Re: The Pyrrhic Dynasty : A Makedonian AAR
Chapter 97 : Another Point of View
Near the end of 142BC, Basileus Philippos V moves four veteran armies within sight of the walls of Pella. By 140BC, the Basileus has managed to reform his government, military, legal system, trade system, and imperial mechanisms for control. Many at the time saw the acts of Philippos as a movement away from totalitarian rule and a move to a rule by the nobles or an actual rule by the people. In actuality, the creation of the Council of Elders and the democratic reforms only increased the power of the Basileus.
When Philippos II conquered Hellas, the Hellenes saw the Makedones as conquerers and saw themselves as occupied. Under Antigonos II, the Hellenes were once again conquered, but this time Antigonos II gave them regional autonomy in order to prevent revolt. Peace was very unstable. When Perseus and Chrysoloras decreased the autonomy of Hellas during the rule of Demetrios II, the Hellenes rebelled but were once again occupied. This time each city-state of Hellas was given status equal to that of a Satrapeia. During the Makedonian Civil War, the city-states of Hellas once again tried to gain independant rule from Makedonia. Under the leadership of Sparte, the Peloponnesos League took control of southern Hellas, but the burning of Athenai and the slaughter of its people cost Sparte the support of the rest of Hellas. When fighting the Peloponnesos League, young Philippos first came in contact with the idea of a unified Hellas. The Hellenes were willing to unify with the Makedones in order to defeat the city of Sparte. Over the years, the differences between Makedone and Hellene had vanished and the idea of apposing them as alien seemed archaic in the minds of the common Hellene. This campaign and what Philippos saw amoungst the Hellenes stuck in the head of the Basileus until it became the idea of a unified Hellas.
Upon reaching Pella, Basileus Philippos is met by Euphrantos (younger brother of Philippos) and the old Royal Army, which is basically an army of retired veterans being rewarded with a life of service. Rather than fight with his brother, Euphrantos bows down to Philippos as a servant. Together they would appose the rebels in the Noble Council.
Philippos enters his capital and is met by a crown that had been riled up by the rebellious members of the Noble Council. In a great speech, Philippos adressed the crowd and reveals his plans for the future. The theme of the speech is a unified Hellas; the idea that all are the same: Spartan or Athenian, Ionian or Dorian, Makedone or Hellene, and even barbaroi or Hellene; and finally that all are the people of the Arche. Perhaps due to shear charisma, the crowd chears and follows their Basileus.
Basileus Philippos V does not do away with the council or even have its rebellious members executed, for they had not actually directly apposed the Basileus. To the exact contrary, the Basileus extends the council and increases its numbers. The powers he gives the council are insignificant and buerocratic in nature. The increase in size would ensure that the new members, thankful to Philippos for their position, would weaken the power of the old members. First Epeiros, Thessalia, and northern Makedonia are given seats in the Council of Elders, then later the lands of southern Thrakia, Hellas, Ionia, and the Aegean.
Once Hellas is added to the Council Regions, the capital was moved to Athenai and the city is redesigned and rebuilt to be a great capital. Basileus Philippos V had always been a man who was drawn to the southern Hellenic culture and invisioned an Arche that was truely Hellenic:
The laws and reforms that the council pass are also all from the mind of the Basileus. The vast amount of new members are nothing but puppets to the Basileus who will pass any idea that he gives them to pass. Under command of the Basileus, the Council of Elders pass laws to unify the justice system of greater Hellas, create a unified standard language, change the requirements of military service, change religious organization, reform the academy system, create a system of guarded roads, and most importantly the creation the Province System. The Province system simply changed the borders and system of governance within the Arche's Satrapeia. Now, all government of the provinces is done through direct representatives of the Basileus, in itself a giant move toward totalitarian power.
One noteworthy change in boundries is the redrawing of the borders of the Pontos province to the old Satrapiea bounderies before the civil war. This pushes Galatian control out of Pontos and restores the city of Amaseia to control from Sinope. The Galatians do not offer any resistance to this action, but become very resentful of the decrease in power.
The Provinces of the Arche c140BC:
White = Council Regions (Type1 government)
Red = Provinces (Type2 governments)
Yellow = Satrapy (Type3 government)
Orange = Military Controlled Region (roleplayed Type3 government)
Green = Client State / Ally (Type4 government)
The conflict within the Council of Elders pits old rivalries against eachother and prevent any true power from being gained by the council. The expansion and changes to the Council Region continued until Philippos was content with the complete lack of cooperation within the council. Basileus Philippos V manages to unite the peoples of greater Hellas under an idea of unity, but within the council encourages old rivalries and oversees a completely worthless exercise in beurocracy.
Many called this new age an return to Athenian democracy, but that was far from the truth. In most regions, the elites would choose a representative from amoungst themselves or only offer the people once choice of representative. Those who are permitted to make the choice varied from region to region, often requiring an substancial level of wealth to cast a vote. Even in Athenai, you are required to own land. A system of bribery and outright cheating comes about soon and the system is far from democratic, but Philippos only requires that it appear democratic to the people.
Basileus Philippos V decides to remain in Athenai and oversee the Council of Elders as he continued his push for further reforms in his old age.
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The brothers, sons, and daughters of Philippos, as well as all their families, all come to Athenai to see the new government and support their Basileus. During this time, Alypios Antigonos (son and heir of Philippos) and Sotades (elder brother of Philippos) met with Basileus Philippos and discussed the plans for the counteroffensive against the Persian Empire. It had been several years since the armies of Media occupied Babylonia and Armenia but the armies of the Arche had held the line.
It was decided that Alypios Antigonos would lead the invasion of Babylonia. Commanding the other armies would be Antisthenes Kyphios (son-in-law of Philippos), Maikenas Pagasiaos (son-in-law of Philippos), Laandros (youngest brother of Philippos), and Euktimenos Demetrios (last of the Demetrids) dispite the fear he could betray the Arche. The plan is to draw the bulk of the Median army into a battle, defeat them on the open field, and force them back over the mountains. While Philippos pursues, the other armies will take out any force remaining in Babylonia and retake the lands.
After spending the winter together, the family once again went their ways. Sotades, Alypios Antigonos, Antisthenes Kyphios, and Maikenas Pagasiaos all sailed for Syria, with Laandros to follow a few months later. Euphrantos returned to his estate in Makedonia to live out his days in excess. Philippos remained in Athenai to oversee the government.
Before leaving Syria, Rhode (wife of Alypios Antigonos) had thought herself with child but was not certain. In Athenai it was confirmed and by the time of the return journey, she is full with child. Alypios stays by her side as much as he can and even ignores many of his minor duties. Just under a month after arriving back in Syria, Rhode gives birth to a healthy son. The boy is named Hippostratos and word is sent out to the far reaches of the Arche that the line of Pyrrhos II is secure for another generation. The great fear that another civil war might occur as another family line came to an end vanished all at once. Now it is this childs duty to live and to become a great leader:
Alypios Antigonos stays with his wife and son as long as he can, but duty soon comes that cannot be avoided. The armies on the Persian border are almost all assembled and it is time to retake Babylonia. Antigonos says his farwells to his family and quickly changes from family-man to general. Studying the tactics of the Median armies, he prepares for this war to come:
The family of Alypios Antigonos was left in the care of his uncle Sotades, but Sotades does not live much longer. Dying quietly in Demetreia, Sotades joins his father, Pyrrhos, in the afterlife:
Sotades had never desired great power and had found happiness in managing every minute detail of administering the lands of Syria. A general in his early life, he came to hate warfare in his midage. Sotades had been the most trusted general and advisor to both Basileus Pyrrhos II (father of Sotades) and Basileus Philippos V (younger brother of Sotades). Other than his wife, Thebe, Basileus Philippos trusted no one person greater than his elder brother, Sotades. When the news arrived in Athenai that his brother is dead, the Basileus goes into mourning.
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The Persian War: Opening Shots
The first battle of the war against the unified Persian Empire occures in an isolated region of the world. Since the fall of Seleukeia, there had been no major battle between the Arche and Persians, only a few border skirmishes in Armenia. The first move is not by the armies of Alypios Antigonos but by the armies of Media.
A force from Babylonia moves down the coast of eastern Arabia until it comes to the garrison of Gerrha, where the Aigypto-Nubian army had set up their base. The Persians assume they can take the city with ease but are surprised when reinforcements from Maka arrived. Assembled to assist in the invasion of Babylonia, the allied kingdom of Maka already had an army moving north.
When the army of Maka attack the Persians, the Aigypto-Nubians quickly reinforce:
The Aigypto-Nubian forces take up position in a draw:
Meanwhile, the army of Maka set themselves up on a ridge just to the north. Once all the armies are in position, the Arabians move forward:
The Persian army moves up the hill to face their enemy and make attempts to circle forces around the northern flank. Seeing this, the Nubian cavalry rush over the draw and to the flank of the Maka army. Meanwhile the Arabians hold their ground and the desert slingers target the enemy medium cavlary:
The flankers are easily broken and chased off by the Nubian cavalry:
Once the flankers are broken and the Median cavalry are destroyed, the infantry charge. Seeing the charge, the Persian army brakes without a fight:
To the south, the Aigyptoi charged the southern flank and together with the men from Maka chase down and slaughter the Persians:
The Aigypto-Nubian army, under Makedonian leadership, join with the forces from Maka and start to slowly move up the coast to push the Persians back to the Euphrates.
North of Babylonia, Alypios arrives at his camp along the western edge of the Euphrates and makes the final plans for his invasion. To his immediate north is an army from Pontos and Ionia under the command of his brother-in-law Maikenas Pagasaios. North of him is the army of Syria, reinforced by the survivors of Isidoros' Babylonians, under the command of Alypios' brother-in-law, Antisthenes Kyphios. Then there is the allied army of southern Syria, followed by the army of Euktimenos Demetrios defending Assyria. In Armenia, the Thraikio-Armenians defend their homeland against invasion. In Iberia [not pictures], are two armies. One of steppe cavalry and one of levied Armenians:
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The known world in140BC:
Next: Chapter 98 : The Persian War: First Act
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