The Second Siege of Sparta and the Battle of Lakonike cont.

If Zalmoxis thought that the Makedoni were finished he was sadly mistaken. Makedoni royal family members from all over the south of Greece now used their vast personal fortunes to raise mercenary armies to try to force Zalmoxis and his rampaging wolves away from the failing city of Sparta. Season after season Makedoni family members tried, and died fighting Zalmoxis forces. The plains of Lakonike were littered with burial mounds of both Getai and Makedoni warriors. But still Zalmoxis prevailed. By now he was an experienced general in his own right, and living up to the reputation of both Partatua and Idanthyrus!

Then in the spring of 207 BC the cowardly king of the Makedoni finally sallied forth to meet Zalmoxis at the walls of his ravaged city. The battle was a forgone conclusion as Zalmoxis and his forces outnumbered the Makedoni 10-1. Zalmoxis positioned his forces on the crest of a hill and waited for the pitiful Makedoni. The Makedoni Akontistai sallied forth from the main gate. Zalmoxis ordered his archers to open fire. Hundreds of arrows cut the poorly armored Makedoni skirmishers down to a handful of men. The Akontistai broke and ran back into the city. “Pitiful” Zalmoxis thought. Right at that moment the Makedoni king rounded the walls from a rear gate. Zalmoxis immediately ordered his archers to open fire of the king’s bodyguard. The Makedoni king paused for a moment, this was all that Zalmoxis needed, and he ordered his phalanx to reposition to face the kings Hetairoi. Faced with no other option and men falling all around him the Makedoni king charged straight into the Komotai Thorakitai Stratiotai. Seeing that they could not hope to hold against such a powerful charge Zalmoxis ordered his forces to charge the rear of the king’s position and encircle his position. A fierce battle ensued during which the enemy king Demetrios was slain by the proud warriors of the Getai. Seeing this and the broken enemy run Zalmoxis allowed them to run as he had won the day and he had taken the city! Victory was his.



Remembering what happened to previous commanders upon entering Makedonian cities he stayed only long enough to retrain his archers before he left the city defended by a small band of mercenaries until new units could be recruited to defend his prize. Now he would continue his righteous crusade against the Makedoni by laying siege to the city of Korinthos and again trapped inside was the new Makedoni king! This was too much good luck, two cities and two of the Makedoni devils kings slain by his brave troops. It seemed that nothing could stop him and his men