The Legacy of Megas Alexandros - a seleucid AAR

[johnalexadiw]

Hi, johnalexadiw, thank you for your comments, I appreciate it. There's no need to apologize for double posting or your english, I can understand you well enough. ~:)

I don't particularly mind giving out a save, but it might be a little problematic. You see, I don't really know what state the mod is in that I've been using. The basis was EB 1.1, but I've been using mini-mods and some personal changes, that I don't remember because it was eight years ago. I'm pretty sure you can't just run the save with EB 1.1.
Your welcome Lysimachos, i notice something inside your spoiler, since when minion speak bahasa indonesia language? Lol, oh you are right, i think my eb 1.21 don't compatible with your eb 1.1

Sent from my Smartfren Andromax AD688G using Tapatalk

[Lysimachos]

Your welcome Lysimachos, i notice something inside your spoiler, since when minion speak bahasa indonesia language? Lol, oh you are right, i think my eb 1.21 don't compatible with your eb 1.1

Sent from my Smartfren Andromax AD688G using Tapatalk

Indonesian?! That's news to me! :laugh4: What was the word?

[johnalexadiw]

Indonesian?! That's news to me! :laugh4: What was the word?
The word is..is...
dude i forgot the word ._., also why you deleted the that minion dancing pic lol? That's good trolling for another your aar reader

Sent from my Smartfren Andromax AD688G using Tapatalk

[Lysimachos]

The word is..is...
dude i forgot the word ._., also why you deleted the that minion dancing pic lol? That's good trolling for another your aar reader

Sent from my Smartfren Andromax AD688G using Tapatalk

Aaah, maybe it was an advertisement from the image hosting site or something like that? Because I'm sure I didn't put any minions anywhere. ~:)

[johnalexadiw]

Aaah, maybe it was an advertisement from the image hosting site or something like that? Because I'm sure I didn't put any minions anywhere. ~:)
i agree, maybe something like that

Sent from my Smartfren Andromax AD688G using Tapatalk

[Lysimachos]

The second part of the untold tales. As before, if you'd rather take the risk and wait for proper chapters that may or may not come, don't click the button.

The Untold Tales, part 2

226 BC = 86 SE = 2 SIII

Seleukos Aphobos remains in Asia Mikra for now, to restrain the treacherous Pergamenes, the Pontians and the Bithynians.

Kleombrotos reaches Seleukeia and is hailed as a hero. Parthians are sighted in Persis and Gabiene.

225 BC = 87 SE = 3 SIII

Seleukos Aphobos leaves Asia Mikra under the command of Apollophanes Syriakos, a distant cousin, to travel to Seleukeia.

On the journey, he suffers a mysterious accident and dies.

Kleombrotos claims the throne as Antiochos Hypoleptos (the unrelenting, AIII).

He proclaims that Adeia's children in truth were sired by her own brother and not the king, as it is known the ptolemaioi practice sibling incest (I swear I didn't know about GoT, when I came up with this). Besides, the Arche needs a leader now more than ever and can't wait for a child to grow up.

Antiochos sends out assassins to kill Adeia's son. The intended child killer can't go through with it and makes sure the eight year old is send away to safety in a bosphoran Polis. He tells Antiochos the deed was done, before he is killed himself to eliminate him as a witness.

Ptolemaios Eusebes is distraught by the events – as far as news reach him – but a revolt in upper Aigyptos binds him, for now.

Later in the year Metrodoros and Apollophanes, two descendants of Seleukos in the male line and of middle age, die.

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Hearing of his relatives' unexpected deaths, Euphorion fears for his life and that of his son Ktesikles, but remains untouched, to his own surprise.

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224 BC = 88 SE = 2 AIII

Pontic troops occupy upper Kappadokia.

Antiochos Hypoleptos reaches Asia Mikra in a forced march, takes back Mazaka, as well as Amaseia in Kappadokia Pontika, where he sells the population into slavery.

223 BC = 89 SE = 3 AIII

Antiochos Hypoleptos reaches Sinope. Mithridates Kianos flees to the allied kingdom Bithynia.

At the end of the year, Antiochos is at the gates of Nikaia.

222 BC = 90 SE = 4 AIII

Antiochos Hypoleptos defeats Mithridates and subdues Bithynia.

Ptolemaios Eusebes has ended the rebellion and takes the initiative. He considers Antiochos a usurper who stole his grandson's throne. He sends out his fleet, which prevails in a minor engagement near Kypros.

220 BC = 92 SE = 6 AIII

The seleucid fleet, thanks to Seleukos Kallinikos now including numerous poliremes, decisively defeats the ptolemaic fleet near Tyros.

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Antiochos Hypoleptos occupies Kypros.

219 BC = 93 SE = 7 AIII

Antiochos Hypoleptos enters Aigyptos. In the meantime parthian activity reaches a new height.

25 years after his grandfather stood at the gates of Alexandreia, Antiochos does the same. However, the signs are different. Antiochos Theos had but a weakened army, insufficiently supplied and constantly endangered by larger enemy forces. Since then, the devastations of that war left the economy of the Nheilos kingdom weakened and the defences of Alexandreia in a neglected state.

His father's fleet gives Antiochos Hypoleptos a trump card his grandfather didn't hold. In a combined attack from land and sea he achieves what Antiochos Theos could not hope to do.

Ptolemaios Eusebes is captured and forced to agree to a peace that includes giving up Kypros and reduces the proud diadoch kingdom to a tributary.

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Baktra falls to the Parthians.

218 BC = 94 SE = 8 AIII

With the war in the west over and the egyptian tribute to fund greater projects, Antiochos Hypoleptos starts preparations to reconquer the east. He intends to form his own heavy cavalry modelled after the Parthians' to counter theirs.

216 BC = 96 SE = 10 AIII

With rebellions in parthian held territories increasing, Antiochos Hypoleptos decides it is time to turn his plans into reality.

[Lysimachos]

The third and final part of the untold tales. I think you know the deal now and we can dispense with the disclaimer. ~;)

215 BC = 97 SE = 11 AIII

The seleucid army leaves Susa in two columns. The main force, moving north, is led by Antiochos Hypoleptos himself, with his cousin Ktesikles leading the rearguard. The second army, moving east, is led by the king's uncle Euphorion.

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By the end of the year Antiochos takes Apameia. Euphorion falls ill, slowing down his progress.

214 BC = 98 SE = 12 AIII

Ktesikles loses his supply train to parthian surprise attacks.

Euphorion recovers and invades Karmania. In Autumn Karmana falls to his troops.

Antiochos Hypoleptos takes Hekatompylos, previously capital of the self styled Parthians.

213 BC = 99 SE = 13 AIII

Antiochos Hypoleptos takes Asaak in the province Astauene.

Ktesikles dies in an ambush in Hyrkania.

Epiktesis, Adeia's daughter, marries. Antiochos sends her and her husband to Homna on the arabian coast.

212 BC = 100 SE = 14 AIII

Antiochos takes Zadrakata.

Euphorion takes Prophtasia.

Antiochos takes Nisa.

211 BC = 101 SE = 15 AIII

Antiochos Hypoleptos takes Khiva and proceeds east through Sogdiane.

Timarchos dies of old age.

Euphorion turns south towards Gedrosia.

210 BC = 102 SE = 16 AIII

Antiochos Hypoleptos takes Chach in the province Kangha, at the edge of Alexandros' empire.

Ptolemaios Eusebes dies. He is succeeded by his son Ptolemaios Epiphanes (PV). Ptolemaios Epiphanes is Adeia's oldest brother.

Euphorion sends Minnio Arianos to besiege Alexandropolis in the province of Arachosia, at the eastern border of Iran.

He himself takes Pura in Gedrosia, near the coast.

Antiochos takes Marakanda in Sogdiane.

209 BC = 103 SE = 17 AIII

Antiochos Hypoleptos liberates Baktra from the Parthians. He summons the self styled Basileus Baktrios and returns Baktria to the fold. Knowing that he will need a strong viceroy to hold the farthest east when he returns to Seleukeia, Antiochos lets him keep his title and betrothes his daughter (and only child yet) Sabit to Arybbas Baktrinos, who follows him to Mesopotamia.

After seven years, the reconquest of the east is completed.

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(I threw this together in something like two mintues, I don't remember the actual routes, it's just to give you a general idea)

207 BC = 105 SE = 19 AIII

Agathe, Antiochos' mother, dies.

In Susa, on the Basileus' return west, three estranged companions, Euphorion (60), Xenoitas (61) and Miltidades (61), each having lost at least one son to war, meet with the king. Together, they are the four last known living descendants in the male line of Seleukos Nikator.

206 BC = 106 SE = 20 AIII

Antiochos enters Seleukeia in triumph. He takes the name Megas Antiochos.

Sabit is married to Arybbas Baktrinos.

Euphorion, whose life has seen many turns, having lost his family and after decades of waging war in the east, perhaps his purpose, withers and dies within the year.

Megas Antiochos, disappointed with his wife's failure to give him a son, starts multiple affairs.

204 BC = 108SE = 22 AIII

Miltidades dies.

Megas Antiochos decides to go to war with the Karchedoi, who still haven't given up their designs on the Kyrenaia.

In winter Antiochos meets makedonian envoys in Ephesos, who demand unreasonable rewards for their support in his plans. Antiochos humiliates them for their hybris and departs towards Krete. From there he intends to sail to Sicily and then Africa.

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Phila, the result of one of Antiochos' affairs, is born, 25 years after Sabit, his first daughter.

203 BC = 109 SE = 23 AIII

On Krete, Megas Antiochos receives word that the Makedones and their greek vassals, enraged over his treatment of their envoys, have allied themselves with Pergamon, Byzantion and Pontus to turn on him once he has set sail for Sicily.

Without hesitation, Antiochos turns his fleet around and lands on the Peloponessos.

202 BC = 110 SE = 24 AIII

At the beginning of the year, Rhodos, Trapezus and Kydonia declare against Antiochos.

Megas Antiochos occupies Sparte and presses on through Korinthos, Athenai and Demetria, all of which fall in the same year.

201 BC = 111 SE = 25 AIII

Megas Antiochos temporarily occupies Pella.

Agesias, another illegitimate daughter, is born.

Epiktesis' husband dies during riots in Homna.

Ptolemaios Epiphanes learns that his nephew may still be alive. He pledges the aegean alliance his support and sends out his generals to the Levant.

Antiochos takes Thermon in autumn and Ambrakia in winter.

Sabit and Arybbas Baktrinos have a daughter, Antiochos' first grandchild.

200 BC = 112 SE = 26 AIII

Antiochos takes Epidamnos. He receives word of his granddaughter's birth and reconciles with his wife, Harmonia.

The Ptolemaioi occupy Bostra.

199 BC = 113 SE = 27 AIII

Harmonia gives birth to Apelles, Antiochos' first son and heir.

Pella is occupied again.

In winter, Megas Antiochos marches east, along the Aegean's northern coast.

Without seleucid help, long time ally Kyrene finally falls to the Karchedoi.

198 BC = 114 SE = 28 AIII

The Ptolemaioi occupy Damaskos and Palmyra.

In summer, Megas Antiochos crosses the bosporus and reaches Asia Mikra.

In autumn Hierosolyma falls. Antiochos reaches Ephesos.

197 BC = 115 SE = 29 AIII

The Ptolemaioi are at the gates of Antiocheia. Later in the year, Antiochos defeats them in two battles.

Hekatompylos revolts.

Sidon falls to the Ptolemaioi.

196 BC = 116 SE = 30 AIII

Megas Antiochos continues the war in Syria. Over the year a succession of six commanders take over the ptolemaic forces and all in turn are defeated.

195 BC = 117 SE = 31 AIII

In spring, the aegean alliance (Makedonians, Greeks, Pontians and Ptolemies) occupy Sardis. Ptolemaios Syriakos reveals himself as the son of Seleukos Aphobos and claims the throne as Seleukos Eupator (of a good father, SIV), to both honour his father and underline the source of his legitimacy.

Ptolemaios Epiphanes dies. The ptolemaic armies cease their attacks due to internal struggle and the new situation with Karchedoi in the Kyrenaia.

The Parthians discard seleucid hegemony.

194 BC = 118 SE = 32 AIII = 2 SIV

Megas Antiochos marches to Asia Mikra to face the usurper. Apelles stays with his mother in Syria.

Baktria follows the Parthians' example and sheds seleucid dominion.

In summer Megas Antiochos reaches Kappadokia.

(This is the point until which I actually played the campaign. Everything from here was just planned and thus is obviously less detailed.)

Greatly outnumbered, Megas Antiochos is finally defeated in Galatia by alliance forces. (I was planning to simulate this with screenshots made in custom battles with Makedonians, Greeks, Ptolemies and Pontus.)

Seleukos Eupator marches to Antiocheia. There he releases his allies, whom he greatly rewards for their help in putting him on the throne: Ptolemaios receives the former ptolemaic provinces Ioudaia, Phoinike, Kypros and Syria Koile. Bithynia and Halikarnassos are granted their independence and lower Kappadokia as well as Galatia are returned to Pontos.

Harmonia, Antiochos' widow, turns to her brother, Parkev Yervanduni, the Arkah of Hayasdan, for help. The Hay defeat Seleukos Eupator in Assyria and Harmonia proclaims her underage son Basileus ton Basileon, under the name Orontes Philometor, after Yervand, the founder of her own dynasty.

Seleukos Eupator flees to Seleukeia. At the same time, the king of Baktria proclaims another Basileus ton Basileon, Seleukos Baktrinos (SV). He is a son of Arybbas Baktrinos and Sabit, Megas Antiochos' eldest daughter.

This leaves Antiochos' empire carved up as follows:

Asia Mikra up to the Taurus: divided among the members of the aegean alliance.

Kilikia and Syria: Orontes Philometor.

Mesopotamia, Arabia: Seleukos Eupator.

Iran (as far as not claimed by the Parthians): Seleukos Baktrinos.

In 183 BC Orontes Philometor comes of age. When his uncle Parkev dies and Hayasdan experiences a succession crisis, Orontes sheds the armenian influence on his reign, but he profits from incorporating exiled Hay nobles into his powerbase (resulting in a bigger ratio of cataphracts in the army), after Artaxias establishes himself as the new Arkah. Sophene falls back under Orontes' rule.

Over the next decade Orontes manages to eliminate Seleukos Eupator as a rival and unites Mesopotamia and Syria once again.

The Parthians defeat Seleukos Baktrinos, leaving Orontes the sole claimant.

Around 160 BC Orontes takes back the Levant from the Ptolemaioi, once again.

The Arche seems to stabilize itself, but after the king's sudden death his successor Antiochos Agathos finds himself unable to hold together the realm.

Epilogue

When I first thought about how it would end – this probably was around 2009 or 2010 – I had not yet realized the scope of my undertaking and assumed I would be able to finish in a timely manner.

Back then, I fancied the idea of writing other AARs that could be unofficial sequels and having the epilogue establish a connection. One of those ideas was to have the last Basileus experience the fall of Antiocheia, at the hands of a Tigranes the Great type of figure.

Then, his sister would be married to one of Tigranes' commanders called Bagatades, who has been speculated to be the ancestor of the Bagratuni/Bagrationi dynasties from later Armenia and Georgia (including the famous russian general from napoleonic times), so if I did an AAR set in a later period I could – as an inside joke without saying it – pretend like my characters were descendants from the characters in this one. But since that will never happen, I'm free to just tell you.

There. Now you know as much as I do. ~:)