Battle Reports

[Folgore]

260 BCE, summer

Having defeated the Seleucid invasion of Syria, Timon Arrhidaeos was determined to get the initiative back and immediately moved east towards Edessa. As he laid siege to the city, the Seleucids immediately sent in an army to relieve the siege. Although the numbers were roughly equal, the Seleucid troops had better armour and equipment. Unfortunately for them, they timed their assaults poorly, leaving Timon to fight two battles against two small armies, rather than one battle against one big army. Without much trouble, the Seleucid forces were swept aside, leaving Timon free to enter Edessa unopposed.

[Folgore]

259 BCE, spring

Taking a brake from conquering the Seleucid Empire, Timon Arrhidaeos and his army remained in the recently conquered town of Edessa whiile they set up government and waited for a proper garrison to be levied. The Seleucids could not afford to sit still however. Appalled by the lack of resistance from Edessa's population, the Seleucids had hired a band of brigands to impersonate Timon Arrhidaeos and terrorise the Assyrian countryside. Timon could not allow this "captain Arrihidaios" (he could not even spell it right) to carry on dragging his good name through the mud, so he immediately attacked the brigand. Making good use of the high ground, his own slingers and archers could hit the enemy archers, but they could not hit them in turn. Struck down by arrows and stones, the brigand's body was found among the dead and his severed head was left to decorate Edessa's main gate. With Edessa secure and the countryside free of brigands, Timon continued on his way east.

[Folgore]

259 BCE, winter

Striking deep into the heart of the Seleucid empire, Timon Arrhidaeos laid siege to Seleuceia in the autumn of 259 BCE. Not expecting an attack here, the city's garrison was light. In the short battle that followed the taking down of the walls, the Seleucid soldiers fought bravely - among them their famed 'silver shields'. Every man fought to the death without exception. No doubt they assumed to executed anyway after being captured, so rather than dying prisoners, they died like men. The civilian population of Seleuceia would not have this luxury. After the battle, nearly the entire population was sold into slavery.