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  1. #1
    The Naked Rambler Member Roka's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Line of Ptolemy

    Chapter I ~The Best Laid Plans

    In the 11th year of the reign of Ptolemaos II (272 BC), the Ptolemaioi were involved in the First Syrian War. Ptolemaios II, hoping to conquer the city of Damaskos starting building up a Royal Army. However the fates soon threw a spanner into the works.

    In the winter of this year Diospolis-Magale (Thebes) was attacked by local dissidents, Ptolemaios sent word to his nephew Leontiskas Thraikikos in Pselkis to move to reinforce the embattled Meleagros. However Meleagros was impatient and decided to sally to meet the foe. Very little is known about the battle except that the Ptolemaic forces were victorious and that the Rebels were ruthlessly crushed.

    Preparations for the march to Damskos continued undisturbed by the rebellion to the south and in the late autumn of 271 BC Ptolemaios led his army East out of Aigyptos expecting to be reinforcied in Ioudeia. He did not get far however as news soon reached him that the Kyrenaioi led by Philon have attacked the western border town of Paraitonion. Ptolemaios II ordered his troops to march towards Paratainon instead. Stopping off at Alexandria to be reinforced by a unit of Thureophoroi (Spearmen).

    In the spring of 270 BC Philon of Kyrene succesfully attacks the Ptolemaic forces in Paraitonion. Very little is known about the battle except that the gates were apparently thrown open by collaborators and the garrison swiftly defeated. Philon is said to have shown mercy to the people of Paraitonion. By autumn Ptolemaios II was on the borders of Marmarike and encountered army of Philon. In late autumn a relatively large battle was fought and, as a member of the Pezhetairoi Phillipos wrote, Ptolemaios was victorious.



    "As the army approached Marmarike the scouts reported that an army of lesser numbers than ours was waiting in the hills. Ptolemaios immediately rode out on his horse to survey the enemy position by himself. He returned late at night and called the officers to his command tent. Early the next morning the battle plan was relayed to us, we would try and dislodge the enemy from the high ground using the Toxotoi, however if that was unsuccessful the army would meet them on the hill. Naturally the Pezhetairoi would bear the brunt of the fighting, attacking the enemy Phalangitai in the centre.

    By afternoon we had marched to within sight of the enemy and it was apparent to all but the fools in the army that Philon had chosen his ground extremely well. His army was drawn up on the steepest hill in the area. The Toxotoi advanced to pepper the enemy Phalanx with arrows, however the stubborn enemy would not move, so the Basileus sent the Machimoi Hippeis out to the left preparing for a flanking maneuver whilst the main body of infantry advanced towards the waiting enemy lines. The enemy waited unmoving as we slowly ascended the hill. Philon however was a crafty general and all of a sudden the air was filled with javelins as Akontistatai rushed from the midst of the Phalanx firing two volleys at us before retreating to the safety of the rear once more.

    A typical battle ensued with the an almighty crash as the two armies collided, slowly grinding each other down. At the time i was wondering were the Hippeis were, but i found out later that they were involved in a desperate fight with the enemy general and his bodyguard of Machimoi on the flank. Up and down the line the battle seemed to be going badly until Ptolemaios himself drove Philon from the field and was able to flank the enemy Phalanx. Rolling up the line from their right flank whilst the Machimoi chased down any fleeing enemies. Only Philon and his bodyguard were able to escape the battle.

    Soon after the battle word reached us that Ptolemaios II has another child, a girl named Thermouthis."

    Although the testimony of one man is always subject to bias, his account fo the battle seems plausible as Ptolemaios was forced to halt his advance and await reinforcement from his 16 year old son Euergetes in the Spring. In the summer Ptolemaios besieges Paraitonion and offers the unconditional surrender of Philon in exchange for the lives of him and his men. A single javelin launched over the towns walls is the only answer. By the time autumn arrives Paraitonion is back in Ptolemaic hands. Ptolemaios III wrote about the battle later:

    "It was to be my first battle and also the first time I killed a man. The plan was simple, the Thureophoroi were to batter down the gates and proceed to the centre of the town, killing anyone who resisted. Mean while me and my father would follow close behind at the head of the cavalry.

    I will admit to feeling nervous as the gates opened with a crash and I am ashamed to say I let out a sigh of relief when the gap was not filled with screaming enemies. The Thureophoroi quickly advanced into the town but met no resistance until they reached the main square.

    My father led his cavlary force round to flank the enemy whilst I charged straight towards the enemy general, who was already engaged with the Thureophoroi. The noise was deafening as we clashed with the embattled Machimoi Hippeis. I killed the first man I encountered with a thrust of my Xyston to the chest, my teachers would have been proud. Soon after I entered the fray my father attacked the enemy from the rear bringing the battle to a close as the enemy were slaughtered. Philon refused to surrender and instead of allowing himself to be captured threw himself onto the spears of the Thureophoroi."


    After the battle Ptolemaios sent an emmisary to the Kyrenaioi, offering a ceasefire in exchange for gold. They quickly accepted and Ptolemaios II went about rebuilding the town of Paraitonion. It is wondered whether Ptolemaios would have attacked the Kyrenaioi anyway as it is believed that he did not fully believe his Karthadastim allies and wanted a buffer state between them and he.

    Other events in the Ptolemaic kingdom in this time:~

    Eunostos Kypriakos dies in the Spring of 271

    Herib, daughter of Meleagros is born in Autumn 271

    In the winter, Karpion Soter marries Ptolemais, daughter of Menelaos and Philotera. However Menelaos dies mere weeks after the wedding of his daughter.

    In the Spring of 270 BC, Sosandros Philoterios marries Menelaos' other daughter Artakama.

    The town of Side manages to repel an attack by the Arche Seleukeia in the Autumn of this year.

    As winter descends on the land, Agathokles Thraikikos dies around the same time his first grandchild Hedeia is born to his son Leontiskos. Stasikrates Philoterios is also born. As is Theoxena, daughter of the newly appointed Dioiketes (Minister of Finacne) Karpion Soter.

    In the new year, Euergetes oldest son of Ptolemaios II comes of age and immediately joins his father on campaign before returning to Alexandria for further education after the battle for Paraitonion.

    Admiral Naukrates defeats a Seleukid fleet off the coast of Iuodeia and proceeds to blocakde Antiochus in the summer of 269. Trade rights are also agreed with the Sabeans around this time.

    As the trees shed their leaves a Hellen named Erasiphon Sebennytios marries Kleopatra.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Sorry for the lack of screenshots, the next chapters will be full of them, I promise.

    First post has been edited.
    Last edited by Roka; 08-02-2009 at 19:07.

  2. #2
    Strategos Autokrator Member Vasiliyi's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Line of Ptolemy

    Good start, your battle descriptions are well written. Ill be following this one.

    4x
    1x

  3. #3
    Member Member Horatius Flaccus's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Line of Ptolemy

    Indeed a good start! Nice to see that you picked up my idea.

    Some more screenshots would be appreciated, though.
    Exegi monumentum aere perennius
    Regalique situ pyramidum altius
    Non omnis moriar

    - Quintus Horatius Flaccus

  4. #4
    The Naked Rambler Member Roka's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Line of Ptolemy

    Quote Originally Posted by Horatius Flaccus View Post
    Indeed a good start! Nice to see that you picked up my idea.

    Some more screenshots would be appreciated, though.
    yeah i've got a few screenshots sorted for the next chapter

    i was pressing the wrong button to take screenies

  5. #5
    Peerless Senior Member johnhughthom's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Line of Ptolemy

    Quote Originally Posted by Roka View Post
    i was pressing the wrong button to take screenies
    Just remember to turn anti-aliasing off if you are just using the printscreen button. Good luck with the AAR.

  6. #6
    The Naked Rambler Member Roka's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Line of Ptolemy

    Chapter II
    The Road to Damaskos?

    268 BC – 264 BC

    In the 15th year since Ptolemaios II Philadelphos came to the throne of Aigyptos, the First Syrian War, was yet to really kick off. Only one land battle had been fought directly between the Ptolemaioi and their Seleukid rivals (near Side in 270 BC) with the Ptolemaic force victorious against a numerically superior foe. It is widely believed however that the attack on Paraitonion by the Kyrenaioi was financed by Antiochos I, but since there was no Seleukid forces in the battle it cannot be counted as a battle in the war.

    Around the same time that Meleagros' second son, Hermias, was born the Karthadastim attacked Kyrene. An enraged Philadelphos sent an emissary to the Karthadastim force attacking the city threatening them with war if they did not return to their own lands. The emissary returned to Alexandria with a guarantee that as long as Ptolemaios counted the Kyrenaioi a friend they would not attack. Things seemed to go back to normal between the two African super-powers however, with retrospect, relations were strained from this point onwards.

    In the winter of 268, Admiral Naukrates surprised a group of particularly troublesome pirates in the North Sea and completely decimated their fleet. Taking the leader captive to be drowned in the Nile.

    The year of 268 BC was a quiet year for the period with Ptolemaios delaying his renewed campaign to Damaskos in light of recent developments with the Karthadastim.

    After making sure that his ultimatum was accepted he resumed his journey to Damaskos this time using his naval superiority of the region to transport his army to Ioudeia where it would be reinforced by 8000 local spearmen. Philadelpos was finally able to besiege Damaskos in the Spring of 266 BC almost five years after he first began his march to the Seleukid town. His second son Lysimachos comes of age around this time and begins further education in Alexandria.

    For a full year Ptolemaios camped outside Damaskos unwilling to assault the walls yet unable to draw the garrison out from behind them. The only time Philadelphos left the countryside surrounding Damaskos was in the autumn of that first year when he attended his son Lysimachos' wedding.

    By the following Spring the Ptolemaic army was getting restless and Ptolemaios new he would either have to attack soon or else lift the siege and return to Ioudeia. This decision was made for him when his scouts reported a large army almost over 20,000 strong coming to relieve Damaskos. Including the army inside the city which numbered 14,000 he would be outnumbered by 2-1. With another army marching from Antiocheia towards Sidon battling a numerically superior force then marching to fight another army would not be a good strategy. He lifted the siege on Damaskos and marched north to engage the army to the north of Sidon. Surprisingly neither the relief force led by Seron Themisoniou Phrygikou nor the garrison of Damaskos pursued. Once again Phillipos, member of the Pezheiteroi, provides the most credible account of the battle:

    “As we marched towards the enemy, Ptolemaios noticed an ideal position to take, close to Mount Lebanon. To engage us the enemy would have to travel up a slight slope with almost no cover, it was also ideal as there was forested areas to the right of our position which we could hide our reserves in.

    The next day the army awoke to the news that the enemy would reach us by afternoon. This gave us plenty of time to prepare. The plan was simple let the enemy march in the open ground while our Toxotoi rained arrows upon them, then allow them to exhaust themselves on the points of our Sarissas.

    Around midday a rumor spread around the camp that our reinforcements from Sidon would not arrive in time. The Ioudaioi Taxeis, mostly inexperienced men seemed to take this news as a bad omen, but luckily they had very little to ponder this and let their imaginations run wild as the enemy emerged from the forest at the foot of the hill we were positioned on, in the typical style, all the Phalangitai in the There was also a unit of Prodromoi on our left flank, with 800 Ioudaioi Taxeis and 1600 Thureophoroi in the woods on our right. All too soon the enemy came within range of the Toxotoi and the air was filled with burning arrows.



    In the centre of the enemy line was a unit of Argyraspides. We may outnumber them but the enemy army's core was made up of these elites. Ptolemaios must have noticed them too for the order was given to direct all fire upon these men. The enemy advanced under fire from our archers who inflicted minimal damage. The Ioudaioi Taxeis in the first line were ordered to fire upon the enemy as soon as they came within range. The man to my left Alexios had disclosed to me at the camp fire the night before that he had some doubt about the loyalty of the Ioudaioi as the enemy had a few thousand of their countrymen in it. His fears were for naught however as a hail of javelins slammed into the enemy Ioudaioi Taxeis.



    The enemy general ordered his army to halt just out of reach of our Sarissas, it would seem they were going to try and tease us down the slope. They launched volley after volley at our line but still we stood fast. The man in front of me whose name, to my eternal shame, I cannot recall was hit in the chest by a javelin. Without hesitation I stepped into the space once occupied by him, as he was dragged to the back of the Phalanx.



    Seeing that we would not give up the high ground without a fight the enemy advanced once again. My unit and the unit to our left would attempt to halt the enemy Argyraspides, no easy task. The battle in the centre was even for the next few hours until the unthinkable happened. The Argyraspides fearing being flanked broke. Seemingly without shame they turned their banks on our phalanx and ran back the way they came. Leaving their leader alone, surrounded and outnumbered.



    The battle soon drew to a close. Fugitives from the enemy army being hunted down well into the night. The battle was a great victory by anyone's standards, hardly any of the Greeks on our side died, the Ioudaioi Taxeis bearing the brunt of the casualties. These men fought well in this battle. For barbaroi.”





    With this victory Ptolemaios II had a clear road to Antiocheia, which was left virtually undefended. Many of its garrison lying dead in the hills of Phoenicia. Ptolemaios immediately moved his army towards the western capital of the Arche Seluekia, arriving at the beginning of winter.


    Time line of this period:

    268 BC

    Summer ~ Hermias Ptolemaios, son of Meleagros Ptolemaios is born.

    Autumn ~ Kyrene attacked by an army of Karthadastim
    ~ Sophanes Soter, son of Karpion Soter is born

    Winter ~ Admiral Naukrates defeats pirates in the Red Sea

    267 BC

    Summer ~ Eirene, sister of Ptolemaios II dies
    ~ Ptolemaios resumes his planned invasion of Damaskos

    266 BC

    Spring ~ Lysimachos Ptolemaios, son of Ptolemaios II comes of age.
    ~ Ptolemaios II besieges Damaskos

    Summer ~ Pothine, daughter of Leontiskos is born.
    ~ Kallippos, 3rd son of Meleagros is born

    Autumn ~ Lysimachos marries Tasion
    ~ Deogenis daughter of Karpion Soter born

    265 BC

    Spring ~ Ptolemaios retreats before a numerically superior Seleukid army, led by Seron Themisoniou Phrygikou.

    Summer ~ Philadelphos moves his army north to counter a Seleukid army marching south from
    Antiocheia
    ~ Ptolemaios II defeats a Seleukid army in Phoenicia

    Winter ~ Ptolemaios II besieges Antiocheia.


    The Known World at the end of 265 BC

  7. #7
    Member Member Horatius Flaccus's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Line of Ptolemy

    Great! I really like the screenshots you have used!
    Exegi monumentum aere perennius
    Regalique situ pyramidum altius
    Non omnis moriar

    - Quintus Horatius Flaccus

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