The Indomitable Nile: A Ptolemaic AAR

**Disciple of Tacitus** · 12-10-2007, 18:21

Truly inspiring. A riveting read. We await the next installment!

**Chirurgeon** · 12-10-2007, 22:30

Originally Posted by Disciple of Tacitus

Truly inspiring. A riveting read. We await the next installment!

Thank you for following. I must admit there is alot of good reading on these forums at the moment.

**overweightninja** · 12-11-2007, 15:24

Great as ever mate, playing a Ptoly campaign of my own atm, wish I hadn't now it's so drab in comparison, or that's probably just me

Cheers

**Chirurgeon** · 12-12-2007, 00:44

To be honest I had never seen a Ptolemaic AAR on here and with their diverse troops and great potential I gave it a whirl. Plus I love Egyptian history so anything with Egypt is intriguing for me. I was a little hesitant but its been fun tracing the history of my Ptolemic Kings. Thanks for following Ninja

**overweightninja** · 12-12-2007, 02:20

I'm not saying there's anything drab about the Ptolies, it's a great change from the other Hellenes I usually play, I'm just showing some appreciation for the storytelling element ;)
Go Ptollies!
Cheers

**Chirurgeon** · 12-12-2007, 15:31

Yes the storytelling is very poignant part of the overall AAR. I like the human dynamics. Afterall history is about people.

**Chirurgeon** · 12-14-2007, 02:38

Winter, 232 BC, Besieging Nikea
I think I will believe the King of Pontus when he says his men fight for family and home. Earlier before the first snow, four members of the royal family each with many heavily armored horsemen attacked us while we lay siege.

The terrain was not befitting a grand battle, but it had to do. I expected the horses to attack us in the flanks and send their lighter troops to the front of the phalanx. Alas they did not. Unbelievably they charged our lines. Even greater to my astonishment was their near breaking of our lines with their well disciplined and virtually impenatrable horses. The phalanx began to sag in several places. I had to send in the Galatians and Therokai. Even these heavy infantry took some time to deal with the situation.

Our own cavalry was busy on the right flank countering the royal family member that tried to flank us there. It took what seemed an eternity to bring the horses down. After the battle the landscape was littered with corpses of both man and beast. Should the King had sent a larger army I am not sure our lines would have held.

I have contacted my youngest brother in Antiochae and he is training more heavily armored and better disciplined Phalanx. Alas the men of Pontus succombed to our numbers and spears and once my son could turn the cavalry on the right flank was able to rear charge cavalry that was trying to break our lines. The end result was the death of four members of the king's family. No doubt his pain is great. I do not regret the death of his relatives. All I have to do is remember what he did to my garrison.

Spring, 230 BC, on the Gediz River
We have camped on the West bank of the Gediz river after our struggle to capture Nikiea. I have moved up a garrison and fresh troops from Ipsos and are preparing to attack Ankyra. It is a risky venture however. The Selucids have allied with Pontos and now have me in an uncomfortable situation. Small armies, no doubt dispatched by King Artaxerxes. Are moving along the Northern Anatolia coast. Although none are large enough to pose a real threat, and are not in Mysia, they could attempt to steal the city back. The Selucids are putting more men in and around Galatia in an attempt to halt progress there. I must make a choice. Attack Ankara and expose myself to the Pontic forces no doubt wishing to regain Nikea or follow the Black sea to Sinope and pull the forces of Pontus to me there. Geographically it would be easier and faster to get to Ankyra. And in fact that is what I intend to do. I have recieved word that Tarsus is again under siege. I have told my youngest brother, Epigenes, to assemble an army to defend our interests in Syria. We cannot afford to lose any cities.

Winter, 228 BC - Ankyra
Ankyra was a thriving barbarian town. Now we will have to rebuild it. Again I used primarily mercenaries to capture the town.

Before our arrivial the Selucid rulers stripped her of most of her population to a shadow of her former glory. All the men had been used to swell the Selucid armies that now rove around Anatolia. I captured it using my light troops and skirmishers. Most of whom were mercenaries. My core army is still intact. Demosthenes Lissaious is commanding our forces that recaptured Tarsus. Now the Arabs, or Saba are molesting our holdings in Syria. With the fall of Ankyra It is time to turn our attention north to Pontus. King Artaxerxes has been preparing for our inevitable assault. I believe he thinks I am a man of my word. He commands a vast number of men for the size of his kingdom. His cavalry is strong. I have ordered Demosthenes Lissaious to move his forces to Galatia to defend our interests here. The king has moved his court from Amaseia to Sinope. The vast majority of his forces are in and around the city of Amaseia or in the region inbetween. It will be a hard fight as his warriors will not relent easily. One of my nephews, Antigenes Ptolemais has defected to the Selucids and I have sent my son and the rest of the cavalry to deal with his betrayel.

At the age of 57 I am getting much older but I still feel good enough to fight and command. In the Spring I hope to head north. With Demosthenes keeping the Selucids busy I hope to deal with Pontus.

Winter, 227 BC - Ankyra
Earlier I had a very important conversation with Agiselios.

I have just turned 58 and recently been ill. I needed him to act in my stead. Inviting him to my chambers for dinner he came in with confidence and compassion. We talked briefly about the betrayer and how he had pursued him across the plains of Galatia. Finally pinning him down against a river he was run through with the spears of his men. We both shook our heads at how a member of our family could betray us. After a moment Agiselios changed the subject.
(I had screenshots of the betrayer and the battle but I could not find them)
"Father how are you?" I remember him asking me.
"I am well my dear son. Come in come in there is much we need to discuss" I waved him into the room. A table had been prepared with fresh fruits, wine, and bread. Smoked fish from the coast of Nikea was to be the main course along with some wild tubers.
"Father I trust you are feeling better?" He asked me. "Ah yes I am feeling better...but not good enough" I motioned him to sit down and we did and began putting food on our plates. A man servant poured wine from locally grown grapes. "There is grave news from Ipsos." I sighed. Tired of war I was but happy of my accomplishments I grew frustrated at the persistance of the Selucids. "It would seem that the Selucids have marched an army to Ipsos and laid siege."

Agiselios looked at me alarmingly. "We should depart immediately!" I motioned for him to stay seated and I continued. "You can leave in the morning. I have already alerted the men. They are preparing to break camp at dawn." Ageselios seemed upset by this. "You are upset at my decison to alert the men?" Looking at me with soft eyes Agesilios continued. "Father I had hoped you would have told me. After all you have wanted me to learn the organization and planning of the armies." I smiled and leaned back in my chair. I was so proud of my son. He would make a great Pharoh. "Agesilios you are absolutely correct. The cavalry commander traditionally takes care of the day to day happenings and movement of the army. However that is not your responsibility anymore..." For a long moment Agesilios had a look of perplexion on his face. Slowly he began to realize what I was telling him. "You wish me to command the men don't you? Thats why you called me in here before we left for campaign." I nodded slowly. "Son I have commanded for so long I can scarcely remember what its like to sleep in the same place. It is time for you to assume your duties as Pharaoh. One of those is commanding our forces in battle." My son's mind began to race. The reality of the situation hitting him. I knew his first concern so I broached it. "And who will you choose to lead the cavalry into battle?"
He looked up to me. "You read my mind father." I should think Onesilos should command my cavalry.

He demonstrated himself well at Nikea" I nodded in agreement and pulled some grapes off of the vine on the plate in front of me. I savored their sweetness. I swallowed the crimson wine and let the dryness of it permeate my palate.
In the morning I saw my son off. We talked about everything except war. I told him to return to me when Ipsos was in our hands again. He nodded and mounted his horse. Heading out the gates he met up with the rest of the Cavalry. He was to meet up with Onesilos in the next few days. Winter's grip was still surrounding the lands. The trees were barren. It was cold. But my heart was warm with love for my son.

Winter, 226 BC - Ankyra
I recieved a most anticipated letter from Agisilos. I had hoped he was victorious:

As excited as I was about my son's victory it delayed our efforts to secure ourselves against more Selucid attacks.

In Tarsus Demosthenes Lissaious was involved with a pitched battle for control of the city from a Selucid army. I am losing count of how many times the city has been lost and regained again. I hope that if we capture Kappodacia, as my son suggests and I agree with, this will bring some relief to the other cities in Anatolia. The Caucaus mountains to our East are wild and untamed. The Selucids have no influence in those lands. The real battle lay ahead. This business in Anatolia is just a taste of what is to come.

Summer 223 BC - Ankyra

For the last three years or so, Agisilos has been pursuing the Selucids into Kappodacia. He had several small engagements in which he won with minimal losses. This culminated in a siege of Mazakas the capital of Kappodacia.

Demosthenes Lissaious has proven himself a capable commander. Having retrained his men in Syria he headed over the Coastal mountains and joined Agisilios. Just yesterday I recieved another letter from Agisilios. He has placed Demosthenes in command of Mazakas and ordered him to prevent Selucid forces from crossing the Halys river. He needs to be sure that his rear is secure. For my son is taking on a tremendous task. He is laying siege to Amasea, the Pontic capital.

King Artaxerxes, is ailing and has placed most duties on his son, Pelopidas.

However Agisilios has trapped him in the capital. If the heir to the Pontus throne is to survive, they will have to offer battle to Agisilios. I am sure he will take them up on the offer. I have seen the ferocity in which the Pontic men fight. I should hope our discipline and experience carry the day. I anxiously await the results of the battle.

Winter 222 BC - Alexandreia

I left Ankyra to travel back to Alexandeia. It was a rough voyage. Apparently there is trouble with the native Arabs that inhabit the deserts to our east. Their migrations over the years have put our cultures into closer proximity. They have absorbed much of the independent kingdoms of Arabia and are threatening to spill over into Syria, Sidon, and Hierosylama. Our entire Eastern border now sits adjacent to enemy territory. To make matters worse the wretched Selucids have forged an alliance with the Saba. This is most troubling indeed.

As I sit in the palace I realize its been many years since a Ptolemy has lived here. I should hope my son will choose this as his residence. I have known nothing but war. It has consumed my life. The bigger our expanse becomes the more problems develop. I cannot afford any more armies. Our two armies in Anatolia are necessary to prevent the vile Selucids from reclaiming their lands and to simultaneously deal with the Pontus problem. My son wrote me another letter which I was able to read on our journey back to Alexandreia:

Struggle for Amasea:

It pleases me greatly to hear of the success of my son. I however have a pressing concern. That is of succession. My son's wife is quickly losing her fertility and although they seek each others warmth night after a night nothing more than a daughter has been produced. Onesilios the son of my brother Lysimachos has a son as well. it would seem our line of rule might shift to my brothers side of the family.

*Historians Note*
Ptolemy III Euergetes made substantial gains in Anatolia. He was able to take advantage of a power vacuum. With the collapse of Macedonian influence and so many independent cities like Helikarnassus the Ptolemic kingdom firmly established itself in the region. Control of Anatolia was uncertain after the Selucid-Pontic alliance shattered during his reign. Ptolemy III took advantage of the situation and Captured the heart of Anatolia. Everything west of the Caucaus mountains fell into possesion of the king. The only exception being Sinope. Which at the time of his death was under siege by his son Agisilios. With the neutral Hai kingdom in the Caucaus mountains and the Selucids reeling from their territorial losses a new threat emerged. Across the deserts of Arabia a migration had occured. The native peoples of that land came into direct contact with Ptolemaic controlled areas causing many problems. Eventually subjugation of these people would be necessary if there is to be peace on the Eastern border of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. Another note from these journal entries is the interesting topic of succession. Most Kings would like to pass their kingship onto their son. However Euergetes did not have a son and chose Lysimachos his younger brother as his heir. The refusal of this is unprecedented. His son is now the Pharaoh and without a male heir to the throne his current cavalry commander, Onisilos, is the likely recipient to be the next Pharaoh. It is interesting to note that at the end of Euergetes rule that Onisilos is the only Ptolemaic family member that has a son. At the time of his death the boy is 14.

**MarcusAureliusAntoninus** · 12-14-2007, 01:59

I just got around to reading the last update. Good update and writting, Chirurgeon.

**Chirurgeon** · 12-14-2007, 02:46

[QUOTE=MarcusAureliusAntoninus]I just got around to reading the last update. Good update and writting, Chirurgeon.[/QUOTE

Thank you MAA it has been quite difficult to read all the AARs on this forum. I know you have been working diligently on your own AAR so I appreciate you taking time to look at mine. Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to update nearly as often as you, but with the winter break approaching I should have more time to provide the viewers of the AARs more reading material :)

You posted right as I was updating. Looks like you missed the update by about 40 minutes!

**MarcusAureliusAntoninus** · 12-14-2007, 21:16

I've caught up again!

I like the part about Ptolemai wanting his son to live in the palace. I just recently thought the same thing about my AAR campaign. Demetrios hasn't ever spent any large amount of time simply ruling from Pella.