Second Seleukid War, 222BC

King Amantieus remained in the high passes of the Tauros mountains even as autumn turned to winter and the snow began to set in. The threat from the Seleukids had not passed with one battle, there were other armies moving around the Pergamene border. He only hoped Atintan knew what he was doing in the north.

While blocking the pass he fended off two Seleukid armies. The first was led by Neolaus Aigon Aiolikon, a very young general. Perhaps the losses in the officer cadre from the last war had not yet been made good with new aristocratic soldiers. They were evenly matched, though the Pergamenes had the more balanced force.



Amantieus was keen to get some high ground.



Both armies advanced to meet each other.



A skirmisher's eye view.



The Syrians had an imposing wall of pikes in their centre.



Aiolikon charged the left flank.



Patron Byllideus watched for a time, then spurred his cavalry away from the melee to circle around. Aiolikon, seeing his move turned around and charged.



Byllideus kicked his horse into the fray, seeking out Aiolikon in personal combat. The rest of his cavalry he dispatched to drive off the Seleukid horse.



The was contact all along the line.



Amantieus led some Karians to outflank on the right.



Meanwhile in the combat of bodyguard-against-bodyguard, Aiolikon fell.



At first the battle carried on regardless.



But then units began to flee.



As the cavalry began to charge to the rear, more units joined the flight.



The elites in the centre fought on.



But soon it was a general rout.



With relatively few men killed or wounded, Amantieus had won. But now he had to prepare for the arrival of another army.



The second force came on much as the first did, and was not as well-led. They were fewer in number and had even less cavalry.



They were beaten as well, their commander dying in the rout.



Editorial note

I did actually try not to kill the enemy general in the first battle, I only had Byllideus fight with him. The Curepos struggled a little on their own against the Lonchophoroi Hippeis, but eventually their greater stamina and ability to run away while throwing javelins, along with experience told.

The second battle was almost like a re-run of the first, which is why I didn't go into detailed captures. They had more missile troops, but a pathetic main line. Without even killing their general a lot of it was routed.

Byllideus is proving to be a lethal leader of horse. As an FM he's hopeless, Dull/Uncharismatic/Vigorous, with no Command, Management or Influence levels at all. But he's tough and can fight.