Page 78 - All About History - Issue 72-18

Greatest Battles

“Phalanxes tended to be relatively immobile, and

most often better suited for either

defence or a deliberate advance”

Asia Minor and instead tear away a big hunk of the to inducting 20,000 native Egyptian men into the
Ptolemaic Empire. Ptolemy IV now had to contend army, something that had hitherto been avoided by
with the consequences of his poor treatment of the originally Macedonian dynasty.
Theodotus,aswellasthose that attendedthepoor To gain time for all of this recruiting and training,
governanceofhisdynasty.Inthewakeofthe Ptolemyhadhisseniorministers,Agathocles
successful Third Syrian War, in which the Ptolemaic and Sosibius, stall for time. Exploiting Antiochus’
frontiers had been flung out far from Egypt’s assumption that Ptolemy IV had no stomach for
borders, the administration of that country had war, the ministers made it known that a negotiated
suffered. Even worse, the army had been allowed to settlement was possible, despite Antiochus’s
decline in prowess and was no match for that of the clear-cut theft of Seleucia Pieria. They met with
Seleucids. With Theodotus’ treason – the Aetolian Seleucidenvoys intheEgyptiancityofMemphis
generalhadtakenhissoldiers overtotheAntiochus in the south of the Nile Delta. Meanwhile, feverish
with him – Coele Syria itself was undefended. Ptolemaic military preparations were taking place
Ptolemy set about rebuilding his army by outofSeleucidsightinthecityofAlexandriaonthe
recruiting soldiers from wherever he could find Mediterranean coast throughout 218 BCE.
Light infantry, such as this peltast,
were widely used in Hellenistic armies them.Hewas aidedinthistaskbyhisimmense Antiochus himself allowed matters to drag on for
wealth, which he deployed liberally to bring soldiers his own reasons. Achaeus, in the north, was still a
FromAntiochus’svantagepointinSyria,Ptolemy and mercenaries to his standard, and by the talented threat to his rear, and he wanted to have his troops
IV would have appeared an easy mark. The soldiers of fortune from across the Hellenistic go into winter quarters in Seleucia Pieria.
Egyptian king was notable for his licentiousness and Greekworldthatheputinchargeoftheirtraining. The showdown with Ptolemy IV would have to
inattention to matters of state. Also, as Antiochus These officers had the expertise to weld the raw wait until the next year.
wouldintimelearn,Ptolemyhadcarelesslyangered recruits into genuine fighting men. Chief among Thus it was not until the spring of 217 BCE that
an important man who could and would do him thesewerePolycratesofArgosandAndromachus the Seleucid army moved south. Antiochus’ host
harm.Theodotus,anAetolianGreekbybirth,held of Aspendus, who lectured their men on proper on the march displayed all of the diverse nature of
Coele Syria on behalf of Ptolemy as its governor. military technique. Another, Echecrates of Thessaly, Hellenistic warfare: light infantry from the east of the
Recently,in221BCE,Theodotushadsuccessfully performed an exemplary service in preparing empire;Macedonianphalangitesbearinglongpikes;
defended the region from an initial incursion made Ptolemy’s Greek and mercenary cavalry for combat. and trumpeting elephants with battle towers on their
by the recently-enthroned Antiochus III, forcing the Uncharacteristically, Ptolemy in his need resorted backs, all marching slowly along the route to Egypt.
Seleucidmonarchtoturnback.
Heavily-armoured war elephants
Despitehisexcellentshowing,Theodotushadnot
stride into battle with soldiers in
been rewarded by Ptolemy. He was instead called to towers on their backs.
court for a meeting from which he barely escaped
execution at his king’s ungrateful hands.
Seeing firsthand the dysfunction of the Ptolemaic
courtmadeTheodotusreconsiderhisloyalties.He
decidedtoswitchthemtoAntiochus,towhomhe
sent a letter proposing to turn over the whole of
Coele Syria to him, and that he march south with
hisarmyassoonaspossible.
Antiochus had begun to make inroads against the
Egyptiansbeforethis.Beginningin219BCE,hisfirst
target was the Ptolemy-held city of Seleucia Pieria
near to the mouth of the Orontes River. Seleucia
Pieria was strategically located. If it remained in
Egyptian hands, it would be a threat to any gains
that were made elsewhere. If it could be captured, it
would be a boon on furthering Seleucid conquests
in Coele Syria and help defend their territory as well.
Thecommandersofthecityremainedfirmlyloyal
to Ptolemy, but several lower-ranking officers were
not so adamant. Antiochus swayed them to his side,
andwhenhelaidsiege totheplacetheyconvinced
the Ptolemaic commander to surrender.
With Seleucia Pieria in his hands, Antiochus
received Theodotus’s aforementioned letter. With
this new opportunity before him, he temporarily set
aside his plan quash his rebellious uncle Achaeus in

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