The Anabaseis of the Kings of Makedonia

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Thanks for your comments, the next chapter is underway.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Part 2 – The First Epeirote War (273 – 265 BC)

When word reached Antigonos that the Epeirotes had invaded Makedonia once more, he left the siege of Athenai to his loyal officer Hesperos, again opting for the route via the Gulf of Thermai. That would have narrowly proved fatal: opposite of Pydna the fleet was attacked by pirates far superior to the Makedones, albeit only in numbers. Antigonos’ sailors were almost at the point of ignoring all order and fleeing when they saw them, but the King gave an encouraging speech and managed to turn the tide. Some vessels and soldiers were lost, but the bulk of the troops reached Thessalonike in safety. Rumours circulated that the pirates were sent by Ptolemaios of Alexandria; but, like always when the Ptolemaioi were involved, nothing could be proved.

In Makedonia, Alkyoneus had already assembled another two regiments of Phalangitai. Antigonos and the heir to the throne joined and marched westward, past Edessa into Eordaia. Near the town of Bokeria, the army met the forces of Kyniskos Kartonos, a general of the Aiakides from Taras. He had 16,000 under his command, of whom were 1,800 προδρομοι (Prodromoi), and another thousand of the feared Illyrian cavalry. The Makedones had only 150 loyal retainers on horseback, but 18,000 infantry. At first the Epeirotes were greeted by the Makedonian Sphendonetai with a hail of lead. Kartonos started a diversionary attack on the phalanx when the Illyrians attacked the weak Makedonian left. Antigonos and Alkyoneus charged them and, although outnumbered, managed to chase them off the field. The whole Epeirote army lost the faith in victory and routed. The Makedones gave chase and managed to kill Kyniskos.

Kyniskos Kartonos at Bokeria.


Antigonos charges the Illyrian Cavalry.

In winter camp, Antigonos decided that, after two decisive victories, the time was right to offer the Epeirotes a peace treaty. Ambassadors were sent over the mountainside, but returned with a rejection. Having still forces at his disposal, Helenos Aiakides, Pyrrhos’ son and new leader of the Epeirote League, aimed to revenge his brother and father. Alkyoneus returned to Pella and sent his father new recruits to replenish his ranks.

When spring arrived, the Makedones continued their march through the wilderness when they were suddenly ambushed by an enemy force near Argos Orestikon. On a steep slope, covered with thick wood, the Makedones ran into Gallic mercenaries and Greek ιππεις (Hippeis), but mostly skirmishers, perfectly fitted for combat in rugged terrain, more than 7,000 ακοντισται (Akontistai) on foot and 2,000 mounted. Especially the phalanx, that couldn’t act cohesively, and the militia hoplites suffered horrible casualties. In the end though, the Makedones managed to slaughter the foe in the forests. Many of the Psiloi fled into the thicket and were never seen again.

Epeirote levy in the wilderness of Orestis.


The phalanx sustained heavy casualties.

Now aware of the tactics that the new king of the Molossians preferred to employ, Antigonos ordered extreme caution during the march through the Balkans. After a month in the wilderness, the Makedones rejoiced when they arrived on an open plain near the shores of the Ionian Sea. To their north lay the town of Epidamnos, from where the Epeirotes used to control the southern part of Illyria. Outside the city was Helenos with more than 6,000 levied Illyrians. Antigonos immidiately attacked and routed the small force, but Helenos managed to escape to Epidamnos. When the citizens saw Antigonos’ army, they promptly surrendered the city to him. In the modest palace, the young king was found dead. Disappointed by the cowardice of his underlings, he had ended his life with his own sword.

While King Antigonos campaigned in Illyria Hellenike to get rid of a smaller army loyal to the Molossians, Prince Alkyoneus in Makedonia managed to obtain a peace treaty with the Getic Confederacy to the north. The Getai lived north of the Istros River (the Danube), even north of the Traikians with whom they were closely related by culture and language. It was in Makedonias best interest. The Getai were a rising power, their King had only recently subjugated the tribes to the west, and within the next 15 years, the relations between Makedonia and the Getic Confederation would grow into a strong alliance. So content upon hearing the good news, Antigonos congratulated his son to his success and sent another diplomatic envoy to the Epeirote League, thinking he could take advantage of the uncertainty that reigned with regards to the leadership of the League.

A map of Antigonos' campaigns during the First Epeirote War.

As the Epeirotes did not answer, Antigonos' officers wanted the King to exert more pressure on the enemy and march south, to Ambrakia. But the King was reluctant. He was totally content with the direction the things had taken. Athenai had fallen, the Greeks were garrisoned and ruled by loyal puppets, and he had just conquered an access to the Ionian Sea for his kingdom. Why wasting more efforts on the Epeirotes? When word reached Antigonos that they were assembling an army though, he regretfully gave in and ordered the invasion of Epeiros proper.

After having been reinforced by Alkyoneus, Antigonos met his enemies in 267 BC, the 17th year of his reign. A Tarantine called Antinous Kestrideus had been appointed Στρατηγος Αυτοκρατωρ (Strategos Autokrator, Commander-in-Chief) by the representatives of the Epeirote tribes. In the summer heat, the armies met only a short distance west of Dodona, the site of the famous Oracle of Zeus. The two armies numbered both roughly 20,000. On the Makedonian side, 13,000 Phalangitai, 3,600 militia hoplites and 3,200 Psiloi. The only cavalry of the Makedones consisted of the 150 Hetairoi of Antigonos and Alkyoneus. On the Epeirote side, only a small phalanx, almost 5,000 poorly equipped hoplites, 2,000 Gallic mercenaries and 1,600 Θορακιται (Thorakitai). The cavalry was the pride of their army, 1,000 Prodromoi and even 1,000 of the élite εταιροι ασπιδοφοροι (Hetairoi Aspidophoroi), completed by numerous Psiloi, both on foot and horse.

The terrain at Dodona was uneven, a lot of wood covered the ground. Antigonos arrayed his troops in a long line on a gently rising open slope. The Makedones could not see the enemy, which terrified them greatly. Then suddenly, the Epeirote cavalry broke through. The light Hetairoi started to pelt the left flank with javelins, thus making the Makedones suffer great casualties before their own cavalry managed to drive them off the field. As Antigonos was chasing the Aspidophoroi, the heavy Epeirote Thorakitai made use of his absence and attacked the weakened left, whereas the Gallic mercenaries threw themselves against the Sarissai of the Phalanx. Soon the Epeirote commander and his own Molossian retainers entered the clearing and routed the Makedonian left, bringing the entire Phalanx into great danger. At this moment, Antigonos arrived back from his chase. Although already greatly tired, he charged the enemy in the back. Now under pressure himself, Antinous gave signal for retreat. The Makedones wanted to follow them, but their king wisely made them hold their ground instead, rightfully fearing the dangers of uncontrolled combat in the wood.

Hetairoi Aspidophoroi at Dodona.


The main battle line.

The next day, the Epeirotes would have regained their order and made a second attack. They did not change their tactics though, and the fight developed in the same manner as seen before. The Thorakitai attacked the Makedonian left flank, and the Molossian retainers charged in. The Makedonian cavalry attacked the enemy force from behind, managing to kill the Epeirote Strategos. The whole army broke, and this time Antigonos could not prevent his troops from giving chase. The bulk of the Epeirote troops were slaughtered in the wood, the rest deserted and was never seen again. The day cost 4,000 Makedones their lives, but on the enemy’s side the casualties numbered over 20,000.

Antinous Kestrideus leads his men into battle.


The Epeirote infantry routs.

One week later, Antigonos and Alkyoneus entered the city of Ambrakia without any further resistance. The remainder of the Epeirote leading class, mainly the rest of the Aiakid dynasty and their most influential generals, had hastily left Greece for Italy or had already been there, occupied with their other war against the rising city of Roma. From their stronghold in Taras, the Aiakides managed to continue the war against the Antigonids at sea. Their fleet even managed to beat the Makedonian one before it was finally beaten in 265 BC near the mouth of the Ambrakian Gulf.

This marked the final end of the First Epeirote war. It had lasted for eight years of bitter fighting. It was started by Pyrrhos when the height of his power had already passed, and its outcome decided the fate of Epeiros. It was now under Makedonian control; Antigonos installed the same type of administration in the west as he did in the south, an indirect rule via loyal local rulers, backed up by a strong Makedonian garrison. Even with the Ptolemaioi, who were occupied with their own war against the Seleukidai, a peace treaty could be achieved. All of a sudden, the Makedonian Kingdom was the hegemonial power in Greece once more, a position lost since the days of Demetrios Poliorketes.

[Maion Maroneios]

Excellent, as always. By the way, the little "treat" for the viewers we've discussed is underway. It took me a lot longer to finish, since RL (University, mostly) is costing me WAY too much time...

Maion

[satalexton]

JOY!!! Let there be peace under Makedonian rule!!!

ALL HAIL MAKEDONIA

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Good chapter. Good beginning for a powerful empire.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Thanks for commenting. The next chapter will cover the Kalabrian War.

[Africanvs]

Nice work, enjoying this so far. Great pictures!

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Part 3 – The Kalabrian War (263 – 257 BC)

The Second Epeirote War (263 – 259 BC)
In the same year the Epeirotes signed the final peace treaty, an alliance with the thriving power of Roma was achieved. The belligerent inhabitants of the central Italian city had had their share of problems with the Aiakid ambitions as well. Pyrrhos had campaigned against them, but failed to bring them to his knees at Asculum. The Romans had ambitions in Sicily, and therefore agreed to a peace treaty with the Aiakides. As their efforts on the island proved to be leading nowhere, the Romans shifted their attention to the Greeks in the south of their peninsula again.

In 264 BC, the Makedonian heir to the throne Alkyoneus set sail for Rhodos and captured the island, a cunning deed that brought him the title Νικησας Ροδου (Nikesas Rhodou), but deprived of the Ptolemaic allies, the island had become an easy prey for the Makedones. The treaty with the Pharaoh of Alexandria had brought the Antigonids nominal control over every island in the Aigaion, but to make it reality, Alkyoneus had to go to Kreta and subjugate the inhabitants. At the same time, roughly two years after the First Epeirote War had ended, the Aiakides sent out a fleet with an army to Aitolia. Undoubtedly, their intention was to regain a foothold on mainland Greece. The συνεδριον (Synedrion) of the Aitolians, after a long and heated debate, asked Antigonos for help. They didn’t trust the northerner very much, but feared the Epeirote forces too much to venture the stand on their own.

The Kolossos of Rhodos, visible sign of Makedonian humiliation, was torn down.

The Aitolians were by no means weak. Often had they taken up arms against Makedonia. Nevertheless Antigonos prepared his army once again and marched south, fearing the efforts of the last war could have been made in vain. And indeed, when he arrived in Aitolia, news reached him that the Aiakid forces had abandoned their siege of Thermon and were instead marching towards Ambrakia! Now angered, the King decided that the time had come to teach the Aiakides a lesson once more. North of Ambrakia, the two armies confronted each other. The Epeirotes brought Tarantine horse and Samnite élite infantry to the field and loudly chanted for liberation of their homeland, something Antigonos could not permit to be heard. Not much is left to us from the battle itself, but the losses were quite high, especially the phalanx and the ιππεις θεσσαλικοι (Hippeis Thessalikoi) suffered greatly, but in the end the enemy was expelled from Greek soil.

Tarantine Cavalry near Ambrakia.

The King was content with this achievement and didn’t want to engage in a war in Italia, especially since the Aiakid dynasts were again at war with the Senate of Roma. Contrary to Pyrrhos, Antigonos was a careful diplomat and knew that interference in the Roman sphere of influence could only be detrimental to the new alliance. Furthermore, his loyal Strategos Euchrous of Mytilene was campaigning in Thraikia to bring the lands of the Dardanoi under control, a region directly bordering the Makedonian homeland. As Alkyoneus had just starved out Kydonia, the chief city of the Kretans, word came that the Epeirotes had taken Arpoi, a rural town on the Italian peninsula, and control of Apulia now lay in their hands as well.

Alkyoneus decided to take the war to the Aiakides. Not caring for his father’s policies, he sought further glory and wanted to add a new outpost to the Makedonian Kingdom. With 12,000 Phalangitai, 3,200 well equipped Hoplitai, 4,200 Psiloi and 700 Hippakontistai, he sailed to Kalabria and disembarked at Brentesion at the very edge of the Peninsula. When the Molossian king Alexandros in Taras heard of the invasion, he called for his trusted General Antikras Tiaios and the troops under his command. The Epeirote had 1,000 Hippeis, 4,600 Hoplitai, 3,000 Phalangitai, 1,600 each of Θουρεοφοροι (Thureophoroi) and Peltastai, 2,000 Ligurians and almost 5,000 Bruttian infantry under his command.

When the day of battle had arrived, the armies met each other on a plain a day’s journey east of Taras. Alkyoneus deployed his troops on a slightly rising slope and the Epeirotes attacked: the phalanx at the centre, the Bruttians at the Makedonian right and the Hoplites at the left. The Greek cavalry made a charge but was beaten by the Prince’s own guard. In the meantime, Alexandros and his Strategos circumvented around the right flank and threatened the Makedones from behind. The Hippakontistai countered the attack but were inferior to the heavy Molossian guard, who dealt them heavy casualties. Just in time, Alkyoneus managed to reach the fight, decide it and kill Alexandros. The Epeirotes were broken and turned to flee to Taras, but were cut down mercilessly by the Makedones. More than 22,000 Epeirote casualties stood against only 2,000 Makedonian dead. The victory was so overwhelming that even Antigonos could not deny his son the deserved praise.

Before the battle.

The Bruttians attack the Makedonian right wing.

Cavalry melee.

Alkyoneus' Hetairoi charge the Bruttian infantry.

The next day, Alkyoneus reached Taras. Kalabria was now firmly under Makedonian control, but the populace was unhappy with their new overlords. The city was prosperous despite the ongoing wars, and so the Prince decided to relocate over 70,000 Italiotai to Makedonia to colonise her scorched earth. The final end of the Epeirote state had come. It was said there was still an Aiakid prince in Arpoi, but his loyal retainers kept his existence secret for the moment. The Senate of Roma shifted his attention again to Sicily for a short time, where small skirmishes between Romans and Carthaginians took place. The Italiotai made a proposal: If Roma would grant them protection instead of fighting them, they would obey loyally to Roma, govern themselves in the Roman way, pay tribute and provide troops for the war against the Carthaginians. Since the Senatores thought the Aiakid dynasty to be extinct and the foe defeated, they agreed and made the Italiotai their protectorate, similar to the other socii of Italia.

The First Roman War (259 – 257 BC)
Alkyoneus knew very well that his hands were tied. Any further pursue of power on the peninsula would lead to a war with Roma, and that was something that neither he nor his father wanted. Antigonos had agreed to the alliance to grant the Kingdom a stable and prosperous future instead of being torn apart by rivalling powers. Nevertheless, Alkyoneus wanted to secure his Italian foothold. The diplomat Quintus Caecilius Metellus was not only a leading figure within Roman nobility, but also at the negotiations with the Italiotai. His premature death would be a severe ordeal for the relations between the Romans and the Italian Greeks.

Excerpt from Quintus Fabius Pictor: Historia Romana, liber XVII:
“Q. Caecilius Metellus was guest in the house of Antikras Tiaeus, Legatus Legionis Apuliae and former Strategus of the King from Epirus, who had fallen in the great battle of Tarentum. They had just laid down for dinner, when suddenly a servant came into the hall and warned Caecilius not to drink from the Falernian wine that his host had just served him. Outraged, Antikras asked how he would dare to insult him in such a way, but the servant explained that it was the Macedonian Prince Alkyoneus that tried to poison his guest. Having heard that, Antikras demanded the servant to prove his claims. In worry for the future of his people, the servant drank Caecilius’ cup of wine and died immediately. Now convinced by the selfless deed, Caecilius headed for the city and convinced his fellow Senatores of a war against the Macedonians.”

And so came it that in 258 BC, the Romans attacked Taras with a weak force, but failed in their attempt to drive the Makedones into the sea. Antigonos, who was outraged at his son’s imprudence, ordered Alkyoneus back to Greece. The Aitolians had broken the alliance with Makedonia, and the Prince’s army was needed to take care of them. However, Alkyoneus ordered four regiments of militia hoplites to be levied, 6,400 men who were ordered to shield the Makedonian retreat. The next year, the Legatus Legionis Titus Cornelius Scipio attacked Taras with a legion and a large number of allied light troops. The defenders were all but slaughtered, and Taras fell. Immediately afterwards, the Romans sent an envoy to Pella and sued for peace, a proposal that Antigonos gladly agreed to. In 256 BC, the alliance with Roma was finally re-established, albeit against the strong resistance of the gens Caecilii Metelli.

Romans conquering Taras.

So ended the Kalabrian War, which was actually comprised of two. A clash with the powerful Romans was largely avoided, but to the price that western expansion was halted. In the following six decades, no Makedonian soldier would set his foot on Italian soil. From now on, the Basileis of Makedonia would shift their attention towards the north and, first of all, the east.

[ROFLMAO]

Nice!

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Thanks.

I have added a Table of Content to my post #1, so that you can click there on the respective chapters and directly jump in medias res.

The next chapter will cover the late period of Antigonos Gonatas' rule and the campaigns in Thraikia.

[Centurio Nixalsverdrus]

Part 4 – Hegemony (256 – 246 BC)

In 257 BC, Alkyoneus had sailed to Aitolia and put the city of Thermon under siege. His army’s morale was low. The soldiers felt that the retreat from Italia was dishonouring. They didn’t understand why Alkyoneus, who had won such a tremendous victory with them, now simply withdrew from Italia. If they were able to crash the army of the mighty King of the Aiakides, why should they run away from those barbarian Romaioi? To make it worse, the Aitolians blocked the mountain passes in Alkyoneus’ back, all supply had to be shipped from Epidamnos. When autumn hit, another bad news reached the army: the Makedonian fleet was sunk by pirates! Mutiny was in the air. The Prince had to react, and so he ordered to storm the city. The walls were easily torn down, and immediately the Makedones flooded into the city. Massacre ensued, and out of the eleven thousand Aitolians who defended the polis, not a single one survived. Although the Makedones had lost almost three thousand, the victory tasted sweet and gave the soldiers back their self-confidence – and the belief in their leader.

Tarantine Cavalry at Thermon.

The Makedones brake through.

Alkyoneus enters the city.

The Thraikian Conquests
Already some years earlier, when the Prince campaigned in Megale Hellas, the King’s loyal Strategos Euchrous of Mytilene had led a campaign against the Dardanoi that inhabited the north of Makedonia. Often had they committed raids into the Kingdom, and frequently alongside other Thraikian people. But now the tides of war had changed: Makedonia was now at peace with the mighty Confederacy of the Getai, and both sides had an interest to grow it into an alliance. The Thraikians on the southern side of the great river had fallen between two stools.

The campaigns of Alkyoneus, Euchrous and Perseus 256 - 246 BC.

Having taken Serdike, the chief city of the Dardanoi, Euchrous led a campaign against the Keltoi, who called themselves Odrysai and lived to the east of the Dardanoi, and laid siege to their capital Tylis. When winter approached, the army was beginning to run low on supplies. The sparsely populated country didn’t reward the foraging parties of the Makedones much food, and a supply train could not be maintained through the wilderness. Euchrous decided that Tylis had to be taken before the first snow would fall and let the settlement be stormed. The Odrysai, themselves for the greater part foreigners in their country, fought bravely, but in the end could not hinder the Makedones on their way to victory. Unlike the country of the Dardanoi, which was incorporated into the Makedonian homeland, the Odrysai were allowed to continue their existence as a state. Euchrous appointed a particularly willing man of the local aristocracy King of the Odrysai – a decision right after King Antigonos’ own taste. In the future, the Odrysai would send their most fearsome and capable warriors to the kings of Makedonia and fight decisive battles in all parts of the known world.

Makedones at Serdike.

Hoplites hold their ground against the Thraikians.

Toxotai Kretikoi at Tylis.

Thraikian Riders attack the phalanx.

When Alkyoneus left Thermon, he also appointed a local noble to preside over the Aitolian League. But unlike the Odrysai, the Aitolians were forced into the Συμμαχια Ελληνων (Symmachia Hellenon, the Hellenic League), an alliance created by Antigonos. The King believed that it was best to leave the government of subjugated peoples – especially if they were civilised like the Greeks – to these. Furthermore, it brought the advantage of not having to establish a Makedonian administration. On the other hand, the garrison that was left in Thermon was prone to create an anti-Makedonian atmosphere among the populace. Nevertheless, the Hellenic League seemed like the perfect way to force the Greeks under Makedonian sway without having to invest too much in the country, especially since the Kingdom’s coffers were empty. Veterans of Alkyoneus’ recent campaigns found a new home in κατοικιαι (Katoikiai), ready to draw their sword any time when needed and cut down everybody who would dare to call for Aitolia’s liberty.

The next logical steps in Antigonos’ policy of expansion lay on opposite sides of the Balkan peninsula: to the west, the farther Illyria, and to the east, Lower Thraikia and the city that controlled the Thraikian Bosphoros: Byzantion. Euchrous marched west with his 26,000 men, among these almost 6,000 Illyrians and 3,000 τοξοται κρητικοι (Toxotai Kretikoi), the archers of great renown from the island of Krete. Alkyoneus marched east and, after replenishing his troops in Makedonia, laid siege to the famous polis of Byzantion. Both Strategoi completed their tasks in 252 BC after having starved out the respective populations. Byzantion was too important to allow it self governance, since Makedonia and Greece as a whole depended greatly on the grain that used to be shipped through the narrows that were controlled by the city. Illyria, on the other hand, was poor and primitive. The locals could not be trusted to set up the extensive mining business that the King planned to run. For these reasons Satraps were appointed for Lower Thraikia and Illyria, trusted members of the Royal Family.

Aitolian Problems, the Death of a Prince and the Rise of Another
Alkyoneus had a younger brother called Demetrios, and Antigonos loved him dearly, especially since Alkyoneus disappointed the father in Italia. Demetrios was the first prince of the Royal House of the Argeades who underwent the famous αγωγη (Agoge, the Upbringing) of Sparte. Krateros, Antigonos brother who had already passed in 259 BC, had not slaughtered all of the Spartans. There were still men of the original population left that had sworn loyalty to the Argeades and promised to teach and instruct every Makedonian prince who wished so in the Spartan way of life and combat. It is easy to imagine that no prince at all wished to do so, but over the time it became a tradition to send the young princes to Sparte. The Agoge later became enriched with studies at an Akademia, and famous scholars from all over the Greek world came to Lakonia for teaching. Less and less harsh became the instructions, and more and more emphasis was put on the more academic virtues, but until then it was still a long way by 256 BC. That year, Demetrios was the first Makedonian prince to complete the traditional Spartan Agoge.

After staying some years in Athenai for further studies at the famous Akademia, the young prince was entrusted with the difficult task of commanding the garrison of Thermon. To be the garrison commander in a garrisoned state meant to be the unofficial ruler of the state, since the local, official ruler had to carefully ask the garrison commander, as the official representative of the King of Makedonia, what wishes the King in Pella might have. The garrison in Thermon only consisted of a regiment (roughly 1,600 men) of militia hoplites. Demetrios had just begun to grow into his new task when a man called Thalysios of Ithaka assembled a force of brigands and attacked the city. To his men, criminals mostly, he talked of loot and riches, but to the populace he talked of liberation from Makedonian yoke. He had 5,800 men under his command, a thousand Greek riders amongst them. When he attacked, Demetrios ordered his Hoplitai to block the road to the agora of the city. They killed almost 4,000, but in the end they were overwhelmed by the great odds. Demetrios fell as the last of his men on the agora, and Thalysios proclaimed himself King of Aitolia.

The Makedonian garrison fights vigorously.

Demetrios, surrounded by the foe.

Upon hearing the news, Antigonos fell into an unprecedented rage. Usually known for his calm character, his family and underlings feared for the King’s health. Demetrios had to be avenged, and the King wanted his grandson Perseus to venture the honourable deed. Perseus had underwent the same Agoge as Demetrios had, and Perseus too studied at the Akademia at Athenai, a good deal of time alongside Demetrios who was only a few years older. When news reached him of his uncle’s death, he was not only sad but at the same time felt that the fate of being the Κλερονομος Βασιλειου (Kleronomos Basileiou, the inheritor to kingship) was now inevitable. After a brief period of shock, Perseus was eager to recommend himself as a great leader, and headed for Thermon. With 5,000 men under his banner, the odds were now in favour of the Makedones. After a brief siege, Perseus entered the city and slaughtered the brigands. Thalysios was killed. His head was cut off and first skewered onto a δορυ (Dory, an infantry spear) and showed publicly in Thermon, then sent to Pella.

Encouraged by Thalysios’ venture, a man called Philisstes had gathered men himself and controlled the Pindos Range between Aitolia and Epeiros. With 4,000 militia hoplites, 1,200 Sphendonetai and 1,000 Illyrian Riders, Perseus marched up the mountain range. Philisstes awaited him, together with almost ten thousand brigands who wore the simple, but sturdy gear of militia hoplites. Instinctively, Perseus lined up his soldiers on an open slope. Philisstes, who had many experiences as a robber, but none as a general, ordered his men to charge the Makedonian line. Perseus’ slingers started their hail of lead, and a great deal of Philisstes’ men lay dead on the ground before they even reached the Makedonian line. Though having numerical superiority on their side, the brigands had to fight uphill and were already tired and lost morale quickly. Perseus and the Illyrians circled around the flanks of his line and charged in at the back of the robbers. That was the moment the battle was won. Perseus shouted the order to slaughter anybody moving, and his soldiers obeyed their lord. Soon the bodies of 9,500 men lay scattered about the hillside. All at once, Perseus had made himself a name as a great general, to the extent that some made fun of him, calling him Αλεξανδρος Βεληνεκους Πινδου – “Alexandros of the Pindos Range”.

The Makedones line up at the hillside.

The brigands charge Perseus' line.

The line is held.

The battle is won.

Perseus now had tasted the sweetness of victory and fame. In 249 BC, Euchrous of Mytilene died in Dalminion, having only half completed the works on the new Makedonian administration. Perseus rode north and, with Antigonos’ consent, took over the command of Euchrous’ forces. With over thirty thousand, among them 1,700 horse, the largest Makedonian army in the reign of Antigonos, Perseus marched northward and put Singidunum under siege, the chief city of the Celtic Skordiskoi, situated at the confluence of Istros and Savus. When scouts reported that the defenders were already weakened by frequent attacks by forces of the Getai, Perseus ordered the oppidum to be stormed. The Skordiskoi fought bravely, and each thousand Phalangitai and Illyrian Thureophoroi fell, but at the end, the Prince obtained another great victory. The Skordiskoi were granted to keep their state institutions, and an influential nobleman was chosen to start a new Skordiskian dynasty in a strong alliance with Makedonia. Lesser tribes of the Skordiskoi even had their home turf on the northern shores of the great river, and Perseus was the first Makedon ever to set foot on these lands.

The Makedones fight Skordiskian nobles in Singidunum.

Fire rains upon the Skordiskoi.

Bastarnoi cut down the Skordiskoi.

But there was still a Thraikian region left that was neither part of the dominion of the Getai nor of that of the Makedones: Upper Thraikia, the land that extended between the Haimos Mountains and the Istros, inhabited by the fearsome Triballoi. With that region under control, Perseus would set up the great river as a border between the world of the Greeks and that of the Getai, with the exception of the region around the mouth of the river that was already subject to the Getic king. Two years after the conquest of Singidunum, Perseus marched his army east and took Naissos, the capital of the Triballoi by force and repeated what had already proved to be an effective strategy. The Triballoi and the other tribes became a kingdom allied to Makedonia.

Mikra Asia: New Horizons
Around 250 BC, Antigonos had reached the age of 70 and was by every means an old man. The death of his son had struck him severely, and although one of his mistresses gave birth to another son, Leon, he would never recover from the loss of Demetrios. The country though had recovered much, although great parts of Makedonia were still depopulated. As soon as Byzantion was taken, a royal road was ordered to be build, from the city straight along the coast to Pella, and even further to Ambrakia were a naval harbour was to be built, almost as great as the giant shipyards in Rhodos, necessary to construct the vessels needed to guarantee θαλασσοκρατια (Thalassokratia, the reign over the seas), at least for the Aigaion.

Around the same time, the problems of the Seleukid allies in the region increased. Having been at war with the Ptolemaioi for a long time, the Seleukids had problems to hold all their possessions in the far west of their empire. The Bithynioi had been forced under the Basileus’ yoke again recently, but the troops needed to keep the inhabitants obeying were needed to ward off the troops of the Pharaoh. Ennomos of Pergamon was a persistent threat to the Seleukides’ western holdings around Sardis. Realising this, King Antigonos sent an envoy to King Antiochos. His treasury was bursting, and so he gave Antiochos 500 Talents of silver [30,000 Mnai] and further promised to release the Seleukides from the burden to keep Bithynia and the Kingdom of Pergamon in check: the territories would be administered from Pella, not from Seleukeia any more. Antiochos was not totally content with this proposal since it meant he had to give up claims on those two satrapies for the time being. But after all, the decision was a fairly easy one. The war against Ptolemaios was not going to his pleasure. Syria was in Ptolemaic hands since more than a decade and a half. In fact, Antiochos thought the proposal a good opportunity to tie Antigonos stronger to him and even to lure him back into the war with the Ptolemaioi. For the moment, he accepted the treaty.

And so, the first possession in Asia came into the hands of the Makedones. Alkyoneus crossed the Bosphoros and started to set up Makedonian administration for Bithynia. Antigonos in Pella ordered twelve thousand πεζεταιροι (Pezhetairoi) to be levied. The first time since anybody could remember, the Makedonian phalanx should be made up of more than humble φαλαγγιται δευτεροι (Phalangitai Deuteroi), equipped with a strong Thraikian cap and a bronze shield. The deepened mining operations in Makedonia easily provided the funds for the new army. Alkyoneus, with more than 24,000 foot and 4,000 horse, headed for Pergamon and put Ennomos’ residence under siege.

But at home in Pella, dark clouds were gathering. Antigonos’ health state worsened every day. His mental functions were suffering. The King’s increasing religiosity was beginning to have an influence on his decisions. He ordered a temple to Zeus to be built in Pella, claiming to have witnessed a sign from the god in his sleep. In winter, the old King suffered from pneumonia. One day in 246 BC, the 38th year of his reign, he did not wake up again. Antigonos Επανιδρυτης [1] was dead.

[1] Epanidrytes, the Re-founder.

Pella in 246 BC, at the death of Antigonos II. Epanidrytes.

[Africanvs]

What a great chapter! I love the way you work the greek in with the rest. It's not too much but just enough to give it that something extra. I love the way that Greek font looks as well. It makes me want to learn to read and write it. You really have the names of everything down as well. I try but it is difficult for me to use the proper words for everything. I usually end up saying king instead of Basileu, Aegean instead of Aigeoi (or whatever it is).

I can't believe Demetrios died in such an inglorious way, killed in battle yes, but by a pitiful band of rebel scum. Excellent chapter Centurio!