Tα επη της Bασιλείας Mακεδονίας

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

"The History of the Kingdom of Macedon", an extremely short-lived Makedonian After Action Report for EB 1.1, RTW.exe, H/M.

Yes finally I decided to make an AAR myself, of course with my all time favourites, the Makedonians. It will be short-lived, not because I want it, but because I know myself enough. I'm currently 30 years ahead in the game, so it's entirely possible that I forgot the most, despite of my tireless efforts to keep on track with every worthwhile occurence.

I try to keep it historically feasable. I try to make not too many mistakes. I'll do everything in the campaign that I can find reasonable. I will not go and make winter-campaigns, except for special occasions. Well, that means, basically I'll only do that when I like to.

Thank you Tellos Athenaios for translating the title for my AAR. Now you know why I buggered you. And thank you keravnos for not answering my question about the Makedonian dating system. That means I'll start with the Makedonian dating system as it is given in the "Year in History", counting from 317BC.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Tα επη της Bασιλείας Mακεδονίας
The History of the Kingdom of Macedon

I. A Kingdom on the Verge of Destruction

Antigonos Gonatas was born to Demetrios Poliorketes, King of Makedonia, son of Antigonos Monophtalmus, and Phila, daughter of Antipater. Demetrios had died in 35, held captive by Seleukos, and Antigonos claimed the title of Basileus Makedonias at this time. It wasn’t until the year 41 after Alexandros IV., rightful heir of Alexandros III. Megas began his reign, that Antigonos, already 43 years old, was acclaimed by the Assembly of the Makedonian Army King of Makedonia as well. In the time between the power in the kingdom was either held by usurpers, or by nobody at all.

At the time, the country was in a bad state. In 39 Gauls had invaded the kingdom, and left nothing but ruins and scorched earth behind. The Usurpator Ptolemaios Keraunos, who had taken control of Makedonia after the death of Antigonos’ father, was killed by the Gauls in battle at Delphi. Two years later it was Antigonos who defeated them at Lysimachia at the Hellespont, and was thus acclaimed by his troops the new Basileus of Makedonia.

In 45, Pyrrhos, the Molossian King of Epeiros, came back from his fruitless campaign against the Romaioi and Karchedoi, looking for loot in Makedonia. He promptly invaded the country and attacked Antigonos’ army at a narrow pass, where he could convince his infantry of deserting and joining his own army instead. However, Antigonos was able to escape in disguise. In control of upper Makedonia, Pyrrhos did nothing to prevent his Gallic mercenaries from looting the Royal Tombs of the Argeades at Aigai, digging them open and letting the disordered bones stick out.

The following year the King had reached southern Greece to gather fresh troops from his southern allies. He joined with the forces of his brother Krateros, which were stationed in the Peloponnese, and then sailed north along the coast of Thessalia to the Makedonian port-city of Thessalonike.

In the meantime, Pyrrhos had sent forth an advanced corps to attack Pella, seeing the opportunity the absence of the King warranted. Their plan was to batter down the walls of the city with the help of their elephants. The city walls were in a state of disgrace since the Gallic incursion had left the kingdom in ruins. But Alkyoneus had become aware of the Epeirote plan. He not only ordered the recruitment of two new Syntagmai of Phalanx from the middle-class citizens, but also ordered 120 goat herders from Lynkestis behind the walls, who should pelt the beasts with sling shots of stone and lead, and 240 other Psiloi from Eordaia, who should pelt them with javelins.






When the beasts arrived at the wall, they were pelted with both javelins and sling shots, and quickly fell deadly wounded to the ground.




Only two animals survived, and were so confused, that their riders could not hinder them to batter through their own ranks of mostly Gallic mercenaries, where they were eventually killed. So deprived of every opportunity to enter the city, the intruders couldn’t help but retreat westward, to Pyrrhos main troop body.







During summertime, Antigonos had finally disembarked his troops. The army marched west when scouts told that Pyrrhos was only few stadia ahead, having attempted to lay an ambush. Immediately the King ordered his troops to deploy in battle line, and till the afternoon the lines finally met.






The Makedonian slingers opened the battle with their deadly hail of stones, although the stones could not penetrate the armour of the Epeirote Royal Guard. As the opposing lines of Phalangitai met, Pyrrhos elephants started to ravage the Makedonian left wing. The entire cavalry circled around the flank and, despite heavy losses, managed to kill the pachyderms.




In the meantime, on the Epeirote left wing, the King Pyrrhos of Epeiros himself, in a bold attack on the Makedonian line, had found himself stuck in a deadly wall of sarissas. He fought bravely to the end, managing to kill a good deal of Makedonian citizens, but eventually fell beneath the deadly spear-points.






Their King’s death broke the morale of the Epeirotes, and after having chased off the enemy skirmishers, the Epeirote line collapsed. The day proved fatal for both sides, leaving half of the participants dead on the field of honour.






After the battle, Antigonos sent his army back to Pella for gathering of new recruits, willing to serve for the Kingdom. Later in the year, as fall set in, Ptolemaios Aiakides, Pyrrhos’ heir and now King of Epeiros, was caught and killed in Tymphaia in north-western Thessalia, were he had fled the Makedonian might.

[tapanojum]

Great Start! I just started an Epeiros campaign earlier today. My cockyness ended up with me fighting a a 2500 Makedonian force with 1200 of my own units. My entire army including Pyrrhos was completely annihalated. (Shouldn't fight such tough battles with your back against the coastline...no retreat)

I'll keep checking back and compare our campaigns!

[Timoleon]

Good start indeed! But I think you should name it "Tα έπη του Bασιλείου της Mακεδονίας". "Tα επη της Bασιλείας Mακεδονίας" means "The saga of the kingship of Macedon".

[Aaldaemon]

Good start. How can an aar be bad when it features goat herders?

[Ibrahim]

good battle!

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Thank you for your support everyone. I have exams mid-july, but I'll try too write at least a bit.

Good start indeed! But I think you should name it "Tα έπη του Bασιλείου της Mακεδονίας". "Tα επη της Bασιλείας Mακεδονίας" means "The saga of the kingship of Macedon".

Hmmm, I don't know Greek. I don't think I can change the thread title, plus I think that "The saga of the Kingship of Macedon" is as well a very good and precise title. So I'm content at the moment.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

II. The Greek Uprising

At the same time, southern Hellas was controlled by the Makedonian commander of the garrison at Korinthos, Antigonos’ nephew Alexandros, son of Krateros. Alexandros could not prevent that in Athenai, a politician named Chremonides Aithalides of Attika, driven by his hatred for the city’s rightful overlords and surely dreaming of her former glory, had secretly plotted against the Kingdom.

To reach his aims, Chremonides had secretly negotiated an alliance with the Spartan king Areus. To further bolster their ranks and means, he had also convinced the city of Rhodos to join their league. Finally the Pharaoh in Aigyptos, Ptolemaios II., funded the rebellion with both money and a navy.

When Pyrrhos invaded Makedonia proper, Chremonides had seen the time right for action. While Areus was in Kreta, he sent word to Eudamias Eurypontidos of the Lakedaimonioi to attack Korinthos. The garrison consisted only of Militia Hoplites, Psiloi of various armament and of course a small yet brave detachment of Hetairoi, Alexandros own personal retainers.



Eudamias on the other hand fielded a number of Hoplites three times as big as Alexandros’. Also in quality the Hoplites outmatched the pro-Makedonian forces, two detachments of Militia, two semi-professional detachments in good quality armour, and even two detachments of the much-feared Hoplites of Sparte itself were fielded by Eudamias.



Nevertheless, before the Greeks could start their assault on the walls, which were guarded by slingers, much of them were shot. Once having reached the top of the wall though, they slaughtered the Sphendonetai with ease.



On the other side of the city, Greek Akontistai and Hoplites managed to breach through the heavy gates. The Akontistai of Alexandros though had taken position behind the gates. Pestered by archers firing from the towers, the attackers were already weakened when they had finally managed to get in. The pro-Makedonian javelineers unleashed a volley and caused them to rout back out of the city, where they were finally cut down by Alexandros himself.





In the meantime, the Greek rebels had reached the city centre, where they were awaited by the city’s Hoplites. They were no match though for the professional killers of Sparte.



Alexandros tried to charge the Lakonians in the back and had some success in cutting down the enemy, ...



and he even managed to wipe out the Spartan bodyguards of Eudamias, causing the Spartiates to seek his hail in a cunning flight, ...



but in the end they were too much and too professional: Alexandros fell, and with him fell the city of Korinthos and the whole Peloponnese.








In the meantime, a smaller rebellious force had marched north and put a menace on Demetrias, the Thessalian capital, which was named after the King’s father himself. This forced Antigonos and Krateros to gather their forces again and march south to relieve the city, leaving the difficult task of defending the homeland once again to Alkyoneus. With the much larger forces of the Makedones in sight, the rebels hastily packed their personal belongings and fled southward.

It was in relieved Demetrias where Krateros heard the news. A Makedonian loyalist, who managed to survive Spartan cleansing operations, brought the devastating message: The Peloponnese was in rebel hands, and his son Alexandros had fallen. Immediately, the King sent messengers to Korinthos, to ask in the name of Krateros for returning the hero’s body, according to good old Hellenic tradition. However, the Spartans’ answer was the following: “Come and get him.” And, further enlightening: “He’s in a very nice place at the moment, at least his head, right on the agora, on a pile where he can look all around and have the occasional silent conversation with his former subjugates.”

Having heard the outrageous news of unprecedented barbarism, of a behaviour which, undoubtedly, would even repulse the most barbarous people of the northern forests, Krateros did not fall in a rage. Quietly, he went to his brother and King. “Antigonos, Majesty, I petition you, as soon as the weather permits, as soon as the muddy paths become dry enough to comfort our army, let us march against the Spartans, to Korinthos, and then down the Peloponnese.” And the King responded: “Krateros, my brother, I swear in the name of Zeus, and Ares, and by Herakles, our noble forefather, from whom we Argeades are descended, that I will do everything which is needed to avenge the barbarous deeds of the Lakedaimonians, and be it the last that I am to do on earth.”

The winter was more mild than usual, in this 46th year of Alexandros IV., who never reigned a realm, and only a few weeks after the fall of Korinthos, Antigonos Gonatas, King of Makedonia, ordered his troops to a ceremony outside the city. There, in front of his Hetairoi, and the Phalangitai, and Hoplitai, Antigonos sacrificed three oxen to honour Zeus Oympos, and then ordered his troops into a column, to march southward.

Makedonia and the Mesogaios in spring of 47: