Battle of Paraitakene

Coordinates: 32°38′00″N 51°39′00″E / 32.6333°N 51.6500°E / 32.6333; 51.6500
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Battle of Paraitacene
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Battle of Paraitakene
Part of the
Persia)
32°38′00″N 51°39′00″E / 32.6333°N 51.6500°E / 32.6333; 51.6500Isfahan Province, Iran
Result Victory for Eumenes and eastern satraps
Belligerents Antigonids Eumenes’ Royalist factionCommanders and leaders
Demetrius I Poliorcetes
Peithon
Eudamus
Peucestas
Antigenes
Teutamus
Strength 28,000 heavy infantry,
5,500 light infantry,
6,900 light cavalry,
3,700 heavy cavalry,
65 war elephants 17,000 heavy infantry,
18,000 light infantry,
6,000 cavalry,
125 war elephantsCasualties and losses 7,700, inc. 3,700 killed 1,540, inc. 540 killed
Battle of Paraitakene is located in West and Central Asia
Battle of Paraitakene
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Approximate location of the Battle of Paraitakene.

The Battle of Paraitakene (also called Paraetacene; Greek: Παραιτακηνή) took place during the wars of the successors of Alexander the Great (the Diadochi) between Antigonus I Monophthalmus and Eumenes. It was fought in 317 BC.

Background

After the death of

Susiana and Media until finally, in the summer of 316 BC, they faced off across a plain in the lands of the Paraitakenoi, to the northeast of Susa
.

Prelude

In the summer of 316 BC, Antigonus moved southward from Media towards Persia in the hope of forcing Eumenes to battle. Eumenes was moving north from Persia. The two armies met in the region called Paraitakene, between Media and Persia. Antigonus drew up his army in a strong defensive position. The two armies surveyed each other for a while, and for four days they lived off the land. On the fifth day, supplies were running low so Antigonus decided to march away to Gabiene, where the countryside was rich and unplundered. Unfortunately his plans were betrayed by some deserters, and Eumenes was able to march off first. When Antigonus found out his opponent had left he gave chase with his cavalry while the rest of his army followed at moderate speed. In this way he caught up with Eumenes's rearguard and forced him to halt his army. When the rest of Antigonus's army came up both sides prepared for battle.[5]

Battle

Antigonus deployed his army obliquely, the right wing leading, in the same fashion used by Alexander and

Demetrius, aged about twenty, was with his father commanding the heavy cavalry on the right and making his major combat debut.[7]

The battle began with Peithon, ignoring his orders to hang back, charging Eumenes's heavy cavalry with his more numerous light cavalry. Eumenes held his own against Peithon with his heavy cavalry and elephants and then attacked him in the flank with a couple of his own light cavalry squadrons brought over from his left flank. Peithon was driven back to the foothills in rout.[8]

In the center, the two phalanxes engaged, again to Eumenes’ advantage due to the incredible skill of the Argyraspides who, despite their age (50 to 70 years old), seemed invincible. Antigonus's phalanx was also driven back to the foothills. [8]

Despite these reverses, Antigonus kept his head and when he observed that the very success of the enemy phalanx had led them forward opening up a gap between their center and their left flank he charged his heavy cavalry into this gap, wheeling right and left to the rear of Eumenes's cavalry and his phalanx. The attack proved successful – ending what seemed to be the start of a Eumenes victory over another opponent. The battle slowed as both sides tried to rally broken units. Eumenes tried to claim victory by occupying the battlefield but his troops insisted on returning to their baggage and making camp there. Antigonos, who had his troops better in hand, marched forward and claimed the battlefield.[9]

Aftermath

Antigonus claimed victory, even though he lost some 3,700 men, and a further 4,000 were wounded. Eumenes came off with a loss of only 540 men and some 1,000 injured.[10] Antigonos used trickery (force marching his army away by night) to get away from Eumenes,[11] but he would be back the following year. Their next major confrontation would be the Battle of Gabiene.

References

  1. ^ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, p.77.
  2. ^ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, p.83.
  3. ^ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, p.85.
  4. ^ Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, p.88.
  5. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica XIX 26,1-10; Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, p.95.
  6. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica XIX 26,1-9.
  7. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica XIX 29.4; Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, p.95.
  8. ^ a b Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, p.95.
  9. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, XIX 30,1-31,5; Richard A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, p.98.
  10. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica XIX 30,1-31,5.
  11. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica XIX 32,1-2; Polyainos, Strategemata, IV 6,10.

External links

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