Chapter I ~The Best Laid Plans
In the 11th year of the reign of Ptolemaos II (272 BC), the Ptolemaioi were involved in the First Syrian War. Ptolemaios II, hoping to conquer the city of Damaskos starting building up a Royal Army. However the fates soon threw a spanner into the works.
In the winter of this year Diospolis-Magale (Thebes) was attacked by local dissidents, Ptolemaios sent word to his nephew Leontiskas Thraikikos in Pselkis to move to reinforce the embattled Meleagros. However Meleagros was impatient and decided to sally to meet the foe. Very little is known about the battle except that the Ptolemaic forces were victorious and that the Rebels were ruthlessly crushed.
Preparations for the march to Damskos continued undisturbed by the rebellion to the south and in the late autumn of 271 BC Ptolemaios led his army East out of Aigyptos expecting to be reinforcied in Ioudeia. He did not get far however as news soon reached him that the Kyrenaioi led by Philon have attacked the western border town of Paraitonion. Ptolemaios II ordered his troops to march towards Paratainon instead. Stopping off at Alexandria to be reinforced by a unit of Thureophoroi (Spearmen).
In the spring of 270 BC Philon of Kyrene succesfully attacks the Ptolemaic forces in Paraitonion. Very little is known about the battle except that the gates were apparently thrown open by collaborators and the garrison swiftly defeated. Philon is said to have shown mercy to the people of Paraitonion. By autumn Ptolemaios II was on the borders of Marmarike and encountered army of Philon. In late autumn a relatively large battle was fought and, as a member of the Pezhetairoi Phillipos wrote, Ptolemaios was victorious.
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"As the army approached Marmarike the scouts reported that an army of lesser numbers than ours was waiting in the hills. Ptolemaios immediately rode out on his horse to survey the enemy position by himself. He returned late at night and called the officers to his command tent. Early the next morning the battle plan was relayed to us, we would try and dislodge the enemy from the high ground using the Toxotoi, however if that was unsuccessful the army would meet them on the hill. Naturally the Pezhetairoi would bear the brunt of the fighting, attacking the enemy Phalangitai in the centre.
By afternoon we had marched to within sight of the enemy and it was apparent to all but the fools in the army that Philon had chosen his ground extremely well. His army was drawn up on the steepest hill in the area. The Toxotoi advanced to pepper the enemy Phalanx with arrows, however the stubborn enemy would not move, so the Basileus sent the Machimoi Hippeis out to the left preparing for a flanking maneuver whilst the main body of infantry advanced towards the waiting enemy lines. The enemy waited unmoving as we slowly ascended the hill. Philon however was a crafty general and all of a sudden the air was filled with javelins as Akontistatai rushed from the midst of the Phalanx firing two volleys at us before retreating to the safety of the rear once more.
A typical battle ensued with the an almighty crash as the two armies collided, slowly grinding each other down. At the time i was wondering were the Hippeis were, but i found out later that they were involved in a desperate fight with the enemy general and his bodyguard of Machimoi on the flank. Up and down the line the battle seemed to be going badly until Ptolemaios himself drove Philon from the field and was able to flank the enemy Phalanx. Rolling up the line from their right flank whilst the Machimoi chased down any fleeing enemies. Only Philon and his bodyguard were able to escape the battle.
Soon after the battle word reached us that Ptolemaios II has another child, a girl named Thermouthis."
Although the testimony of one man is always subject to bias, his account fo the battle seems plausible as Ptolemaios was forced to halt his advance and await reinforcement from his 16 year old son Euergetes in the Spring. In the summer Ptolemaios besieges Paraitonion and offers the unconditional surrender of Philon in exchange for the lives of him and his men. A single javelin launched over the towns walls is the only answer. By the time autumn arrives Paraitonion is back in Ptolemaic hands. Ptolemaios III wrote about the battle later:
"It was to be my first battle and also the first time I killed a man. The plan was simple, the Thureophoroi were to batter down the gates and proceed to the centre of the town, killing anyone who resisted. Mean while me and my father would follow close behind at the head of the cavalry.
I will admit to feeling nervous as the gates opened with a crash and I am ashamed to say I let out a sigh of relief when the gap was not filled with screaming enemies. The Thureophoroi quickly advanced into the town but met no resistance until they reached the main square.
My father led his cavlary force round to flank the enemy whilst I charged straight towards the enemy general, who was already engaged with the Thureophoroi. The noise was deafening as we clashed with the embattled Machimoi Hippeis. I killed the first man I encountered with a thrust of my Xyston to the chest, my teachers would have been proud. Soon after I entered the fray my father attacked the enemy from the rear bringing the battle to a close as the enemy were slaughtered. Philon refused to surrender and instead of allowing himself to be captured threw himself onto the spears of the Thureophoroi."
After the battle Ptolemaios sent an emmisary to the Kyrenaioi, offering a ceasefire in exchange for gold. They quickly accepted and Ptolemaios II went about rebuilding the town of Paraitonion. It is wondered whether Ptolemaios would have attacked the Kyrenaioi anyway as it is believed that he did not fully believe his Karthadastim allies and wanted a buffer state between them and he.
Other events in the Ptolemaic kingdom in this time:~
Eunostos Kypriakos dies in the Spring of 271
Herib, daughter of Meleagros is born in Autumn 271
In the winter, Karpion Soter marries Ptolemais, daughter of Menelaos and Philotera. However Menelaos dies mere weeks after the wedding of his daughter.
In the Spring of 270 BC, Sosandros Philoterios marries Menelaos' other daughter Artakama.
The town of Side manages to repel an attack by the Arche Seleukeia in the Autumn of this year.
As winter descends on the land, Agathokles Thraikikos dies around the same time his first grandchild Hedeia is born to his son Leontiskos. Stasikrates Philoterios is also born. As is Theoxena, daughter of the newly appointed Dioiketes (Minister of Finacne) Karpion Soter.
In the new year, Euergetes oldest son of Ptolemaios II comes of age and immediately joins his father on campaign before returning to Alexandria for further education after the battle for Paraitonion.
Admiral Naukrates defeats a Seleukid fleet off the coast of Iuodeia and proceeds to blocakde Antiochus in the summer of 269. Trade rights are also agreed with the Sabeans around this time.
As the trees shed their leaves a Hellen named Erasiphon Sebennytios marries Kleopatra.
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Sorry for the lack of screenshots, the next chapters will be full of them, I promise.
First post has been edited.
