The House of Seleukos: The History of the Arche Seleukeia

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CHAPTER V
Antiochos II Theos

263 to 230

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6. Battle of Gazara

The view of present-day Gazara from the south. The Battle of Gazara was fought just north of here along an arid stretch of road leading to the town.

After Gindarus, Antiochos made his way down the Syrian coast, while Sarpedon made preparations for his campaign against the Ptolemies in Southern Anatolia. By summer of 259 BCE, Antiochos was just north of Gazara. The town was strategically situated at the junction of the coastal highway and the highway connecting it with Jerusalem through the valley of Ajalon.

Tracking Antiochos’ movements along the coast, the Ptolemies were able to land an army from Crete just north of Dora. Reinforcements from Hierosolyma arrived from the east, and the three armies met on an arid stretch of plains along the road to Gazara. The Ptolemaic forces were small in comparison to Antiochos’ forces, numbering 17,000 to Antiochos’s 38,000. But amongst the Ptolemaic forces, were 7,500 klerouchoi, 3,200 thureophoroi, 1,600 Galatians, and 4,000 Jewish soldiers.

The Ptolemaic and Seleukid phalangitai engaged in battle. At Gazara, the Ptolemaic phalanx again proved it was no match against Seleukid might.

The Ptolemaic army could not overcome their lack of cavalry at Gazara. Once again Antiochos’ own cavalry proved overpowering, with the king leading, as always, the charge from the front. It was after Gazara that the first whispers of Antiochos’ divine status were murmured. Not only had he not yet lost a battle, he had thrown himself fearlessly into the fray in every engagement and had emerged unscathed. But his toughest battle lied ahead.

The Seleukid auxiliaries celebrate their victory at Gazara. After the battle, the first whispers that Antiochos was divine were heard.
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