Battle of Bithynia

Fresh from the conquest of Krete, Alexanor Messaneos, along with Oulamos Larruos, had been appointed to command Pergamon's army. Messaneos lived for battle, loved the thrill of combat and ringing of steel and cries of the enemy in his ears. For him there was no finer thing than a steed underneath him, weapon in one hand, shield in the other, and foe before him.

His army was the largest Pergamon had fielded in recent history, some 25,000 men not including non-combatants. The Seleukid army outnumbered the Pergamene one by a large margin, there were almost 35,000 of them, but theirs was composed mostly of green native phalangites, and they were weak in both cavalry and light troops. While smaller, the Pergamene army was a more balanced force.



The battle took place on the edge of a forest, which provided ample places for Messaneos' men to hide. He positioned himself on the left, granting the traditional place of honour to Larruos.



As the Seleukids approached, they were harrassed by missile fire from Pergamon's numerous skirmishers.



The phalanxes were slow moving, and as a result the small number of Seleukid lights suffered out in front of them.





When they eventually arrived, many of the skirmishers were out of ammunition, and fell back to the safety of their own massed lines.



On the right Larruos ordered the peltasts and Karian warbands to envelop the Seleukid line. Meanwhile the light cavalry ranged out behind the Seleukid line, their lack of cavalry of their own meaning they could do little to stop them.



Some of the Asiatic cavalry caught up with the enemy general. Seeing more Pergamene cavalry, they stood fighting long enough to prevent his escape.



The Seleukid general died with a Gallic lance through his gut.





The cavalry were now free to operate behind the main Seleukid fighting line, harrassing the rear of their formations.



Charges to the rear and flanks sowed panic and dischord amongst the massed pikemen.



The first breakthrough happened on the right of the line.



On the right, fierce fighting continued. The native phalanxes had their resolve stiffened by the presence of professional soldiers.



Even while many of the native pikemen were fleeing, these regulars stood their ground.



They fought on, pulling victorious Pergamene troops from chasing down fleeing foes.



Elsewhere resistance had crumbled. Most of the Seleukid army was in flight.



It was the return of Messaneos that finally shattered their will.





Then it was a case of chasing down those who fled.



The great Seleukid empire had been decisively beaten in battle. Pergamon had entered the world stage as a power to contend with.



Messaneos hoped that wouldn't be the end of the war, and that more Seleukid armies would come. He gave thanks to Artemis and Ares for the victory.