Syria

Alexanor Messaneos, together with his lieutenant Oulamos Larruos had landed in Syria in the summer of 239, but had marched first to Phoinike to gather supplies promised by their allies. It was autumn when the invasion of Syria began, and he stopped to build winter quarters on the river, using it to narrow the Seleukid's opportunities of attack.

He was somewhat surprised when they tried to force a river crossing twice.



He waited his army where he thought they would cross.



But it turned out the wily Seleukid commander had found a ford further upstream, and so Messaneos was forced to think on his feet to face the new direction of attack.



He wheeled his right and centre to face the threat.



As Sittakenes charged, Larruos took the cavalry around the fighting line.



He got stuck into the fighting.



The outflanking maneuver continued.



On the left, Larruous circled wide.



Weary Seleukids climbed up the bank only to find themselves in danger.



Sittakenes was wounded, but fought on.



Larruous charged in from the left flank.



Much of Sittakenes' bodyguard lay dead and his army was in disarray as they tried to fight back.



He was slain trying to rally them.



His army began to fragment.



The panic was total.



The crossing was quiet, but it was a horrific scene of carnage where men had been cut down by missile fire or been drowned.



Messaneos had his victory.



Editorial note



The stats don't really tell the story that I cocked up my initial layout, assuming where the road appeared to cross the river was the crossing. So I was too far to the right, which meant they came across on my much weaker flank, rather than in my prepared centre. Still their general acted like an idiot, and made it easy for my mistake not to be fatal.

The two units who suffered big casualties were those holding the left wing while the rest of the army hot-footed it around to take the enemy column in the flank. Those Thureophoroi held off their general most of the battle. The Anatolians fought a motley collection of enemies, including some elite Agema spearmen.