The battle for Pergamon, Winter 269
Combatants: Sarpedon Syriakos (Arche Seleukeia) vs Ennomos (Pergamon)
Forces:
Sarpedon Syriakos
1x Somatophylakes Strategou
2x Prodromoi
2x Toxotai
1x Thanvare Payahdag
1x Peltastai
4x Pantodapoi Phalangitai
1x Iudaioi Taxeis
1x Thureophoroi
Ennomos
1x Greek General
1x Thraikioi Hippeis
1x Sphendonetai
2x Peltastai
1x Thraikioi Peltastai
1x Akontistai
3x Misthophoroi Phalangitai
1x Galatikoi Kluddolon
2x Hoplitai
2x Hoplitai Haploi
Total Men: 1096 vs 1340
The Battle
"Men! They're coming out. Move up that hill, double time! It will be a tough battle, but fight on, don't give up and we will be victorious!"
Well up on the hill, Sarpedon forms a traditional successor formation: phalanxes in the middle, guards on their flanks and cavalry on the wings. Sarpedon positions himself on the left wing, expecting that that's where Ennomos will be coming.
The first contact is made when a band of Hoplitai Haploi attacks the Thureophoroi before the rest of their army has formed up, but are forced to retreat. Making no more mistakes like that, Ennomos forms up properly just outside the walls. He has fewer Makedonian-style phalanxes, but they are of superior quality, and he also has hoplites and a superior number of non-phalanx units, and thus proves a good threat to Sarpedon's lines.
"Archers!" Sarpedon orders his archers to open fire at the enemy's left flank. He hopes it will hit them from their sides, and thus bypassing their shields, in hope that it will weaken the enemy sufficiently for his right flank to hold. That's where the Thraikioi Peltastai and hoplitai units are, and the Thureophoroi will have a big fight in front of them without proper support. Ennomos were indeed coming at Sarpedon's left wing. The mercenary phalangites are going phalanx against phalanx, and the Galatians are making for the Iudaioi spearmen guarding the pantodapois' left flank.
Soon after contact is made, Sarpedon's arrows are all spent. Many had hit their mark, killing or wounding the target, but some had missed all together, and yet some had got stuck in shields or bounced off armour. Not enough had died to make Sarpedon feel his right flank secured, and indeed it was threatened, with Ennomos' second-in-command challenging Sarpedon's Prodromoi. Peltastai a nuisance. In the middle, the Pergamon phalanxes had proven their superiority, and broken through the very middle, but the left flank was holding firm. By this point, Ennomos had retreated behind his lines, so Sarpedon along with the second Prodromoi unit were helping out the Iudaioi Taxeis, who had come in a little trouble when a unit of Peltastai had joined in.
After a lot of fighting, the prodromoi on Sarpedon's right wing were finally beaten and retreated off from the field, which made it a matter of time before the whole right wing collapsed. But being busy fighting on the left wing, Sarpedon took no notice of the happenings on the other side. He had enough problems keeping the phalanxes from running, as well as keeping the Iudaioi, who fought bravely and proudly, alive. But of course the inevitable happened: the thureophoroi had had enough, and ran. After a lot of losses, so did most phalangites. It is only thanks to the archers brave attempt to delay the enemy that Sarpedon, the jews and the remaining phalanx avoided being enveloped. All seemed hopeless when the second unit of Prodromoi were beaten off the field as well.
The change came when Ennomos finally exposed himself to Sarpedon, and what was left of his bodyguards. After successfully isolating him from the rest of the troops, Sarpedon mercilessly charged home, putting everything on that last card. At this point, a big part of both armies had retreated - Sarpedon only had 11 bodyguards and 34 phalangites - but Ennomos were still alive, and he still had a numerical superiority.
Soon enough, though, he fell to Sarpedon's own blade. Since Ennomos' second-in-command had previously died, the chain of command was broken, and the rest of the Pergamese soldiers were thoroughly shaken - but not yet beaten. There were still phalanxes willing to fight, but since they were exhausted, and lacked proper support, Sarpedon was able to use the typical hammer-anvil tactic to rout the rest. Chasing them back into town, and taking the gates in the process, Pergamon finally surrendered to Sarpedon Syriakos. It was an important victory for him, and in the process he gained a reputation for his bravery.
Results:
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