What are your favorite last stands in ancient times, where a tiny force combats a more numerous enemy and either wins or is wiped out?
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What are your favorite last stands in ancient times, where a tiny force combats a more numerous enemy and either wins or is wiped out?
The Spartans .... at Sparta ;) ... 272bc
Lucullus at Tigranocerta. Estimates for the size of the Armenian force vary from 100,000 to 250,000.
Thrasybulus and the 70 Athenian exiles, who's numbers would grow after each defeat of the Athenians and would finally be able to take over Athens from the the thirty tyrants, which were Spartan puppets set up by Lysander. He was the greatest Athenian according to Pausanias, beating the much more known Pericles.
How is that battle a 'last stand'? The Romans won and Lucullus survived, as did Tigranes and Mithradites, but the battle did not end the war, the Armenians fought another battle later the same year, after which the Roman army mutinied.Quote:
Originally Posted by QuintusSertorius
Tigranocerta was a great Roman victory against overwhelming odds, but not a last stand.
In spite of the thread title, that's not what the OP said in the OP. They won against a more numerous enemy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Titus Marcellus Scato
If you want proper last stands in the era, there's Arausio.
Caratacus at Rome against the Emperor Claudius.
I would say Thermopolaye
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_...e_of_Chaeronea
Nearly all died on the spot while the regular army fled.
~Fluvius
There is a very little known last stand made by Romans against Carthaginians in Sicily (at least I think), it was named in a speech by Cato the Censor but I should check a book to name you the battle. The main point of Cato mentioning that battle was to say "please Greeks, stop with the Thermopylae stuff, we've done pretty much the same one hundred times" :D
Sucha great and heroic deal, right? I hope modern history could in fact witnessed more Thrasybulus.Quote:
Originally Posted by Moros
You should correct me if I'm wrong, but just before the Babylonian war, Antigonos send his satraps Nicanor and Evagoras to Seleukos in the east. Seleukos had far less soldiers than both Nicanor and Evagoras. So what did he do? He and his army hid in the marshes and waited for Nicanor and Evagoras. Then he surprise-attacked the Macedonian elite of Nicanors and Evagoras army at night. Evagoras was killed and Nicanor fled. The rest of the army were so scared they decided to surrender and fight for Seleukos in the future. I think you can describe this as last stand. Seleukos had nowhere to go.
Adautuca 52 BC. A Gaulish ambuscade that wiped out nearly the complete 10th (?) Legion...the second Roman commander, Quintus Titurius Sabinus and the rest of his troops died together on the spot. A few survivors retretated to their base camp and committed suicide in order to save their honur, Roman style.