Battle of Orkynia
Battle of Orkynia | |||||||
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Part of the Wars of the Diadochi | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Antigonus I Monophthalmus, | Eumenes | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Antigonus I Monophthalmus | Eumenes | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
10,000 infantry, 2,000 cavalry, 30 elephants |
20,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
light | 8,000 |
The Battle of Orkynia was fought in 319 BCE near Orkynia in Cappadocia. It was one of first battles of the wars between the successors to Alexander the Great, the so called Diadochi. At Orkynia the armies of Antigonus Monophthalmus and Eumenes the Cardian met; the battle resulted in a stunning Antigonid victory.
Background
After the death of
Prelude
Eumenes outnumbered Antigonus in infantry and cavalry, despite this Antigonus adopted a bold, attacking strategy. Eumenes was encamped on a plain well-suited for cavalry fighting[3] near Orkynia[4] when Antigonus suddenly arrived and camped on a hill overlooking the plain. Because of his position, Antigonus could give or refuse battle at will. Unbeknownst to Eumenes, Antigonus got in touch with his cavalry officer Apollonides, who was willing to change sides.[5]
Battle
One day Antigonus drew up his phalanx twice as long as usual, hereby tricked his opponent into thinking he had twice as much infantry as he in fact had, this was combined with the treachery of Apollonides' cavalry. In this way Eumenes' army was put to flight. Not content with this, Antigonus sent his cavalry to capture Eumenes' baggage. There were thus three elements in Antigonus's battle tactics, and the result was a brilliant victory, in which his smaller army slew about 8,000 of the enemy[6] and most of the rest went over to him.[7]
Aftermath
Eumenes escaped with a substantial body of troops, he captured and killed the traitor Apollonides, evaded the pursuit of Antigonus's forces, and doubled back to the battlefield, where he buried his dead. Eventually Antigonus caught up with Eumenes, who was forced to take refuge in a stronghold called Nora with his closest followers, some 600–700 in number.[8] There Antigonus invested him closely, but the fortress was well stocked and virtually impregnable. Antigonus left the siege of Nora to a subordinate and marched with the bulk of his army to deal with the remaining Perdiccans: Alketas, Polemon, Dokimos and Attalos.[9]
References
- ^ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the one-eyed and the creation of the Hellenistic State, p.72.
- ^ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the one-eyed and the creation of the Hellenistic State, p.75.
- Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 40,6.
- ^ Plutarch, Eumenes, 9,2.
- ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 40,5–8; Plutarch, Eumenes, 9,2.
- ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 40,8
- ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 41,1
- ^ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the one-eyed and the creation of the Hellenistic State, p.77.
- ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, XVIII 44, 1–2.