The Pyrrhic Dynasty : A Makedonian AAR

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 72 : The Syrian War (Part IV):
Before the Fall

Separated from Demetreia and the royal family of the Demetrids of Syria, the land of Aigyptos had begun to opperate as a separate nation. "Requests" of military aid from Aigyptos to Demetreia had been turned down by the Makedonike nobles now ruling Aigyptos. Not only was it impossible for aid to reach Demetreia, but any attempt to do so would have been a great risk to Aigyptos itself and may have weakened the defenses of the ancient land. Not only did Aigyptos need fear Philippos, and a reprisal on the nobles who had apposed him, but Aigyptos also needed a strong army to defend itself from enemies from the lands of Nubia and their Ptolemaic king.

Aigyptos would not come to the aid of Demetreia because of the amount of Philippos-controlled lands between the two areas and due to Philippos' sea superiority. However, claiming to be coming to the aid of Syria, though in truth only seeking to expand the land controlled by the greedy nobles of Aigyptos, an army from Aigyptos marches north and attacks the city of Hierosolyma and the Ioudaioi army:


[I didn't get any screenshots of this battle.]

After a short time being besieged, and without any chance of Makedonike reinforcement from the north, the city is attacked by the siege equiptment of Aigyptos. The Ioudaioi army was conscripted under special conditions to defend the city. Had there been no Makedonike civil war, there would have been no Ioudaioi army. Now, they are put to the test defending their homeland.

The Ioudaioi defend the walls of the city, but it is only a matter of time before the superior numbers and elite status of the army of Makedones from Aigyptos gain superiority. With the defenders faltering, the battle looks bleak and the fall of the city becomes only a matter of time. Just as morale hits its lowest point, spooters report seeing another army approaching. To the east an army of Nubians approach the city and attack the part of the army of Aigyptos that still remains in reserve outside the city. Seizing this oppertunity, the king of Hierosolyma rallies his men and pushes the men from Aigyptos from his city.

Thanks to the army of Nubians, the city is saved and the Aigyptians retreat back to Alexandreia. The battle is a costly one, however. The army of Ioudaia is almost entirely wiped out and those who still stand are mostly mercenaries loyal to money and not Ioudaioi loyal to the king. With another army marching from Aigyptos, forces of Arabia surrounding the region, and Nubian "allies" just outside the city walls, the king is in a dire situation. Unable to raise an army quickly, the king is forced to accept aid from Chrysoloras Delphikos and his mercenaries. Once Chrysoloras Delphikos and the mercenaries reach the city, there is no longer any need from a Ioudaioi army and in fact Chrysoloras, under orders from his Basileus, discourages the raising of a new army.

As for the Ptolemaioi of Nubia, they declare an official war on both Syria and Aigyptos, promising to live up to their new alliance with Philippos:


A year later, a small scout force from Aigyptos tests their other border with Philippos' Arche Makedonia:


With the forces from the two adjacent forts coming to their aid, the small garrisons of the Lybian forts chase their enemy back to Aigyptos:


The forces from the fort loose no men, but manage to kill many with their javelin even though they never face their enemy with their swords:


With both borders to the Arche Makedonia tested, the forces of Aigyptos turn south and to the lands which were lost earlier in the civil war to oppertunitic Nubian forces. Their timing is poor, however, as Ptolemai VII, himself, and his huge army is passing by the region at the time:


Off to the west, the itch at is Numidia, attacks Ippone once more:


Growing ever more confident in his abiltity to lead, Zaikedenthes Echinaieus and his local garrison gallently defends the city once more:


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Philippos and his men have been sitting outside the walls for more than two years. The
army has been camped in the area so long that the camp has basically become its own city.
Around Demetreia Philippos' army had built a pallicade encircling the city and then another
around the camp itself, with a couple of towers built on the hills above the city. The bulk
of the camp is to the north of the city on the same side of the river (the east), but there
are also large forces stationed to the south and in the hills to the east, which overlooked
the town. Other than Philippos' army, mercenaries, Galatians, and Romaioi allies would also
frequent the camp around Demetreia as various armies patrol the lands of Syria.

The trade routes had been reopened when the other armies of the Arche Makedonia had
taken all the territories surrounding the region and trade once again flows through the region.
Traders pass through the valley and stop in the camp instead of stopping at the city of
Antiocheia / Demetreia as they once did. Some "traders" had even set up permanent residence
in the camp, especially those who "goods" appeal to soldiers and their vices.

Philippos, himself, had been absent from the camp on several occasions, but had been trying
to manage the vast Arche Makedonia from his residence in the camp. In the time since his
father's death, Philippos hadn't fought a single proper battle but had dealt with more
bureaucracy than he had ever dreamed of. Much of the managing work of the Arche Makedonia
is passed off to others and taken care of by Philippos' elder brother Sotades (once Sotades
took Tarsos) and his younger brother Euphrantos in Makedonia, who had continued to grow
and mature from the rebellious youth he once was. A great deal of the managing work of both
Philippos and Euphtantos has also been assumed by the nobles of Pella, both by order of these
men and by the own initiative of the nobles.

Many times envoys from one side of the siege of Demetreia would talk with the other side, but
the Demetrid family, namely Antigone, would never accept the terms of Philippos. Time had been
running out for the Demetrids, though. Just a few months prior, the city of had cast out several
hundred people into the regions between the city walls and the pallicades of Philippos. Had they
been barbarians, Philippos would have ordered his men to kill them or simply leave them there to
die, but they were Makedones, Hellenes, and Hellenized Syrians. Seeking to prove himself the
greater good in the fight, Philippos took in the cast out civilians. Thankfully, the invasion of
the surrounding areas had been completed and feeding, supplying, and relocating the people from
the city proves an easy task.

Finally, the time comes when a choice has to be made and word was sent out from the city
to the camp of Philippos that Euktimenos wished to arrange a meeting, face to face, and
discuss the surrender of the city and the fate of the royal family. Philippos is cautious of a
trap at first, but knows that nobody claiming such noblity would stoop so low. Philippos
agrees to the meeting on the terms that he brings his royal guard.

Philippos, his most trusted lieutenant, and a group of his royal guard approached the northern
gates of the city of Demetreia around midday. With the rest Philippos' army watching not too
far from the city, the gates opened up.

Philippos and his men are escorted to a villa near the gate, belonging to some local noble, where
the meeting is to take place. As they slowly move forward, Philippos takes time to observe his
enemy. The city looks clean and strong, but in the distance there are signs of filth and an occational
shift of the wind brings the smell of death, disease, and human waste. Along the sides of the
road, the soldiers of the garrison and what is left of the Demetrid royal guard are lined up. Their
armor and weapons are shined in order to give off an image or strength and honor, but the men
themselves look as though they are struggling to simply stay standing. The bodies of the soldiers
look weak and tired, but when Philippos looks into their eyes he sees something he doesn't expect,
he sees nothing. There is no fire in the eyes of his enemy, not even any fear. These are the eyes
of men who have already given up, accepted death. These are the eyes of a prisoner just before
he is exicuted, half his spirit has already gone to Hades. Philippos thinks to himself, 'These men have
already surrendered. They know their Basileus will not rule for long. Were I to give the order, my
twenty guards could take this city on their own. I could even give an order to these men, they
would probably follow it without a pause and turn their backs on their own side. These men have
no faith in their situation or their leader.' It is at that moment that Philippos knows the war was
over and that he was the sole ruler of most powerful empire in the known world.

Next: Chapter 73 : The Syrian War (Part V): The Fall of the Demetrids