was something more than the
annual anger from the alleys of this great city was when I came upon a man I
knew and hated. I never learned his name but we all knew him. He was the
tax collector for our part of the city. The greedy man had become the
wealthiest in the area, stealing from those who had nothing. But on that day,
when I saw him, he lived no more. His bloodied body lay in a gutter. He
looked as though he had been dragged through the streets and then stabbed
many times. This was only the first sign of violence.

As the day passed, the noises grew even louder and the anger rose. As
darkness began to fall, the glow of fires in the city could be seen against the
clouds in the sky. I would later learn that the Council had requested
Antigonos return to the position of Basileus but had refused, that evening.

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

Another great chapter by the AAR God MAA!
Is a second civil war going to break out? :idea2:

All hail Makedonia, All hail the righteous Basileus Antigonos III, grandson of Megas Pyrrhos and son of Megas Phillippos! :viking::horn::viking:

[gamegeek2]

:smash:

Can't wait to see what's next!

TBH, I only support the Senators because they'll make things interesting. They're just a bunch of villa-owning nobles, not representatives of the common people. Nobody elects them.

[Vasiliyi]

Man that last chapter was great. I hope There will be another civil war. That would be awesome.

[Horatius Flaccus]

Viva la revolution!

An amazing chapter!

[Subotan]

Ahem

Viva la contrarrevolucion!

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

Hopefully the combined forces of the people and the Basileus will be enough to destroy these weakling aristocrats, and a more democratic council with representatives from the lower classes will take their place. Though the Basileus should of course retain a certain amount of power.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Great chapter MAA, as always!

Hopefully that little "democratic" experiment failed and will give way to the direct rule of a true Basileus!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for reading. It is hard to respond to any comments without giving anything away...

I'm not sure on the ETA of the next chapter. I've started it but I'm never sure how much free time I'm going to have from day to day.

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

Thanks for reading. It is hard to respond to any comments without giving anything away...

I'm not sure on the ETA of the next chapter. I've started it but I'm never sure how much free time I'm going to have from day to day.

Are you refering to my post perchance? :tongue2:

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

https://img52.imageshack.us/img52/9602/artparthenon02.png

Dromeus Krokeaios
Athenai, Hellas
Spring of the Sixth Year of the Reign of Basileus Antigonos III (123BC)


By the third day, the chaos had nearly settled into a pattern. Laborers did not
labor, workers did not work, bakers did not bake, and merchants did not sell.
Each day was spent in the streets. I walked the streets of the city and
listened to various people giving speeches or arguing with each other. Those
who were vocal were mostly merchants or lesser nobles. All spoke of support
for the Basileus. It was not that there were no supporters for the Council, they
were simply outnumbered or silenced, sometimes violently.

The city was filled with violence. The most dangerous place for the common
man was in the Old City. The mercenaries hired by those with estates
furiously guarded their masters and their masters' property. With these
barbarian guards patrolling the streets of the Old City and Agora, most of our
action was restricted to the New City, the port (for the city of Athenai had
already expanded to consume the port of Peiraieus by that time), and the
slums. However, the rest of the city was nearly as dangerous as the Old City.
In the new parts of the city, supporters of the Council were beaten, as were
tax farmers and those who had exploited others, at the behest of and now
without support from those with power. Some who were not even connect to
the Council were even beaten and killed. Old rivalries quickly flared up in
those lawless days and many suffered for personal offenses against others,
perpetrated in the distant past.

I tried to avoid the violence and preferred to focus on the speeches and the
movement to restore the Basileus to power. Though there were rumors that
he had refused an offer from the Council, most agreed with his decision.
They said this offer was not a true return to power but an offer to become the
Council's puppet. By that third day the rumors grew ever larger. Rumors
spread that the Council had arrested Basileus Antigonos. Occasionally there
were even rumors that he had been killed.

It was the most wide-spread rumor that was the most frightening. There was
no army in Attika. It was tradition, perhaps, though it seemed too recent a
thing to be tradition. All of the armies of Hellas were garrisoned in cities and
forts of Makedonia, ever watchful for a barbarian invasion from the north. That
wide-spread rumor said that those armies had been called by the Council to
march south and to stop us. The Council intended to use force to exert their
power over the people of this great city and to silence support for the Basileus.

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

Excellent chapter, as always! :2thumbsup:

[Horatius Flaccus]

Phenomenal!

Can't wait for the next chapter!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for reading. This next one should be the penultimate chapter.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

https://img189.imageshack.us/img189/3130/athensview3.png

Dromeus Krokeaios
Athenai, Hellas
Spring of the Sixth Year of the Reign of Basileus Antigonos III (123BC)


After several days of circulating around the city, the rumor that an army, by
order of the Council, was coming to "restore order" was treated by most as
absolute fact. What we would do when that army arrived became the new
debate in the streets. Some said that they would fight and die, few were foolish
enough to believe the could win. Others were already fleeing the city. Some
tried to return to their normal routines, hoping that they would not be amongst
those slaughtered when the soldiers came.

On my own street, Diokles and Titus argued with each other. They argued over
whether they should stay quiet and rise up later or fight the soldiers. I even
heard them suggest that we should storm the old city ourselves. It was hard to
say which man supported which idea, they seemed to change opinions each
day and argued with each other just for its own sake.

It was day five or perhaps day six when I first heard the new rumors that had
started to spread. The first of these rumors was that there was a naval battle
off the coast of Euboia. Then the rumors were that there was a naval battle
south of the city of Thessalonika. Then I was told that there was no naval
battle but a land battle north of Thessalonika. There were even rumors that
the Demetrids had risen up and had taken Syria. Some even said that these
battles in Makedonia were between the Council and the Demetrids. This
started a whole new wave of debates. Some wanted the Demetrids to rule if
Basileus Antigonos would not, others said they preferred a corrupt Council over
the Demetrids. I came from Korinthos and was taught by my parents from a
young age of what the Spartan allies of the Demetrids did to my city. In Hellas,
the Spartans had tainted the name of the Demetrids and few southern Hellenes
wished for them to rule.

This did no matter within a week, when the rumor of the Demetrids died down.
It was quickly replaced with the rumor that those battles had been fought by
Hippostratos. They said he returned with an army of Aigyptoi and defeated the
navies and armies of the Council. Some even said that when he landed at
Thessalonika he needn't fight a battle at all. The armies of Makedonia united
behind him in support of his father. Now the rumors of an army marching south
from Makedonia were that of an army coming to overthrow the Council and
restore Basileus Antigonos. Each day news of new battles rose up and then
died away when proven false. I was very hesitant, knowing an army was
coming but not knowing who banner it flew.

https://img692.imageshack.us/img692/5672/ancientathens5.jpg

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

Truly an amazing read!
Where do you get all of these cool pictures of Athenai?

[Vasiliyi]

Very nice MAA, Im really enjoying the suspense.

[Horatius Flaccus]

Now the rumors of an army marching south
from Makedonia were that of an army coming to overthrow the Council and
restore Basileus Antigonos.

:2thumbsup:

Great chapter!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I hadn't thought it had been so long, but it's been more than two weeks since my last post. I've been writing reports and preparing for finals at uni. I have one more chapter to write in this series and hope to have it up in about a week when I am no longer busy.

Again, thanks to those who have read this AAR and to those who have commented.
A couple of old comments I did not respond to:
-I did think of HBO's ROME series when I was envisioning the cramped streets of the city and was kind of going for the feel of when Varinus went home.
-The pictures came from some random internet page. I did a Google search from Athens. Most pictures were modern pictures of the Acropolis but after some deeper searching I found a site with these pictures (forget where). The site said they were public domain, though who knows if they are.
-You may be surprised by the details of this revolution and counter-revolution. I still don't want to give anything away, though...

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

https://img690.imageshack.us/img690/9595/athensacropolis2.png

Dromeus Krokeaios
Athenai, Hellas
Spring of the Sixth Year of the Reign of Basileus Antigonos III (123BC)


That one event was glorious. On that last day we were all overjoyed. The gods
had listened to our pleas and given us a new era. However, it was short and not
what was expected.

I remember I was in one of the main streets, listening to some merchant speak,
when I heard the news. A runner had come from the north. He told all he meet
that he had seen a mighty army a day's march from the city. The rumors were
true. This was not the terrible news we feared but glorious news we had been
awaiting. For the army bore a banner with the Vergina Sun and a banner with
the emblem of the family of Pyrrhos. Immediately, we all knew what this meant.
Prince Hippostratos had returned from Aigyptos and was returning to restore
his family to the throne.

The following day the entire city, no matter their stance, crowded the streets to
see Hippostratos parade with his army toward the center of the city. The city
guards had thrown open the gates for him, for we would have overpowered them
and done it ourselves had they not done so, and his army marched down the
main street of the city, unopposed. His soldiers wore brilliantly shined armor
and his cavalry rode beautiful horses. I recall seeing Hippostratos on that day.
He looked much like his father but younger and more handsome. He wore
silvered armor and rode a white horse. I remember when Basileus Antigonos,
then only heir, returned from the war with the Persian ten years prior. His
triumphant return was grand but far less than the greeting Hippostratos received
on that day.

They say the greeting he received in the Old City was less impressive. Despite
what most of the people would have assumed, they did greet him happily. Even
the Council came out and greeted him. They say they showed him great
respect and treated him as they would a Basileus. They had no will to fight him
and his army. We had all expected bloodshed but their was none. A few
members of the Council who had been rather outspoken against Basileus
Antigonos "disappeared" in the following months. This kind of thing was
common, even in times of peace.

All that we had been building for had peaked with the entrance of Hippostratos
into the great city of Athenai. Many, like myself, were disappointed and felt
there should have been more. We felt that we were moving toward something.
That it would be us who destroyed the Council and restored the Basileus.
Most, like Titus and Diokles, felt that they had been the ones to restore the
Basileus. The mob embraced Hippostratos without question. Any remaining
hesitation was lost when several ships arrived in the harbor with free wheat
from Aigyptos. We had gone weeks living off of what was to be found or stolen
in the city and supplies were running low. Now, Antigonos and Hippostratos
gave out free bread to the masses. For several days, there were festivities in
the streets, singing, dancing, and drunkenness. It all slowly died down and the
city returned to how it had been, as though nothing had happened at all. Most
were fine with this, I was not.

As for Basileus Antigonos and his son, they were both made co-Basileus and
their power was restored. The Council remained, but the inclusion of several
generals in the Council changed the direction it would take in governing.
Basileus Antigonos would soon ride out to battle again, leaving the young but
competent Basileus Hippostratos to rule the Arche.

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

An exellent chapter!

[Horatius Flaccus]

This is how I like it. An absolute monarchy. :whip:

Great chapter, once again!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 143 : Manipulation

Hippostratos' plan had worked. That is to say, the plan had worked and it was Hippostratos who received all of the credit for the plan. Although, it was originally conceived by royalist members of the Council of Elders. Royalists knew that the Basileus was slowly loosing power to the Council, specifically the democrats. The well educated amongst the royalist knew that any sudden grab for power by the Basileus would most likely work against them and result in a boom in support for the Council. So they conceived of a strategy that would make it appear as though the Council was making a grab for power and then covertly encourage support of the offended Basileus.

The original cause of the situation was rather unimportant, unrelated, and unexpected. The Council had for months been planning the allocation of funds to build new ports and expand older ports in Ionia and the western coasts Anatolia. Basileus Antigonos III had not been involved in these discussions and had not even been present when most issues had been discussed. Near the end of these particular discussions, the Basileus arrived at the Assembly and demanded funds be diverted to build a military port on the Propontos. Seeing as the decisions had nearly all been made, the Council respectfully argued against the Basileus. The Basileus ordered the Council to do as he had ordered. They responded, telling him he did not have that power. The Basileus then left the Assembly without further incident. However, his agents throughout the city began spreading rumors and exaggerating the event that had happened. (It is interesting to note that the proposed military port on the Propontos was never built.)

The next day the Basileus surprised everyone, including the Council by saying, in a speech, that he would step down and hand power over to the Council. Over the next several weeks, the people of the city of Athenai were driven to riot throughout the city by the agents of the Basileus. The Council tried to maintain order but could not, finding themselves to blame for something they did not even understand.

Before any of this had even begun in the city of Athenai, Hippostratos, son of the Basileus, had set sail from Aigyptos with his fleet, army, and several ships full of grain. He had helped devise the plan and was ready for his part. He bypassed Athenai with his fleet and landed in Salonika. There, he rallied the Royal Army and marched south to Athenai. There were no battles fought and nobody disobeyed his orders.

When Hippostratos and the Royal Army arrived in Athenai, they were in the prime position to negotiate with the Council. Basileus Antigonos III was reinstalled, something the Council never objected to, and Hippostratos was made co-Basileus with his father. The Council had its power reduced but still remained important, as Basileus Philippos V had intended. To quiet discontent within the military, several military postings to the Council were created. This also helped to quiet down some of the democratic voices in the Council.

The whole plan had been extremely risky. There was a chance that the people and the military would support the Council and the royal family would truly be cast out of power. There was also danger of uprisings across the empire that would result in rogue generals or claimants to the empty throne. The greatest danger was from the Demetrids in Mesopotamia. This threat was taken seriously and an army of Gauls, loyal to Hippostratos, was sent to Demetreia to discourage any attack on Syria. The final danger was one that wouldn't truly show its danger to kings for many hundreds of years. That was the danger of showing the masses that they had the power to effect change on their own. Many riots and minor uprisings for the decades that would be tied to those who had a taste of the power of the masses in those short weeks in Athenai. Some were even able to see through the ruse, made evident by the easy conclusion to the troubles.

https://img213.imageshack.us/img213/5060/maa4868.png

The dangerous path was braved and it ended up being Hippostratos who would rule the Arche. At the time he was considered the lesser of the two Basileus but due to events that would soon follow, most historians consider the "failed revolution by the Council" to be the end of Basileus Antigonos III's reign and the beginning of the reign of the young Basileus Hippostratos I.

https://img403.imageshack.us/img403/5193/maa4870.png

Basileus Alypios Antigonos III would entertain himself as he had before, ignoring the Arche and dealing mainly with being the head of a powerful family. Although Hipppostratos may have been a better general, Antigonos was competent and would choose to be sole commander in chief of all the Arche's armies. He would soon leave Athenai and embrace that job once again on the Arche's borders.

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The known world during the first year of the reign of Basileus Hippostratos I (122BC):
https://img267.imageshack.us/img267/5511/hxmak122edit.png

Next: Chapter 144 : Troubles in Distant Lands

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

Great chapter! That the royal family manipulated these events truly was surprising.

Oh and BTW Hippostratos' portrait reminds me of Pyrrhos.

[Noble Wrath]

Now THAT'S why I love this AAR. This is how politics works in every era,right? Manipulation of the masses and protection of the privileges of the rulers by any means necessary. A brilliant chapter.

[Subotan]

Why have demos when you can just have kratos? :devilish:

[Roka]

finally caught up with this, didn't suspect for a second that the uprising was manipulated by the royals

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

MAA, how are things going with this AAR? Don't want to stress you or anything, just wondering.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

This isn't dead yet. I almost completed the next chapter about a week ago but didn't finish it. I had planned to finish it up this weekend.

I have a huge report to write for uni so I'm going to be really busy and stressed until summer. That said, I think I'm approaching an finale for this AAR finally. You'll see what I'm talking about in two chapters...

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

Ah, good to know, I eagerly await the next chapter. :bow:

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 144 : Forgotten Land

Arabia, a forgotten land. Although it lies between the important lands of Aigyptos and Persis, it is often overlooked by powerful states. The Arche of the Makedones and Hellenes had a long history of both fighting with and ignoring the lands of Arabia. Hardly organized into any form of state, the lands of Arabia had, for centuries, been dominated by the powerful cities in the south-western corner of those lands. Although, never did all follow the lead of any one of these cities. In the east the lands had almost a closer tied to Persis and often controlled by Persian or Mesopotamian powers. In the center there was only desert and nomadic tribes, closer to phantom myths than anything real. And along the western coast lived and independent peoples who did not like the southern cities.

The first time the Arche dealt with the peoples of Arabia was when they liberated the city of Petra from the grasp of the Ptolemaioi. For decades the Nabataioi and tribes living along the edges of Syria and Mesopotamia proved to be strong allies (for the right price) and troublesome when upset or not payed. The lands of southern Arabia proved to be far from the thoughts of anyone in the Arche until the Kingdom of Sab'yn came to dominate the western coastal areas. Not only did the Kingdom of Sab'yn challenge the Arche for control over the seas but also marched armies against colonies of Hellenes in southern Syria.

The Delphikos family waged war against the Kingdom of Sab'yn and her allies for years, just prior to the Makedonian Civil war. During the war they did not have any support from either side and lost territory to Saba-allied tribes. After joining the Pyrrhids, they took the fight to the Kingdom of Sab'yn and "liberated" the peoples of Arabia's western coast. At the same time, an army from Aigyptos invaded Saba territory from the sea, laying waste to the lands. They did not conquer any of the Saba core territories in the southwest. However, they "liberated" more cities along southern and eastern Arabia as they marched across those lands.

While the Arche was preoccupied fighting the First Persian War, the Kingdom of Sab'yn struck. Many new client kingdoms of the Arche fell and became garrisoned allies of the Kingdom of Sab'yn yet again. First the southern coast of Arabia, then the western coast fell. Only the lands around the Persian Sea managed to hold off against the Saba, mostly due to large amounts of monetary support from the Arche. However, armies of Saba and their allies continued every year to march against the "free" states of the Persian Sea.

https://img11.imageshack.us/img11/9228/maa4830.png

When the allied city of Carna in Arabia came under attack from the Saba, the Arche promised assistance but the assistance was slow. An army under the command of Aidesios Thermaios was assembled in Syria but had only begun to march when the city of Carna fell. General Aidesios lacked the strength, equipment, desire to retake Carna and choose to remain in the cities and villages of minor allies and tribes of the Arche along the western coast. Fortifying the city of Macoraba, the army defended the borders.

The armies of Saba did not stop, they were intent on expanding their influence all the way to Petra and beyond. Several times the city of Macoraba fell under siege and was attacked. Several times already the army of Aidesios Thermaios pushed them back. Yet again they had to defend the city, even though there were no longer welcomed there by the people of the city.

https://img251.imageshack.us/img251/48/maa4835.png

Once again, General Aidesios' army of Syrians and allied desert tribal soldiers marched out into the desert to face their enemy. In this battle, it was the Saba army that determined the course of the battle. First they drew the attention of Aidesios' men by strangely positioning their cavalry in the center. These horsemen did not charge, they only throw spears from afar. With this, the two sides began to skirmish from a distance:

https://img85.imageshack.us/img85/8952/maa4839.png

As Aidesios and his men would learn, the cavalry in the center was only a distraction. While the Saba cavalry and a small force of infantry drew attention to the center, the bulk of the Saba infantry attacked either flank of Aidesios' line:

https://img15.imageshack.us/img15/1165/maa4840.png

The Saba army had assumed the flanks were weak and had hoped to break through them and encircle Aidesios' center, where the bulk of his men were. But the Saba underestimated the flank and it held long enough to be reinforced. However, Aidesios gambled not send all of his men to the flanks, only that which was needed. Instead, Aidesios used the Saba plan against itself, focusing on the center. When Aidesios broke through the Saba center, he chased their cavalry from the field, wiped out their auxiliaries, and broke their army in half. Victory came shortly after.

https://img41.imageshack.us/img41/5913/maa4842.jpg

Although this battle was a victory for General Aidesios Thermaios and his men, they could not hold the city of Macaraba any longer. Rather than risk running low on supplies and be forced to silence the protests of the people by force, General Aidesios chose to leave the city. He chose then to flee three hundred kilometers to the north to an oasis called Lathrippa:

https://img121.imageshack.us/img121/9503/maa4866.png

On the far side of Arabia, the free peoples of Arabia were also defending themselves from an army of Saba soldiers and their allies. Unwilling to camp in the desert, the Saba army had chosen, unwisely, to assault the city walls and try to take it.

https://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5535/maa4848.png

The Saba were met with mixed success. Only their ladders reached the walls. Once atop them, they found the defenders brave and strong:

https://img532.imageshack.us/img532/255/maa4851.png

When it became clear that they could not take the walls, the surviving Saba soldiers retreated from the city and returned to their closest allied territory.

https://img694.imageshack.us/img694/3540/maa4855.jpg

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Next: Chapter 145 : Allies on the Far Side of the Persia

[Subotan]

I like how you maintain them as a persistent threat, rather than wiping them out entirely. Good work MAA.

[Horatius Flaccus]

Great - again!


Next: Chapter 145 : Allies on the Far Side of the Persia

The Indo-Greeks? Or the Seleukids?

[gamegeek2]

Forgotten land? Just you wait, AtB will have some Nabatu and Saba up your snotty Makedonian...

Oh, btw, great chapter!

[Arthur, king of the Britons]

Real nice update MAA! :2thumbsup:

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks for reading and thanks for commenting!

Forgotten land? Just you wait, AtB will have some Nabatu and Saba up your snotty Makedonian...
Can't wait and see. I wish I had move time and could keep a closer watch on all AtB is doing.

The Indo-Greeks? Or the Seleukids?
The answer:

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 145 : Allies on the Far Side of the Persia

During the reign of Aristotelis, the Antigonids and the Seleukids had waged war with one another, the spoils of that war being the lands of Mesopotamia. Because of Prince Bykoli and his friend/son-in-law Pefkolaos, the Antigonids had won that war and pushed the Seleukids all the way back to the Persian Gates. Soon after that war, tragedy struck both empires. In the west, the Arche Makedonia fell into civil war, and in the east waves of steppe horsemen invaded the weakened Arche Seleukeia. The invading army of steppe horsemen conquered all of Parthia, Iran, and Persia. The Pyrrhids replaced the Antigonids in the west and won the civil war, but in the east it had seemed that the Seleukids had been completely defeated and had gone from history.

The Seleukids ruled nearly nothing in an forgotten corner of the world. It was not until the rule of Antigonos III in the west that news came of Seleukid activity once more. With an army of loyal Gedrosioi and a small but elite force of Makedonian cavalry, a Seleukid Basileus for the first time in more than two generations engaged in an offensive war. Striking from Gedrosia, in coordination with the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom, the Seleukids attacked Persia.

https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/4605/maa4827.png

For years, the Seleukids struck into Karmania, marching against the Persians every season and then retreating back into their own lands to rest when it was either too hot or too cold. After many years of trials, they rested the majority of the lands of Karmania from the Persians and established themselves a new capital in those lands.

https://img401.imageshack.us/img401/229/maa4858.png

In Baktria, the Persians held a strong front against the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom but the Seleukids continued to have successes. After fortifying Karmania, the Seleukid armies turned north and invaded the lands of Ariana. They marched all the way to the city of Alexandreia-Ariana but failed to take the city.

The dual-monarchy of the Persian Empire continued to find even more enemies. The constant problem with steppe nomads continued, they feared attack from the Arche of the Hellenes to the west, the Seleukids and Indo-Hellenes attacked from the east, and finally a new threat came from the northeast. The Persians had established control over the mountain passes and trade routes heading to the far east. Along these routes came news of displaced peoples heading west. They had been lifted up from their homelands and pushed to the edge of the mountains. Although the Persians treated them like a client for decades, they would not longer have it. When all Persian authority beyond the great mountains was lost, they knew this new threat was going to be yet another problem for them if they were pushed or chose to migrate further to the west.

https://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3272/maa4900.png

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The known world during the second year of the reign of Basileus Hippostratos I (121BC):
https://img638.imageshack.us/img638/4263/hxmak1222edit.png

Next: Chapter 146 : Troubles in Foreign Lands

[Horatius Flaccus]

Interesting!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 146 : Troubles in Foreign Lands

Arabia

General Aidesios Thermaios had fallen back with his army from Macaraba to the oasis of Lathrippa in order to avoid the armies of the Kingdom of Sab'yn. However, he was only encamped at the oasis for about half of a year before another army came marching against him. The city of Macaraba had surrendered without a fight and become a client city of the southerners. Once the city had fallen, its people told the Sabaeans where Aidesios had gone and lead the soldiers of Saba strait to Lathrippa.

https://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1769/maa4872.png

General Aidesios took up the defensive on the top of a hill, while the the Saba army readily moved on the offensive against him.

https://img23.imageshack.us/img23/8158/maa4874.png

Aidesios' forces were split into two groups, with the largest atop a large hill and a small group to the west on a separate hill. The Saba army marched up the slope and attack Aidesios' main army while ignoring the smaller force. While the two armies fought, the smaller force of Syrians to the west watched and waited.

https://img372.imageshack.us/img372/6113/maa4876.png

Since the smaller group did nothing, the Saba soldiers continued to ignore them. As the fight when on, both sides began to tire and the smaller force saw their moment to attack. The light infantry charged down their own hill to the base of the larger hill where the main battle was taking place. Seeing themselves surrounded, the western flank of the Saba army broke and fled. The rest were soon to follow.

https://img8.imageshack.us/img8/7382/maa4878.jpg

Although General Aidesios Thermaios continued to win battle after battle, he lost the ability to hold his ground. Low on supplies and under constant attack, Aidesios retreated from Macaraba and Lathrippa and back into friendly territory of allied Arab tribes who had yet to be subjugated by the armies from the Kingdom of Sab'yn.

https://img522.imageshack.us/img522/6987/maa4881.png

A few months later, in the lands on the far side of Arabia, a small kingdom repelled another attack against one of their cities.

https://img220.imageshack.us/img220/2089/maa4882.png

The Hellene-built towers around the city managed to repel the first wave of attack and do damage to the Saba seige equipment.

https://img35.imageshack.us/img35/3906/maa4885.png

Yet, many siege towers made their way to the city walls and the defenders were forced to push back the Saba invaders who made their way atop them.

https://img714.imageshack.us/img714/7968/maa4890.png

After a considerable fight, the Saba soldiers were repelled. With the walls defended, the local king decided to risk his army and grasp a resounding victory from the situation he had been given. He gathered his men and marched out from the city to chase down the remaining Saba soldiers and slay all of them in the field.

https://img100.imageshack.us/img100/6642/maa4892.png

The Saba army obliged him and met him in the the open ground outside the city walls. The Saba force made up of mostly horsemen threw themselves at the Arab defenders.

https://img28.imageshack.us/img28/7097/maa4893.png

When the dust had settled, the daring move proved successful. Thousands of Saba soldiers lay dead, including their general, with very few friendly losses. The city was defended and time was bought, for it would take time before the Kingdom of Saby'n could completely replace that army.

https://img688.imageshack.us/img688/2109/maa4896.jpg

Around the Arche

Within the Arche but outside of the lands of southern Hellas, very little happened during this continued era of peace. News spread across the Arche that there were riots in Athenai and a possiblity of a dynastic change, but news quickly followed of the restoration of order and the ascension of Basileus Hippostratos I. Very few places in the provinces and satraps even reacted to this news, for it meant no changes for them, save maybe a new governor in a place or two.

The one exception was in the lands of Raetia and Noricia. These lands still bore a barbaroi culture and the population was one that felt occupied. They took the news of riots in the the capital as a chance to rebel. The rebellion had no organization and was quickly quelled. This episode was but another sign of the weak grip the Arche held on the un-Hellenized frontier lands.

https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/7702/maa4859.png

Around the same time as the riots in Athenai, a large plague broke out in southern Mesopotamia. It was reported that Laandros, the last surviving son of Pyrrhos II was badly ill and that death filled the streets of the cities in that region.

https://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3530/maa4860.png

The plague in Mesopotamia came and went, with many thousands dead. Laandros, despite his advanced age recovered and resumed his command of the frontier armies in Mesopotamia and Elymais. He would live many more years.

About a year into the reign of Basileus Hippostratos I, ironically, a great port was completed on the Propontos. This port was quite impressive and added to the continuing shift of the economic center of the Arche from Hellas to the immediate east. It is said that not to long after, Basileus Hippostratos began considerations to move the capital once again. This time to somewhere in the east.

https://img693.imageshack.us/img693/8743/maa4861.jpg

The era of relative peace that had lasted since the end of the First Persian War in 133BC was beginning to seem like it could not last. The war in Arabia that had been ignored was beginning to push its way to the borders of the Arche. In Iran, the Persian Empire was building up forces on their borders with the Arche while waging war with the Hellenized peoples on her far side. And in Gallia, the Aedui Confederation had nearly united the lands and defeated the Arche's Arverni allies. While the Aedui were not hostile with the Arche, the concept of a powerful neighbor to the northwest was undesirable to the Arche's leadership.

https://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2730/maa4899.png

As the era of peace started drawing to a close, another plague broke out. This time it was in the lands of Africa. The twin city of Karchedon and the lands around her filled with death and suffering.

https://img641.imageshack.us/img641/4136/maa4904.png

With the Arche secure and his son fully in power, Antigonos III gathered the royal army of Makedonia and a fleet in the port. Once again, he was prepared to march to war. During the second year of joint rule with his son, he would set sail once more for war on his Arche's borders.

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The known world during the second year of the reign of Basileus Hippostratos I (121BC):
https://img638.imageshack.us/img638/4263/hxmak1222edit.png

Next: Chapter 147 : War!

[Horatius Flaccus]

Yes, finally! The era of peace is over!

My guess it's going to be a war in the forgotten land.

[Subotan]

Those Dacians have been very complacent...

[satalexton]

They are very rich. With the constant war with the Persians, and little gain in the arabia, your economy must be facing rampant inflation :clown: time to invade Dacia!

[Horatius Flaccus]

But why would he 'set sail' for Dacia? :inquisitive:

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

It would be a good time to invade Dacia, even though they are good allies. My economy, however, is strong and the gold mines of Dacia don't really seem necessary. The peace with the Neo-Persians has allowed for a trade with the east. I've managed to lower taxes and have been building everything I can. The era of peace and stability has been great for the Arche's economy. That said, Dacia is a wealthy prize and something I've wanted since the death of Antigonos II. You shall see where the Alypios Antigonos III is going in the next chapter... :laugh4:

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I had started working on the next chapter and was planning to put it out this weekend, but my keyboard died. The Q through Y keys just stopped working. Since I can't type on my computer (I'm borrowing this one to use the internet), I'll continue to be delayed.

[the man with no name]

It has been a great read catching up. However, i think this AAR might take a little longer to wrap up. Anyway good luck MAA.

[Mediolanicus]

And he just keeps on being delayed...

I eagerly await an update of this epic!

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Hello again. Due to writing a large paper, dealing with uni graduation, then going on a trip, I have not been around the fora. I haven't been doing anything with RTW, EB, or this AAR for nearly six months. I had the next chapter half written but haven't touched it in months. Since I don't have much time, this AAR is probably finally dead.

If you're wondering, the next chapter was to be the beginning of the Second Persian War. I won the war but didn't manage to grab all of Persia. There was then going to be a golden age and a slow decline into corruption and complacency. That was the planned ending.

I want to thank everyone who read this AAR and those who commented. Maybe when I get a job and get bored I'll start playing TotalWar again and write another AAR in the future.

[Mediolanicus]

I will remember it as the most epic AAR I've ever seen.

Thank you, MAA.

[Noble Wrath]

Never really commented (except once) but I would like to thank you for the time and effort you dedicated to this work. It inspired a lot of people (for example the civil war exploit using the Baktria faction has become a must for every Macedonian campaign since then) and set a new standard for any future AAR. That is the magic of human nature right? To invest so heavily on things that are rather fictional and not useful in any practical way, such as a story based on a modification of a computer game concerning an era long gone. In other words our ability to imagine.
Ps. Those screenshots of your multiple fullstacks invading Persia have stuck into my mind ;-)

[Brave Brave Sir Robin]

This truly was THE aar. You've inspired a lot of people and really, this could be made into some sort of alternate history book. That said, its good some closure has come to this thread. I was sorta hoping it would go on but of course school and careers take precedent.

BTW can I just say that its amazing that you played for so long and the Getai never attacked you. Mind boggling!

[Lysimachos]

This AAR's predecessor was actually the first AAR I read and played a part in making me start mine. It has been all the time I visited this forum and now it feels weird to imagine it is over.

[Marcus Darkstar]

this awsome ARR was one of the things that conviced me to play my Macedon campaign which I've been having endless fun in. Despite a few losses in the units roster that AS has against Macedon its location in the campaign is endless fun once you kick Eperious out of Pella.

[Antinous]

I have never commented, I read till after the civil war and just kept watching the updates but not always reading them for the numerous amount of time required for reading it. I will say though this is the most impressive story I have ever seen made by anyone of us and that it has gone on for so long shows your dedication to the story.

[Dutchhoplite]

What the people above said :smiley:

[Chrissher]

This AAR is epic. I remember before registering here that I read through this AAR and really enjoyed it even though I never really played the makedonians (Their starting position is too hard). This is easily the best EB AAR on the org though.