The Seleucid Army A Historical Guide Part Two

The Seleucid Army
A Historical Guide

Part Two

Rise of Antiochos

by Craig Tyrrell

The summer of 281BC, Seleucus (I), the founder of the dynasty, was slain after crossing the Hellespont by Ptolemy Keraunos, at the doorstep of achieving his great dream of reuniting the Macedonian empire under his leadership. Most of his victorious but now leaderless army was then taken ova and used by Keraunos in his conquest of Macedonia. At this time, it appeared doubtful that any vestige of the Seleucid state would survive the death of its founder.

The body of Seleucus was ransomed from Keraunos by Philataerus of Pergamum, guardian of the great treasure deposited there by Lysimachus, who burned it appropriately and returned the ashes to Antiochos I, Seleucus' son and heir.

Fortunately for the dynasty, Antiochos I turned out to be a strong. vigorous leader. He was experienced at command. having served in his father's armies since Ipsus, where he had commanded the allied cavalry. Antiochos would be forced to utilize all of his skills and experience to hold the vast Seleucid empire together in the wake of the murder of his faher.

Ptolemy Keraunos was no longer an immediate threat, as he was now fully occupied in his conquest of Macedonia. The current champion of the Antigonid house, Antigonos Gonatos, harried him from Central Greece, old adherants of Lysimachus in Thrace had to be rooted out, and barbarians assailed him from all sides. He was even forced to formally renounce all claims to his father's throne in Egypt, in order to secure the neutrality of his half-brother, Ptolemy Philadelphos.

Freed initially of the need to deal with Keraunos, Antiachos spent most of the first years of his reign putting down disturbances in Syria and the East. Asia Minor, though still technically part of the Seleucid realm, fell into a state of anarchy. Many of the proud Greek cities and the inland tribal areas reasserted their independence. Once he finally felt secure in Syria, Antiochos sent troops into Asia Minor to restore order and allegiance of those cities who had renounced it during the difficulties. His forces eventually campaigned against those of Keraunos as well. but with little result. He did ally himself with Antigonos Gonatos. however, and bided his time to revenge the murder of his father.

Eventually, Antiochos transferred his court to Sardis, and concentrated on returning Asia Minor to his fold. Opposition to his efforts centered on a Northern League, uniting the strongest of the Bithynian dynasts, Nicomedes, with several disaffected Greek cities of Asia Minor. notably Heraclea. Naval and land engagements were fought but no great result weat to eitehr side. For a time, Antigonos Gonatos joined the Northern League against his old ally, but was soon reconciled to peaceful relations.

The Galacians

Upon the stage now intruded the Galatians, who swept down into Macedonia and Greece. In the spring of 280BC, Ptolemy Keraunos, in a bit of poetic justice, was overwhelmed and his head decorated the point of a Gallic spear. With Macedon overrun and devastated, the hordes moved on towards Greece itself. In 279BC at Thermopylae the Greeks stood, including a contingent of 500 men under Telesarchus sent by the Seleucid king.

The Galatians turned the defenses in the same manner as the Persians years before, and Telesarchus was among those who did not return. Finally, lured on by the rich loot available from the shrine at Delphi, the Galatians were lured into a moumainous area and decisively defeated by the Greek coalition. Greece proper was saved.

During the initial flow of the invasion, however, two groups of Galatians separated from the southward move and moved east, levying blackmail through Thrace. One group, under Leonnorius, moved all the way until stopped by the sea at the Bosporus, the other group, under Lutarius, attempted to force the Hellespont, but were stopped by the Seleucid governor on the opposite shore, Antipater. Lacking any knowbdge of boats and skill at seamanship, it seemed tbat Asia Minor would remain free of the Galatians.

The Northern League

It was at this point that the struggle between Antiochos I and the Northern League intruded. The thoughts of both parties turned to the potential of employing these redoubtable warriors against the other, but it was Nicomedes of the Northern League who loosed them on Asia by ferrying them across the Bosporus after signing a treaty with Leonnorius, placing him under the League's orders.

These new allies soon gutted the lands of Nicomedes' local rival (the Seleucid allies in the area). But Nicomedes proved unable to control his new allies. They moved on throughout eastern Asia Minor, devastating lands and levying tribute, an unsettling influence on the entire area. Indeed, from the moment of the introduction of this new force into the area, it became more and more clear that Greek civilization, either via the house of Seleucus or of any other, would be unable to completely assimilate and rule the entirety of Asia Minor.

The threat from the Galatians was very strong in these early years, and Antigonos I moved to meet them in 273BC with an inferior force, mostty of light infantry, but including 16 elephants, sent from Bactria via Babylon. Antigonos was shaken the night before the battle by a dream of Alexander, which he believed portended his death. And indeed, the Galatian host facing him was a mighy one. The center was a deep mass of infantry, the front ranks allegedly armored. A large force of cavalry covered their flanks, and 80 scythed and 160 two-horse chariots covered their line.

Antiochos I's tactician, Theodotas of Rhodes, advised him to place his faith in his elephant corps, and put them in the center to open the battle. The Galatian horses, never before exposed to elephants, panicked. The scythed chariots in particular tore huge holes in the disordered mass of Galatian foot, and Antiochos forces followed up the elephants with great slaughter. This victory, koown through history as the "Elephant victory" was commemorated by many coins, all bearing the image of an elephant.

The resistance of the forces available to Antiochos I and the Greek city states along the coastal areas gradually pushed the Galatians back into the interior. where they adopted a more settled way of life, though still raiding for plunder from this base. It was thus that the rich area of Phrygia become known through late times as Galatia.

The Galatian invasion marked a watershed in the Hellenistic era. During the chaotic era following the death of Polemy Keraunos in 278BC, the houses of Lysimachus (through his son Ptolemy) and Antipater (througb his grandson, another Antipater) briefly return to the stage. However, in 276BC Antigonos Gonatos swept Macedon from Central Greece and firmly establishes the Antigonid dynasty as masters of Macedon. which would remain until Macedon was swallowed by the growing might of Rome. Henceforth the Hellenistic land was to be ruled by three dynasties, those of Seleucus, Ptolemy and Antigonos.

The remainder of the reign of Antigonos I was marred by a general alliance with the Antigonids against the power of the Ptolomy II Philadelphos, against whom one or the other house was almost constantly in conflict. The houses of Antigonos and Seleucus also drew closer during this era through intermarriage as well.

House of Ptolomy

The power of the house of Ptolemy rested on a very firm foundation, that of Egypt. Blessed wirh a rich, easily defensible land, the Ptolemeic rulers turned their expansive energies into naval power, and built up an impressive overseas empire supported by their powerful fleet. Lebanon and Cyprus provided timber for the navy and many of the coastal and island cities along the Aegean and Mediterranea coasts were also aligned with Ptolomy.

Through the death of Seleocus I, the relationship between his house and that of Ptolemy had been friendly Seleucus himself owing much to Ptolomy for helping him secure his kingdom. Conflict arose between the two during Antiochos I's reign through yet another of those dynastic disputes caused by excessive intermarriage.

One of Antiochos I's daughters, Apama, was given in marraige to Magas, halfbrother of Ptolomy II Philadelphos and his viceroy of Cyrene. In the aftermath of the Galatian disturbances (274BC), Magas declared himself independentand Antiochos alliod himself with his son-in-law.

The conflict between the Seleucid and Ptolomaic kingdoms was one between a powerful army and a powerful navy. As such, neither could effectively strike at the other's heartland, so each used their streagth to harry the other where they could. In particular, Seleucid Asia Minor suffered from the ability of the Ptolomaic navy to harass the central areas and put troops ashore along the coast. The main result of this drawn out conflict was to forever weaken the hold of the Seleucids on the coastal areas of Asia Minor.

Some relief from the strong Ptolemaic pressure ia Asia Minor finally came in 272BC, when Antigonos alared at the increase in Ptolomaic power, joined the conflict. A great naval battle was fought off Cos, and Anatigonid fleet triumphed, returning the Aegean from a Ptolomaic lake and evening the balance of power somewhat.

The final campaigns of Antiochos I occurred agaiast a new enemy, one who would become a scourge of the Seleucid hour. Pergamum at the time of his reign had been a minor ally, differing only by its wealth from other Greek cities along the coastal plain. It will be remembered that it was Philateares of Pergamum who had randsomed Seleucus' body from Ptolomyy Keraunos and given it a proper burial. Throughout his life this remarkable eunuch maintainod good relations with his Seleucid neighbors, while consolidating his power over Pergamum and the area around it.

In 263BC, at the age of eighty. Philaterus passed away and was succeeded by his nephew Eumenes, who proved to be another strong, vigorous ruler. Alarmed at the rise of a new power at his doorstep, Antiochos opened a campaign against him. Eumenes struck directly for Sardis, the Seleucid capital. Antiochos met him in person, and was decisively defeated, firmly establishing Pergamum's power as a rival for dominance in Asia Minor.

One final episode marred the end of Antiochos I's reign - a fatal split within his family. His eldest son, Seleucus, had been made co-ruler and satrap of Babylon and the east early in his reign. Some time between 269 and 265BC, there was a falling out between father and son, and Antiochos had Seleucus put to death. His younger brother Antiochos succeeded him as co-ruler.

Antiochos I died in 262BC, having reigned for nineteen years, at the age of 64.

GUIDELINES FOR RECREATING THE ARMY OF ANTIOCHOS (I) ON THE TABLETOP

The army of Antiochos (I) makes an interesting wargaming force. Following are some guidelines for recreating this force:

Historical Enemies: The Bithynians under Ziboetes defeated a Seleucid army during the early days of Antiochos' rule. [Bithynian - Book Two]. Ptolomy Keraunas was a lifelong enemy [Macedonian Early Successor - Book Two]. The Northern League could be represented by a Bithynian army with Greek cily state allies, or vice versa. Antigonos Gonatos could appear as either an ally of the Northern League, or separately [Macedonian Early Successor - Book Two]. A long running war with Ptolomaic Egypt marred the later years of his reign [Ptolomaic - Book Two]. As much of the actual fighting occurred along the coastal plain of Asia Minor, either power could field allied contingents from the local Greek cities [Hellenistic Greeks - Book Two]. His most famous historical battle, the 'elephant victory,' was fought against the Galatians [Galatian - Book Two]. His final defeat came at the hands of the upstart forces of Pergamum [Attalid Pergamene - Book Two].

In addition, confrontations were likely with foes throughout the length of his realm, including India [Mountain Indian or Classical Indian - Book Two], Kappadokia [Ariarathrid Kappadokien - Book Two]. Armenia [Early Armenian - Book Two]. the various Arab tribes and cities [Nabataean Arab or Later Pre-lslamic Arab - Book Two]. The Greek cities [Later Hoplite Greek or Hellenistic Greek - Book Two], the Skythians [Skythian Book One] and the various Thracian tribes [Thracian - Book One].

Potential sub-generals: Patrocles, the trusted lieutenant of Antiochos' father, is mentioned during the early part of his reign leading troops in Asia Minor; one of his lieutenants was Hermogenes of Aspendus, who commanded against some Greek citiess who had renounced their loyalty and also against the Bithynians.

Antiochos I's tactician during his campaigns against the Galatians, Theudotas of Rhodes, is another potential sub-general.

Potential Allies Plausible allies for Antiochos' army include Antigosos Gonatos [Macedoeian Early Successor - Book Two] and those Bithynian tribes who allied with him against Ziboetes and the Northern League [Bithnian - Book Two]. Galatian tribesmen did not enter Seleucid service until later.

Civic militia cavalry or Tarantines Antiochos continued thework of his father in founding settlements and new cities of his Macedonian and Greek followas throughout the realm. It is probable that many civic militia cavalry would have become available to him, at least during the bulk of his reign. A couple of elements of Tarantines are certainly plausible, so change the maximum number from 0-6 to 0-3.

Elephants Antiochos made very effective use of elephants at many of his battles. He employed very large numbers at several of his battles. He was also reputedly enamored of elephants ateer their decisive use at the elephant victory (and understandbly so). Offsetting these factors was the general drop in availability as control over Bactria and the gates of India slipped. It would be probably be appropriate when fielding Antiochos I's army to change the elephant availability to 2-3.

Peltasts by Antiochos' reign, that universal mercenery of the Hellenistic world-- the peltast--had almost uniformly switched over from the pelte to the theuros and many had added protection from loot gained on campaign. It would now be appropriate to field these mercenaries as Reg Ax(s) 2-6.