Battle of Megalopolis
Battle of Megalopolis | |||||||
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Part of the Wars of Alexander the Great | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Macedon | Sparta | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Antipater | Agis III † | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
40,000 |
20,000 Infantry 2,000 cavalry | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1,000-3,500 | 5,300 | ||||||
The Battle of Megalopolis was fought in 331 BC between
Background
In the autumn of 333 BC, the Spartan King Agis III had met with the
Meanwhile, Antipater, Alexander's regent in Macedonia, was occupied in Thrace where the Macedonian general, Memnon, was involved in a rebellion. After the rebellion was resolved, Antipater marched against King Agis.[4] Antipater had recruited a large force, over 40,000 strong, with a core of Macedonian troops and substantial numbers of tribal warriors from the northern fringes of Macedonia, reinforced with troops from his Greek allies.[5] Antipater received aid from Alexander of 3,000 talents to support in what Arrian names the Lacedaemonian (Spartan) War.[6]
Battle
The final battle, fought near
King Agis, now wounded and unable to stand, ordered his men to leave him behind to face the advancing Macedonian army so that he could buy his men time to retreat. Diodorus states that the Spartan king slew several enemy soldiers before being finally killed by a javelin.[8][7]
Aftermath
After the battle, Antipater remained apart from the peace talks (which did not please Alexander), instead leaving it to the Peloponnesians to organise their own peace terms (Curt. 6.1.17-19).[7] The Spartans were forced to send ambassadors to Alexander, the Tegeans (apart from its "ringleaders") were pardoned and the Achaeans and the Eleans gave 120 talents to Megalopolis for laying siege to their city (Curt. 6.1.20).[7]
See also
- Megalopoli
References
- ^ Plutarch, Life of Agesilaus, 15.4
- ^ "Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XVII, Chapter 48". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ "Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XVII, Chapter 62". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ Agis III, by E. Badian © 1967 - Jstor
- ^ a b "Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XVII, Chapter 63". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ "Arrian, Anabasis, book 3, chapter 16, section 10". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ a b c d "Curtius Rufus, Quintus, Historiae Alexandri Magni, book 6, chapter 1". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
- ^ "Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XVII, Chapter 63, section 4". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.