The Battle of Lakonike 208 BC

During the second siege of Sparta word was sent to the remaining Makedonian cities in southern Greece that the Wolves had returned. A young general named Agis Mendaios was sent from Chalkis to deal with these wolves once and for all, and relieve their beleaguered garrison and king.

In the meantime Zalmoxis spies brought word that a large army was heading towards his position. Immediately he scrapped his plans for assaulting the city in favor of wheeling his troops around to face this new threat.

In the summer of 208 BC the two armies met on the plains below Sparta. Zalmoxis new that victory here would cripple the Makedoni war effort in Southern Greece permanently. The two armies stared across the wind swept plains. Zalmoxis knew that the only way he could break this army was to kill their general, easier said than done.

The Makedoni army began their march toward the Daos lines. As their skirmish troops entered into range of his archers Zalmoxis ordered them to fire. Volley after volley of arrows rained down on the enemy army. But still they would not break. The lines closed and the Makedoni phanagites engaged the heroic Getikoi Stratiotai in the main lines. For hours they fought neither side giving any ground. The Makedoni general began a final charge with his reserves. Immediately Zalmoxis ordered his archers to open fire. Arrows again rained down on the enemy lines. Their deadly fire cut the generals body guard in half. The Makedoni general not wishing to die withdrew his cavalry out of range of the Daos archers. Quickly taking stock of his situation the Makedoni general ordered an orderly withdrawal to their encampment. Seeing this Zalmoxis and his men let up a huge cheer.

The Makedoni general Agis set up camp some 10 km away and in the next season attacked again. This time he had a plan to try to break the impenetrable Daos lines. Again his Phalangites closed in on the Getai lines. Quickly the Makedoni skirmishers closed up with the Getai main body and opened fire. Zalmoxis ordered his archers to fire. Again volley after volley rained down on their heads, quickly they were decimated. Following close behind the Makedoni phalanx engaged the Getai main body. The Makedoni General Agis ordered his reserve pealtists to open fire on the Getai Archers. The archers just stood in place as the Peltasti rained a deadly barrage of javelins down on their heads. Agis marveled at the discipline of these barbarian warriors. They must have been out of arrows he assumed, and he charged his cavalry. Zalmoxis smiled a wolfs smile. He ordered his archers to open fire on the Generals bodyguards. The enemy general Agis faltered at the sight of hundreds of arrows flying through the air. This was all Daos archers needed as they loosed two more volleys. The arrows rained down on them killing almost all of their number. As Agis tried to withdraw to a safe distance he was hit by a stray arrow in the eye. The Makedoni general was dead! Zalmoxis let up a cheer and all the Getai warriors took a heart in their triumph.

Upon seeing their general fall the Makedoni began to falter. At first only a few men broke and ran, upon seeing this Zalmoxis ordered his fresh reserves into the main battle. This caused a general rout among the Makedoni and Zalmoxis ordered his cavalry into action and chased down every single man on that field and slaughtered them to the man.











With confidence at an all time high Zalmoxis ordered his men back to their positions around the city of Sparta……